Swahili cuisine today is a melange of African, Middle-Eastern and Indian cuisine. Zanzibar is a puff of wind away, and its spices, together with the fresh ingredients of the tropical Coast form the basis of Swahili Cuisine. The range of seafood at the Coast is quite spectacular. Rock Lobster, oysters, Tiger Prawns, squid, octopus, shark, rock cod, sea bream, grey mullet, crab, sailfish, tuna and so on. Plantains, yams, okra, cassava, various wild greens, spinach and brinjals are also eaten.
Coconut milk is used in most dishes.
It tends to give the curries a creamy texture. Press Split coconut in half, remove coconut water and set aside. Remove flesh from shell, and grate finely. You can use a blender. Place grated coconut into cheesecloth, and twist as hard as possible to squeeze out the milk.