Mauritian Cuisine

Puris

2010-03-31T02:58:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1/2 lb white flour

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

200 ml water

vegetable oil for frying

Method:

Blend the flour with the vegetable oil. Add water gradually and work into dough until a uniform consistency is obtained.

Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.

Break dough into small pieces and roll into dough balls. the size of a ping pong ball. Dip into vegetable oil. Then flatten each dough ball with a rolling pin.

Add enough oil to cover whole surface of pan. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Place each poori into pan and fry one at a time. As soon as poori expands, turn over and immediately remove from pan. Drain.

Baguette Fromage

2010-03-31T02:44:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

6 portions of la vache qui rit

1/2 cup cold water

pinch of salt

Sieve the flour and the salt.
Mix vache qui rit with the flour and salt. Gradually add water and mix well into a smooth pastry. Roll pastry into sheets. Cut into thin strip. Place 10 to 12 cheese sticks in the pan. Fry slowly on a low flame. Wait till they are light brown. Drain and place on absorbent kitchen paper. When cold, put them in a tight fittinglid tin. Enjoy.

Gateau Arouille

2010-03-18T23:43:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

500 grams arouilles (yam) (peeled and grated)
spring onions finely chopped
1 small onion
2 slices of white bread
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon freshly crushed ginger
5 tablespoons corn flour
salt to taste
vegetable oil for frying
2 spring onions finely chopped
1 lt oil

Method:

Combine grated arouilles (yam) and all the other ingredients.
Make small balls.
Heat oil in deep frying pan over medium heat.
Drop one ball by one ball into the oil and fry until golden brown.
Drain on kitchen paper towels and serve immediately.

Rougaille chevrette la riviere.

2010-03-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

250 grams red tomatoes

125 grams red chillies

250 grams small dried prawns (chevrettes la riviere)

1 small onion finely chopped

1 tablespoon crushed garlic

10 tablespoons vegetable oil

salt to taste

Roughly chop the red chillies ,the onion, tomatoes. Finely blend in a food processor.

Prepare the prawns: Remove any loose shells or impurities. Soak in water to remove excess salt.

Add the prawns to the tomatoes, chilies and onion. Blend very roughly (3 seconds approx).

Heat the oil. Add garlic. Then add the paste. Add salt per taste. Cook over very low heat for approx 15 mins.

Eat with bread or with rice, dhal and brede malbar :)

Enjoy.

Achard légumes

2010-03-18T23:15:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

500 grams finely sliced cabbage,

500 grams carrots cut into matchsticks,

500 grams French beans finely sliced lengthwise,

1 medium cauliflower, separated into small pieces,

3 tablespoons black mustard seeds,

2 tablespoons crushed garlic,

1 tablespoon turmeric powder,

sliced green chillies,

20 tablespoons of vegetable oil,

4 large onions finely chopped,

2 tablespoons white vinegar,

Salt to taste.

Method:
Was and dry out vegetables in the sun for 2 days.

Blend mustard seeds, turmeric powder with garlic and a little water.(You can use pickle masala as well, if you use Steward Lazzat, caution about the salt, as it's quite salty)

Heat oil, add the mustard/garlic/turmeric paste and some salt over VERY low heat.

Add vegetables and green chillies, mix well until well coated. Remove from heat.

Allow to cool and stir in the vinegar.

Place in dry jars and store in refrigerator.

Khowse

2009-08-31T06:18:00.000-07:00

½ chicken cut into +- 10 pieces

1 onion sliced

2 Tbsp ghee1 cinnamon stick

1 cardamom pod

2 cloves

½ tsp ginger garlic

1 tsp chilli powder

½ tsp coriander cumin powder

¼ tsp tumeric

Salt to taste

¼ cup water

1 Tbsp chana flour

1 ½ litres milk

2 cups of coconut milk

1 Tbsp chopped coriander leaves/ spring onion

1 Tbsp crushed chillies

1 box 250g spaghetti

Samoosa or spring roll pastry

Cut into thin pieces.

