In the 9th century, Omanis, Yemenis and Persians began colonizing the Swahili Coast, including the Zanzibar Archipelago. They brought new dishes and ingredients, most notably spices, coconut, mango, citrus and rice. One of the most common Zanzibar recipes, the pilau (pilaf) rice (i.e., rice, coconuts, nuts and spices), clearly reflects its Arab origin.