This is where Africa, Arabia, India, and island life all get together for dinner—and the results are delicious. Coconut, rice, seafood, chilies, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, cassava, and tropical fruit create food that can be creamy, spicy, tangy, and fragrant all at once.

The Swahili coast, Zanzibar, Comoros, Mauritius, Madagascar, Réunion, and the Seychelles each have their own fabulous twists. Spice-filled curries, grilled fish, coconut sauces, rice dishes, and street snacks show just how much history can travel by sea.