comfort food is an essential part of my food philosophy. when i’m in need, i generally turn to persian koreshts (stews), but i’m always looking for new foods and spices to give me that soothing quality. so, when a friend brought back from africa an array of spices and curry powders, i knew that i had found a new comfort dish. there’s just something fun about the bright red powder! combined with the yellows and greens of the vegetables, the entire dish just brings a smile to your face.
according to the ever-accurate wikipedia, zanzibar was introduced to curry by the omani’s in the 1600s, when the sultanate took control of the islands. given the commercial relationship between oman and india, indian curries (which were so popular in oman) were incorporated into zanzibari cuisines. the difference, however, is in the flavours. zanzibar red curry lacks the spiciness that you would expect from a curry, but has a sweet undertone. truth be told, i have no idea if my recipe is anywhere near authentic. however, the result was delicious. don’t be daunted by the seemingly long list of ingredients – the result is well worth it.
of note: i believe this specific curry powder is difficult to find. though i haven’t attempted to make this dish with other powders, i am certain it would still work well.
sahtain: a cooking blog 