Fry onion, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves in ghee until onion gets soft.

Marinate chicken with the following:

Ginger garlic

chilli powder

coriander cumin powder

tumeric

Salt

Braise well, lower heat and cook until chicken is tender.

Mix chana flour and water and add to chicken. Braise for 1-2 minutes.

Stir in milk or coconut milk and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves

Deep fry pastry strips until golden brown and crispy.

Roast the crushed chillies in a pan until brown in colour.

Serve in individual bowls:

Place spaghetti in bowl

Pour soup over

Garnish with fried crispy strips

Zulfi"s Mince Loaf

2009-08-31T06:14:00.000-07:00

A special thanks to Naseema Khan for this recipe. A great one!!!!

1 KG MUTTON MINCE OR CHICKEN MINCE

1 TBLSP GINGER GARLIC PASTE

1 TBLSP FRESHLY GROUND GREEN CHILLIES

1 TBLSP OF WHOLE DHANA SEEDS CRUSHED

1 TBLSP OF WHOLE JEERA SEEDS CRUSHED

1 TSP WHOLE BLACK PEPPERS CRUSHED

1 TBLSP SALT

1 TBLSP BAKING POWDER

2 SLICES SOAKED BREAD IN WATER (SQUEEZE WATER OUT)

2 EGGS BEATEN UP

1 CUP JUNGLE OATS

HANDFUL OF GREEN DHANIA LEAVES & LITTLE CHOPPED SHALLOT

HALF CHOPPED GREEN YELLOW OR RED PEPPERS

METHOD :

MIX ALL OF ABOVE TO THE MINCE.

GREASE A LOAF PAN WITH 2 TBLSP OIL PAT THE MIXTURE IN IT

BAKE FOR 1 HOUR AT 180 DEGREES

WHEN DONE COOL PLACE ON PLATTER BRUSH TOP WITH ANY RED CHUTNEY SPRINKLE WITH SIMBA CHIPS CRUSHED ON TOP

SERVE WITH GREEN SALAD

Poulet Roussi/ Fried chicken with herbs

2009-01-26T22:02:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts
1 tsp ginger/garlic
3 tblsp oil
1 tsp salt
2 tsp thyme (dried)
2 grated onions
3 tblsp fried onions
pinch of chilli powder

Preparation:

Wash chicken breasts after deboning and splitting open. Divide in halves.
Put the oil in pressure cooker, add the grated onions and just as they turn into a
lovely pink colour add all the other ingredients.

Add a little water, close lid and simmer over low heat for 10 mins or till chicken is done.

Kitchree

2009-01-19T03:05:00.001-08:00

1 cup rice
1 cup dal moong or red lentils
5 to 6 cups water
2 ½ teaspoonfuls salt
1 tablespoonful ghee
1 ½ teaspoonfuls garam-masala
1 cup chicken kheema

POR 4 OR 5 PEOPLE. Sort, wash and soak the rice for a few minutes. Put the
water on to boil in a large, heavy aluminium saucepan. Put in the drained
rice, and salt bring to the boil and then turn heat very low. Cook for 20
minutes, then add the well-washed and drained pulses. Mix slightly. and
keep cooking (covered) on a very low heat for another 15 minutes. By then
the rice and pulses should be quite tender, but not overcooked. If the rice is
inclined to stick, put the saucepan (covered) in the oven (Regular 3-4) to
finish off the cooking. If, however, the kitchree has too much fluid, let
it remain on the heat (uncovered) with the heat slightly higher.
When cooked, the kitchree should have the consistency of thick porridge,
but the rice and pulses should not be crushed.
Heat the ghee in a small frying pan, add garam-masala and the onions, pour this onto the kitchree. It can be kept hot in a very low oven.

