Chipsi Mayai

in 2014, I packed my bags and travelled alone for the first time, heading to Tanzania for two months! It was an exciting experience that saw me learning Swahili, climbing Mt Kilimanjaro and immersing myself in the wonderful animals in the vast plains of the Serengeti and other national parks. However, another memorable souvenir I took was the gift of food. Tanzanian cuisine is very similar, but also very different to Zimbabwean cuisine, so my palate was pleasantly surprised as I tasted many delicious dishes. The most notable one was “Chipsi mayai”, an omelette made with chips. The name of the dish literally translates to “chip omelette”. One of my colleagues in Tanzania, a local, introduced me to a space called Castle Bar where I could enjoy local cuisine at a fraction of the price I’d pay at the beautiful Mt Meru hotel in Arusha, and as I was just a student on a gap year with a thin pocket, I totally loved this. The first time I ordered chipsi mayai, I asked if I could watch, and I as fascinated by how quickly they prepared my food. Since that day, I absolutely enjoy making one whenever I want to be transported back to the beautiful land of Tanzania, which I call my second African home. It’s very simple to make, and there’s lot more you can do with it, if you fancy, such as adding bits of bbq’d meat (known as “mushkaki”), so it becomes "“Chipsi mayai namushkaki”.

Chipsi Mayai namushkaki at Castle Bar, Arusha, Tanzania, served with a salad

Anyway, let’s dive right in…

Chipsi mayai

Recipe Serves: 1 or 2

Preparation Time: 2 minutes                            

Cooking time: approx 10 - 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

3 medium eggs or 2 large eggs

1 large potato, peeled and sliced into chips (or use a handful of ready-made chips/fries)

1 tablespoon cooking oil

a pinch of salt

Potato seasoning (optional)

Fresh basil garnish (optional)

METHOD

1. If using freshly sliced potatoes, season them with the potato spice and parboil them for a few moments until soft but not too tender. If you’re using ready-made chips, skip this step and go straight to step 2.

2. After parboiling your potatoes, fry them in a pan until they start browning (or to your desired colour). Reduce heat to the lowest point.

3. Beat your eggs and sprinkle a pinch of salt

4. Pour the eggs all over the chips and leave to cook. Regularly tilt your pan slightly to allow excess egg to seep through the sides of your omelette until all the runny egg is gone

5. Flip your omelette over for the top side to brown

6. Serve! Garnish with basil, or herbs of your choice.

You can enjoy this omelette on its own as it’s quite filling due to the potato. Bon Appetit, and if you’ve tried this dish, let me know how it went for you!