Urojo (Zanzibar Mix Soup)
In short: A sour, golden Zanzibar street soup thickened with potato and chickpea flour, topped with boiled egg, kachumbari, crunchy chips and chili. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 420 kcal
Urojo, also called Zanzibar mix, is the island's best-known street soup: a sour, golden broth thickened with potato and chickpea flour and poured over boiled egg, fresh kachumbari and something crunchy. Vendors serve it in the evening, and each bowl is built to order with chili and lime. It is filling, moderately hot and cheap, and it works as a light dinner or a late-night snack.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic, ginger, chilies, turmeric, cumin and coriander and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the potatoes, water and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are very soft.
- Mash about half the potatoes against the side of the pot so the soup thickens.
- Whisk the chickpea flour with 120 ml (1/2 cup) of cold water until smooth. Stir it into the soup and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring often, until the soup coats a spoon.
- Stir in the tamarind, lemon juice and cilantro. Taste and adjust the salt and sourness, then keep hot.
- Mix the tomato, red onion and lime juice with a pinch of salt for the kachumbari.
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with the halved eggs, kachumbari and a handful of cassava chips, and serve at once with chili sauce.
Tips
- Add the crunchy toppings at the last moment so they stay crisp. Crushed plain tortilla chips are a fine substitute for cassava chips.
- Add a spoonful of finely chopped green chili or hot sauce to each bowl rather than to the pot, so everyone chooses their own heat.
Questions and answers
What is urojo?
It is a Zanzibar street soup with a sour, yellow broth thickened with potato and chickpea flour. It is topped with boiled egg, fresh salad, crunchy snacks and chili.
Can I make urojo ahead?
Make the soup up to 3 days ahead and reheat it with a splash of water, since it thickens in the fridge. Prepare the toppings fresh.
Is urojo spicy?
It is moderately hot, and the heat is easy to adjust. Leave out the green chilies and add chili sauce at the table if you prefer it mild.
How long does it take to make Urojo (Zanzibar Mix Soup)?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Urojo (Zanzibar Mix Soup)?
About 420 kcal per serving, with 11 g of protein, 52 g of carbohydrates and 19 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 420 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 11 g |
| Carbohydrates | 52 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 800 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