Kheer

2009-01-19T02:56:00.000-08:00

2 ½ pints of milk (preferably fullcream)
½ teacupful (2 ½ oz.) rice
I teacupful (7 oz.) Sugar
2 dozen almonds
I tablespoonful sultanas.
I teaspoonful crushed cardamom seeds or grated nutmeg
I tablespoonfuls rosewater

FOR 5 OR 6 PEOPLE. Pour the milk into a large, thick aluminum saucepan, and
bring to the boil. Then add the well-washed rice, mix with a large spoon,
and keep boiling on medium heat _ an hour, stirring frequently and scraping
from sides and bottom to prevent sticking. Then add sugar, well-washed
sultanas, blanched and thinly-sliced almonds, and the crushed cardamom seeds
or grated nutmeg. At this stage, the kheer may be put in a moderate oven for
about 30 minutes to become brown on the top; but in Mauritius, after adding the
sugar, sultanas, etc., we keep boiling gently until the right consistency is
obtained. This does not take more than 15 minutes. Then the kheer is
transferred into a dish, and when slightly cold add the rosewater and mix!

Jarda

2009-01-19T02:54:00.000-08:00

I teacupful basmati rice
I teacupful sugar
2 teacupful hot water
I tablespoonful set butter-fat
2 tablespoonfuls sultanas
2 tablespoonfuls finely sliced mixed nuts
I teaspoonful cardamom seeds or nutmeg

FOR 4 PEOPLE. Sort, wash and soak the rice for at least 10 minutes. Mix
sugar and water together, and keep this thin syrup in a jug. Heat the
butter-fat in a heavy aluminium saucepan, and fry the well-drained rice in
it very gently for a few minutes. Warm the syrup, and add this and the
well-washed sultanas, together with the peeled and sliced nuts and the
cardamom seeds (whole) or the grated nutmeg. Bring to the boil, then turn
heat very low. At this stage it is better to put the saucepan (covered) in
the oven for I hour IS minutes, on Regula 4. When ready, the rice should be
well cooked, but not broken or sticking together.

As its quality often varies, some rice may take a little. less water in the
syrup, and the cooking time may also be slightly varied. Many people mix a
teaspoonful of diluted saffron while the rice is cooking, to colour it and
give it fragrance.

Halwa suji

2008-09-11T23:20:00.000-07:00

I have tried many halwa suji recipes, but this one is the best ever... As far as my sis and I are concerned... I am sure you will agree too :)

Ingredients:
2 ½ tablespoonfuls (4 oz.) set butter fat
4 oz. semolina
6 oz. sugar
2 oz. milk
10 oz. water
2 tablespoonfuls sultanas
2 tablespoonfuls sliced almonds
1 ½ teaspoonfuls crushed cardamom seeds or grated nuts
A pinched of saffron

For 4 people.
Mix the sugar, saffron, milk and water, and boil for a few minutes; then pour this hot syrup into a jug. Melt the butter-fat in a large saucepan or deep frying pan, mix in the semolina and fry very slowly for about 10 minutes, stirring all the time. When the butter begins to separate from the semolina, and the mixture is a golden colour it is time to pour in the syrup. Add the will-washed sultanas, and boil quickly until all superfluous liquid has dried off, stirring all the time with a large spoon; this should not take more than 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the halva into a shallow pyrex or china dish, and decorate it with thinly sliced almonds and cardamom seeds or nutmeg. Instead of all sugar, I have used 4 oz. sugar and 1 ½ tablespoonfuls honey. After it is ready, it can be kept hot in a covered dish in a very low oven for an hour or so. It can be re-heated, which should be done very slowly, so that the halva does not become too stiff.

Ginseng juice

2008-09-11T23:19:00.001-07:00

1 red or orange (bell) pepper
200g/7oz pumpkin
Squeeze of lemon juice
5ml/1 tsp ginseng powder
Ice cubes

1. Using a sharp knife, discard the core from the pepper and roughly chop the flesh. Slice the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the pips (seeds) with a spoon and then cut away the skin. Chop the flesh. Halve and stone (pit) the apricot.

2. Push the pumpkin, pepper and the apricot pieces through the juicer. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and he ginseng powder, and stir well to mix together. Pour the juice over the ice cubes in a tall glass and serve.

