Recipes and styling Sasha Zambetti, Photography Roelene Prinsloo.
On an island where people originate from a wide variety of places, the local cuisine is a testament to the influence of this melting pot influenced by different cultures and cooking traditions.
Enchilado de camarones
Best served with rice and lemon wedges.
Serves: 4
Time: 30min
Ingredients:
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 can whole peeled tomatoes, pureed
100ml tomato puree
250ml beer, stock or water
500g shrimp, cleaned and deveined
Method:
1 In a large saucepan, add a little oil and sauté the onion and garlic until soft.
2 Add the tomatoes and tomato puree and simmer for a few minutes. Add the 250ml liquid (beer, stock or water), the shrimps and season with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly reduced, about 20 minutes.
Spicy calamari in tomato sauce
If you like spicy foods you can add an extra chilli or two. Similarily, if you’re not a fan, omit them.
Serves: 6
Time: 40min
Ingredients:
30ml oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3cm fresh ginger, minced
1kg calamari rings
500g fresh tomatoes, chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
10ml thyme, chopped
15ml parsley, chopped
Method:
1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes before adding in the calamari rings.
2 Pour in about 500ml of water, add the tomatoes and chillies. Cook uncovered until the sauce thickens, adding the chopped herbs halfway through. Stir from time to time to prevent mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Fresh pineapple with chilli sauce
Aromatic, freshly ground black pepper awakens the sweetness of the pineapple. Serve with shrimp, pork, or chicken.
Serves: 6
Time: 5 minutes + standing
Ingredients:
1 fresh pineapple, chopped
1 kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
1 each red and green chilli, finely chopped
30ml red onion, finely chopped
30ml fresh coriander, chopped
15ml rice vinegar
2,5ml sugar
5ml grated lime rind
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
5 whole cardamom seeds, crushed
Method:
Combine all ingredients, season and toss gently to mix. Allow to stand for an hour before serving.
Dholl purri
A South African version of the popular Mauritian recipe – a wheat-based pancake, usually stuffed with yellow split peas.
Serves: 5
Time: 40min
Ingredients:
150g red lentils
10ml cumin powder
2ml turmeric powder
500g bread flour
250ml warm water
20ml vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1 Strain and rinse soaked red lentils. Cook in boiling fresh water until just tender. Do not salt the water.
2 Strain and blend to a paste with ground cumin and salt to taste.
3 Place the flour, turmeric and 2 pinches salt in a mixing bowl and mix well. Add warm water and mix to form a smooth dough.
4 Cover dough with a damp cloth for 20 to 30 minutes. Form dough into 60g balls, make an indent in the centre and stuff with split pea and cumin mixture. Seal dough around filling.
5 Roll dough out as thinly as possible into rounds on a floured surface.
6 Brush a non-stick pan with oil and cook over high heat for approximately 2 minutes. Brush top of dholl puris with a little more oil, flip and cook on other side for another 2 minutes.
Makatia coco
A moreish sweet bread with shredded coconut for extra flavour.
Makes: 30 rolls
Time: 2hours 30min
Ingredients:
1kg bread flour
5ml salt
200g sugar
15ml dried yeast
600 ml water
50g vegetable oil or butter
15ml vanilla essence
Shredded coconut for the filling
Method:
1 Sift the flour, salt, sugar and dried yeast in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and gradually blend in the water and oil / butter. Sprinkle with the vanilla essence. Knead the dough for 15 minutes before leaving in a warm spot to rise.
2 Once doubled in size, separate the dough into 12 balls. In the middle of each dough ball, place a small quantity of shredded coconut. Pinch the dough closed to contain the shredded coconut in the middle of the ball.
3 Place dough balls on a baking sheet. Cover with a dry tea towel. Allow the dough to rise again, about 90 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
4 Brush the tops with egg or milk and sprinkle with a little extra coconut. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked and golden on top. Best served warm with butter.
Mauritian mayonnaise
Making your own mayonnaise is very easy, very impressive and you can use oils that are good for you too.
Makes: 375ml
Time: 10min
Ingredients:
2 large egg yolks
5ml crushed garlic
10ml Dijon mustard
5ml salt
2,5ml ground black pepper
125ml olive oil
125ml grape seed oil
White vinegar
Method:
1 Place the egg yolks in a food processor. Add the crushed garlic, mustard, salt and pepper. Blitz for a few seconds to mix well before adding a few drops of the mixed oils.
2 Add a few more drops of oil and blend again. The mixture will gradually begin to thicken. Add some more oil in very small quantities and blend again. Repeat until the mixture appears to thicken too much, then add a little white vinegar to thin the mixture.
3 Repeat the oil and vinegar addition, blending until all the oil is used up. Should the mixture break down, restart with one egg yolk, gradually adding the broken down mixture in instead of oil.
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