Wanting to take a short (4-day) safari during my recent trip to Africa, I was instructed to “Skip the Serengeti and head to the Selous”. Three times larger than the Serengeti and twice the size of Belgium, the Selous is the largest protected game reserve on the African continent. Instead of being in a jeep all day, our safari experience included both a river ride and a walking safari as well.
I listened and was glad I did.
We arrived at the Selous Riverside Safari Camp after a 5 1/2-hour Land Cruiser ride
from Dar es Salaam, mostly on unpaved roads. The camp is located on the banks of the Rufiji River, a few kilometers outside the game reserve. When we arrived we were presented with icy-cold washcloths and fresh-chilled fruit juice by Sharon Moore and John Anderson.
Sharon, raised in Swaziland, had arrived at the camp the previous month, just in time for a visit from Tanzania’s president. John Anderson, from Mozambique, had been there about six months — since the camp opened. Our welcome was exceptionally royal, as we learned later that Sharon and John had been incorrectly informed that I was a Zanzibarian hotel magnate. Wrong. We ended up having the entire camp and staff to ourselves.
During one dinner on the deck overlooking the Rufiji, our servers placed bowls of
peppery pumpkin soup in front of us. It was so delicious we had to restrain ourselves from licking the bowls. When asked, Chef Fadhil Kondo Mangala gladly provided his recipe to me. I recreated it using butternut squash.
To make Chef Fadhil Kondo Mangala’s Peppery Pumpkin (or 
Butternut Squash) Soup, cook 1 peeled, seeded and cubed melon-size pumpkin or large butternut squash, 1 medium-sized chopped onion, and 2 cloves mashed garlic in 2 tablespoons butter in a stock pot over medium heat for 15 minutes until the squash and onion are tender. Add 4 cups water and 2 stock cubes (or one 32-ounce container chicken broth), bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Add 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse black pepper and salt to taste. (The amount will vary depending on the stock cubes or broth you added.)
Either use an immersion blender to purée the soup or let it cool slightly, then process in a blender to purée. Taste and adjust seasoning. The soup should be peppery. Just before serving stir in 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Selous Riverside Safari Camp. About $195 a night from October thru March, includes breakfast, a picnic lunch and dinner; +255 22 2128161; www.selousriversidecamp.com
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