CREPES

2008-09-11T22:34:00.000-07:00

I have never missed this one! Give it a try!

100g plain flour

Pinch of salt or sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

300ml milk

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

This mixture makes 12 crepes.

Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a sell in the centre and break an egg into it with half the milk. Beat well, then when smooth add the remaining milk. Leave the mixture to stand for 40 minutes. Grease the frying pan and heat it a little. Pour the batter into the pan. Quickly tilt and rotate the pan so the batter coats the bottom of the frying pan and pour off the excess batter. Cook over a moderate heat until the underside of the crepe is gently brown. Turn the crepe over and brown the other side. Turn onto a greaseproof paper and keep warm.

Khima Briani

2008-07-31T02:33:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows Briani in Mauritius and it's one of the star food in Mauritius!!!!
This recipe is a bit different as I used Kheema ( minced mutton) for the biryani.
500 gr mutton mince
1 cup chana dal
1 cup parboiled rice
8 onions
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup yoghurt
1 tsp pounded red chillies
2 whole green chillies
1/2 tsp cummin/coriander powder
3 potatoes cut in halves
1/2 tsp saffron
1/4 cup tomato juice grated or pureed- I use fresh ones
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger/garlic
1/2 cup ghee and oil
4 cardamoms
2 sticks Cinnamon
3 Cloves

Braise mince with ginger/garlic, salt, pounded chillies and cummin/coriander powder. When dry remove from stove and cool. Add yoghurt, saffron, tomato juice and whole cummin. Add cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves.
Fry onions in ghee/oil. Remove when golden colour, drain from the ghee and when cool crush with the back with a spoon and add to mince. ( Save a little for decoration on top of rice)
Fry potatoes in the same ghee and oil. Remove.
Place a first layer of mince in the deckchi or utensil. Then place the potatoes, then the dal. Lastly add the rice.
Decorate with fried onions, and sprinkle rest of ghee and 5 tblsp of cold water and simmer for 30 mins.
Serve with piments confits!!!! ;)

Mauritian Fried rice

2008-07-29T23:45:00.000-07:00

Mauritian Fried rice

Ingredients:

1 bunch spring onion
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, or as needed
4 cups cold cooked basmati rice
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
300 gr chicken fillet

Preparation:
Wash and finely chop the spring onion. Lightly beat the eggs with the salt and pepper.

Cut the chicken fillet into half centimetre cubes. Season with salt, pepper and fish sauce (1 teaspoon) to taste.

Heat a wok or frying pan and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the eggs. Cook, stirring, until they are lightly scrambled but not too dry. Remove the eggs and clean out the pan.

Shred the carrots and fry them in 1 tablespoon of oil. Remove the carrots and clean out the pan.

Fry the chicken pieces until thoroughly cooked and light golden in colour. Flavour the chicken by adding 1 teaspoon of oil towards the end. Remove chicken pieces, allow oil to drain off and put aside.

Add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the rice. Stir-fry for a few minutes, using a wooden spoon to break it apart. Stir in the soy sauce oyster sauce.

When the rice is heated through, add the scrambled egg and chicken into the pan. Mix thoroughly. Stir in the spring onion. Serve hot with garlic sauce and chilli sauce.

Can be served with sweet and sour prawns.

Prawn Curry

2008-07-29T22:15:00.001-07:00

Prawn Curry

Ingredients:

1 lb. (450g) prepared prawns

1 onion, skinned and sliced

4 cloves of garlic

2 red chillis

2 tbsps. ground coriander

1 tsp salt

4 tblsp cooking oil

1 cup water

pinch of ground cummin

1 tsp turmeric

1/s tsp ginger

Cooking Instructions:

Heat cooking oil in a pan and add the sliced onion

Fry the onion until a golden brown then add the prawns and continue cooking until the prawns are browned

Sprinkle the salt over the prawns then add the spice ingredients and mix

Pour water over the prawn mixture

Simmer the prawns until tender.

