🇹🇿 Tanzanian / Swahili · Vegetables & Legumes
🫘 Tanzanian Pigeon Peas
Mbaazi
Tanzanian Mbaazi — pigeon peas simmered in coconut milk with Zanzibar spices and tomatoes. The coastal Swahili bean dish that is eaten for breakfast on Zanzibar with mahamri — one of the island's most iconic morning combinations.
Mbaazi with mahamri is one of the most iconic Zanzibari food combinations — the creamy pigeon peas in coconut milk alongside the cardamom-fragrant doughnuts. But mbaazi is equally eaten for lunch and dinner alongside rice. The pigeon pea's earthy, nutty flavour pairs magnificently with coconut milk.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large pot
- 300g dried pigeon peas — soaked overnight
- 400ml coconut milk
- 2 onions — diced
- 3 tomatoes — diced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp salt
- ¼ cup coriander
Method
- Cook soaked pigeon peas in fresh water 50—60 minutes until tender. Reserve liquid.
- Heat oil. Cook onions until golden.
- Add garlic, ginger, and spices. Stir 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes. Cook 6 minutes.
- Add pigeon peas and ½ cup reserved liquid.
- Simmer 15 minutes.
- Add coconut milk. Simmer gently 10 minutes.
- Garnish with coriander.
Chef Tips
- Pigeon peas take longer to cook than kidney beans.
- Add coconut milk at the end — never boil hard.
- The earthy flavour of pigeon peas specifically needs coconut milk to balance it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Under-cooking pigeon peas.
- Boiling coconut milk.
The Science
Pigeon peas contain more tannins than kidney beans — which contributes to their characteristic earthy, slightly astringent flavour. Coconut milk fat binds some of these tannin compounds, reducing astringency and producing a rounder, more pleasant flavour profile.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- High plant protein.
- Very high fibre.
- Rich in iron.
- Coconut milk adds MCTs.
Cultural Note
Mbaazi with mahamri is one of the most celebrated food combinations in Zanzibar — the breakfast that Zanzibaris crave most when abroad. The earthy pigeon peas in coconut milk against the sweet cardamom mahamri is a contrast of extraordinary balance.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate 5 days. Freeze 3 months.
Reheating: Gently.
Serve with: Mahamri (TZA006), Wali wa Nazi (TZA002), Chapati (TZA004)