Fresh Bread (Pão)

Bread is another cornerstone of Mozambican cuisine, and most neighborhoods will have a small local bakery where residents can buy fresh bread on a regular basis. It is still a more popular option than the mass-produced bread found in stores. Mozambique's basic roll is fluffy on the inside and somewhat crunchy on the exterior; it's often eaten (still warm if possible) with butter. Everywhere you walk in Mozambique, you see people buying their daily bread at bakeries – lovely crusty loaves or eggy sweet rolls.

Local village bakers make the Mozambican Pao, which is the African counterpart of Portuguese bread rolls. Mozambique was a Portuguese colony, and as a result, the Pao was adopted into local cuisine. Many tourists to Mozambique return home with fond recollections of the Pao, which may be purchased along the roadside or at marketplaces early in the morning. Pao is prepared by creating a dough of water, yeast, sugar, flour, and wheat, placing it in an oven, and dusting it liberally with raw flour. This colonially inspired bread is best eaten with a large filling of peri-peri meat or chicken.