Garnish with a spring of coriander.

Dal

2008-07-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

Dal :

Whole chana dal 200 Grams

Water 500 ML

1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder

1/2 Teaspoon Chili powder

2 Chopped Green Chili

3 tablespoons of Ghee

2 chopped onion

1 Teaspoon Ginger Paste

1 Teaspoon Garlic Paste

Salt to taste

Method of preparation:

Cook dal in pressure cooker with turmeric for 45 minutes.

Heat ghee in a pan & fry chopped onions till golden.

Add ginger garlic paste & green chilies.

Add boiled dal & cook for 2 minutes.

Add butter & chopped coriander on the top.

Serve hot with rice

Pound Cake

2008-07-16T02:47:00.000-07:00

Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
6 eggs
3 cups flour
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour cake pans.
Mix all ingredients together, and beat for 25 minutes.
Bake in 350 oven for 1 1/4 hours. Cake is done when middle springs back when lightly touched.

Carrot Halwa

2008-07-16T02:46:00.001-07:00

Carrot Halwa
This halwa can be served hot or cold, and should keep for three or four days. It is not only delicious, but it is considered good nourishing food.

2 pints milk
¾ lb. carrots
1 teacup (6 ½ oz.) sugar
1 tablespoonful golden syrup
2 tablespoonfuls (3 oz.) set butter-fat
2 dozen or more almond nuts
1 teaspoonful crushed cardamon seeds or nutmeg
1 tablespoonful sultanas

For 6 people.
Boil the milk in a large heavy aluminium saucepan. Scrape (not peel), wash and grate the carrots, and put them in the milk. Cook this on medium heat for just over an hour, stirring frequently with a large spoon to prevent sticking; the mixture by then should be fairly thick. Add sugar, syrup, sultanas and the butter-fat; pour the mixture into a deep aluminium frying pan, and keep boiling gently until the mixture begins to solidify, stirring frequently.When the halva is of deep orange colour, and has the desired consistency, it should be taken off the heat, spread on the well buttered pyrex or china dish and decorate with the peeled and sliced almonds and the crushed cardamon seeds or nutmeg.

Apple and leaf lift-off

2008-07-16T02:45:00.000-07:00

1 apple

150g/5oz white grapes

Small handful of fresh coriander(cilantro),

Stalks included25g/1oz watercress

15ml/z tbsp lime juice

1. Using a sharp knife, quarter the apple, removing the core if you like. Using a juice extractor, juice the apple and grapes, followed by the coriander and the watercress or rocket.
2. Add the lime juice to the fruit and the herb mixture and stir well. Pour the mixture into a tall glass and serve immediately for maximum flavour.

Exotic juice

2008-07-16T02:44:00.002-07:00

1 small mango

1 apple

2 passion fruit

Juice of 1 orange

5ml/1 tsp echinacea

Mineral water(optional)

Ice cubes (optional)

1. Halve the mango, cutting down one side of the flat stone(pit). Remove the stone and scoop the flesh from the skin. Roughly chop the flesh and place in a blender or food processor.
2. Peel, core and roughly chop the apple. Add to the blender and process together until smooth, scraping the mixture down from the side of the bowl, if necessary.
3. Halve the passion fruit and scoop the pulp into the mango and apple puree. Add the orange juice and echinacea, then blend breifly.
4. Thin with a litte mineral water, if you like, pour into two glasses and serve. Otherwise, transfer the juice into a jug (pitcher) and chill in the refrigerator, then serve in large glasses with ice cubes and slices of mango to decorate.

Ginseng juice

2008-07-16T02:44:00.001-07:00

Ginseng juice

1 red or orange (bell) pepper
200g/7oz pumpkin
Squeeze of lemon juice
5ml/1 tsp ginseng powder
Ice cubes

1. Using a sharp knife, discard the core from the pepper and roughly chop the flesh. Slice the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the pips (seeds) with a spoon and then cut away the skin. Chop the flesh. Halve and stone (pit) the apricot.

