Eating with the locals

In an attempt to forget the really sick kids I've seen this week, I have been having fun at night with friends, Moshi townies, and total strangers who become family while bonding over our love of food.

My first Tanzanian cooking experience was with Mama Rose and Baba Norbert. They invited Dana and me over to cook and we made a dish from scratch. Mama Rose even made us wear kangas as we cooked outside over charcoal. The dish was called pilau... mmmm
Over a charcoal grill:
- Heat oil, add red onions and garlic
- add soup and heat up
- add g'nombe (cow) and let simmer
- add veggies (carrots, peppers, potatoes)
- add more soup
- add soaked rice
- let simmer until all the water is cooked out
Pile it high on your plate and cover with a cucumber/tomato vinaigrette. Clean your plate (because it's rude not to) and allow Mama Rose to pile it up again because "This is Africa, not America. You eat in Africa!" Finish your Fanta, avacado/mango juice, and Sprite. Try to waddle home.

I have eaten at some great restaurants (there is a large Indian population in Tanzania so Indian food/curry is quite common):
-El Rancho (I know, I thought Mexican and was a little disappointed when I couldn't get a cheesy enchilada, but it was delicious anyway)
-Kindoroko Hotel
-Coffee Shop (inventive name I know, but it was the first place I ate when I got to TZ)
-Indo Italiano (Indian meets Italian food)
-The Watering Hole (a mzungu hangout, but it's a cool atmosphere)
-Kilimanjaro Coffee Lounge (not to be confused with Coffee Shop, it's another mzungu hangout but you can get yummy food, pretty good cake, and wireless internet)
-Samosas are a delicious little pastry where veggies meet flaky breading and you can get them anywhere
-Taj Mahal (I told you Indian food was popular!)

Tonight Dana and I are cooking with another Tanzanian friend. I am on my way to pick up the chicken. We shop with the same girl every week in the market, Aisha, and she has started giving us better prices since we have become her rafiki (friends). It is sure to be amazing.

I have invented a dessert called Tanzanian Shimo (Hole) Cake. I am having it for my birthday along with a breakfast for dinner party: Eggs, ketchup, pancakes, ndizi (bananas), nutella, fanta.

I will tell you all about my big weekend next week after I have sufficiently indulged and partied like it's Africa. My dress is pressed and ready for a night on the town! I am a little bit sad that I will not be celebrating with a lot of people that I love, but I have had at least 5 birthday celebrations already this year and I am planning on a few more when I get back. By that time I'll be about 175 years old. It sounds like everyone will still be celebrating since there are lots of travel plans and fun days on the schedule for tomorrow.

Love!