2. Push the pumpkin, pepper and the apricot pieces through the juicer. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and he ginseng powder, and stir well to mix together. Pour the juice over the ice cubes in a tall glass and serve.

CREPES

2008-07-16T02:42:00.000-07:00

CREPES

I have never missed this one! Give it a try!

100g plain flour

Pinch of salt or sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

300ml milk

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

This mixture makes 12 crepes.

Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a sell in the centre and break an egg into it with half the milk. Beat well, then when smooth add the remaining milk. Leave the mixture to stand for 40 minutes. Grease the frying pan and heat it a little. Pour the batter into the pan. Quickly tilt and rotate the pan so the batter coats the bottom of the frying pan and pour off the excess batter. Cook over a moderate heat until the underside of the crepe is gently brown. Turn the crepe over and brown the other side. Turn onto a greaseproof paper and keep warm.

Samossa

2008-07-16T02:38:00.001-07:00

Samossa
The dough
3 cups flour
Cold water mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice
Pinch of salt
1 tsp lemon juice
Sift flour and salt. Make into fairly stiff dough with the cold water and the lemon juice. Divide dough in 12 portions and roll each between palms to size of smooth ping-pong balls. Roll out six portions on floured board with rolling pin into 6-8 cms diameter. I use the two handed one...

Pile the 6 disc on top of the other after carefully brushing both sides of each round disc with a tsp of melted ghee or oil and sprinkling flour between them. Only underside of
bottom disc and topside of top disc must be left ungreased.
Now roll out the pile of 6 discs into one large roti (12 inches in diameter) with swift smooth strokes. Trim off sides to form a square.
Put roti on hot ungreased griddle iron plate. Toss and turn lightly several times on both sides in order to separate layers. Deftness in turning will ensure that the pur is not freckled like rotis. As soon as layers appear loose, take off from tava (griddle) and set aside. Prepare a second roti with remaining 6 discs.
Rolled out pur put in hot oven to separate layers.Rolled out discs being piled on top of each other. Large pur has just come out of oven, showing how easily the layers separate.
When slightly cool, trim and cut pur into two-inch wide and ten or more inches long strips. An easy way of cutting strips is to roll the pur up like a swiss roll and after trimming off sides cut through in four equal distances. Separate layers and fill samoosas.

TO FRY:
In deep oil over medium heat, (180°C), fry samoosas, turning them over a few times so that they are evenly browned. Remove from pan when a lovely buff cream shade. Drain in colander.
Serve with lemons and chutneys.

Filling
500 g lamb or chicken mince
2 medium sized onions (chopped very fine)
2 tsp pounded green chillies
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ginger/garlic
½ tsp gharum masala
½ tsp crushed cummin
1 tblsp ghee
1 small bunch dhunia leaves (washed and chopped)
2 tblsp green shallot (washed and chopped)
2 tblsp green mint (washed and chopped)
¼ tsp black crushed pepper
¼ tsp turmeric

Wash and drain mince. Braise in frying pan and when it begins to get dry add salt, ginger/garlic, green chillies, pepper and turmeric. When dry add onions and braise just enough till
moisture is evaporated. Add ghee. Khima should now be fine and dry like breadcrumbs. Cool khima and add the chopped greens (well washed and drained dry) and gharum masala.

Chana Puri

2008-07-16T02:37:00.000-07:00

Chana Puri
Ingredients
1/2 cup chana dal( boil in salted water with 3 peeled potatoes)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp gharum masala
2 tblsp chopped coriander leaves
1 large onion
1 tsp ginger/garlic

Boil dal with peeled potato and when done, drain off water. Fry finely sliced onion in 2 tblsp of oil. Add the ginger and garlic paste and the gharum masala. Add the potato and dal and braise till the spices are well mixed with the potato and dal. When cold add the chopped coriander leaves. Gently mould in palms and form in small ping pong sized balls. Leave these on a plate in fridge till required.

Batter
The drained off dal water and the mashed potato
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flour
1 tsp butter
1 tsp baking powder
2 tblsp yoghurt

Run butter and yoghurt in flour till it ressembles bread crumbs. Add half of the baking powder and the salt. Add the dal water to make a batter( gluey paste), and leave for a few hours in a sunny position. Just before frying, add the rest of baking powder and mix well. Heat oil in deep pan and over medium heat fry the balls as follows:Grease palm of the left hand with a little oil, put a tblsp of paste in it, then place a ball of potato inside and quickly spread the paste to cover the ball completely.

Napolitaines

2008-07-16T02:35:00.000-07:00

Napolitaines
Ingredients
250g sifted flour
200g unsalted butter, room temperature
Strawberry jam
125g icing sugar
3 drops red food colouring
3-4 tblsp warm water

Method
Pre-heat oven to 350F(180 C)Rub butter into flour and make into a soft dough. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1 cm. Cut small rounds.Place them on lightly greased baking sheets and bake them until cooked lightly brown.When cool, spread jam over half of the biscuit rounds and cover with the remaining ones. Add the red colouring and water to the icing sugar to get a coating consistency. Pour over sandwiched biscuits and set aside to cool.

Besan Burfi

2008-07-14T04:12:00.000-07:00

A sweet dish to accompany the Akha Murghi!!!!!

Besan Burfi
Ingredients:
1 c Besan
1 c ghee
1 c Sugar
4 seeds Cardamom
Nuts (optional)
Method:
Melt ghee in a pan. Turn down heat and add cardamom and Besan. Fry, stirring constantly to prevent burning until it has changed to a brown color and smells done. (Test: a few drops of water sprinkled on it sputters instantly).
Turn off the heat and stir in the sugar. Spread 1/2" thick onto a platter. Cut into diamond shapes after it has cooled down.

Akha Murghi

2008-07-14T02:55:00.000-07:00

I think everyone in Mauritius knows this dish and has tasted it. Akha means whole and murghi means chicken. So here we go:

Akha Murghi
Ingredients:
4 lb. chicken
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic

- Spices -
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon grated onion
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon saffron strands
I tablespoon boiling water
3 tablespoons ghee or butter
1 bay leaf

Stuffing:
1 tablespoon, ghee of oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
3 teaspoons ground coriander
I teaspoon ground cumin
250 g (8 oz) minced lamb
1 bay leaf
11/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon each ground cardamom, cinnamon and cloves
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups hot water

Method
Remove skin of chicken.
Make small slashes in the flesh of the breast, thighs and drumsticks. Combine garlic, ginger, onion, cardamom, turmeric and salt. Dissolve saffron in boiling water and add. Rub the mixture well into the chicken, cover and marinate overnight in refrigerator.

Stuffing:
Heat ghee or oil and fry onion and garlic until soft and starting to turn golden. Add ground coriander and cumin and fry 1 minute, then add lamb and fry, stirring, until lamb is browned. Add all remaining ingredients except rice and water. Cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add rice and hot water, bring to a boil, stirring. Then turn heat very low, cover tightly and cook for 20-25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed by rice. Cool before using.

Fill the chicken with cooked and cooled stuffing, truss the bird and place in clay casserole breast downwards. The chicken breast must be at the bottom or downwards when cooking so that the breast is immersed in stock and remains moist. Melt the ghee or butter and pour over the chicken. Pour stock into the casserole and add the bay leaf. Cover with lid so that none of the fragrant steam is lost.
Bake in a moderately slow oven 160 °C (325°F) for 2 hours or a slow oven 150C (300°F) for 4 hours if this is more convenient. Take the dish to table and uncover it there so that the guests have the experience of enjoying the aroma as it first escapes the clay casserole.

Serve with rice or breads, salads

Mauritian cuisine

2008-07-12T21:45:00.000-07:00

Cuisine Mauricienne celebrates the Mauritian cuisine- the most versatile cuisine in the world. I hope you'll enjoy experimenting these dishes and you will adopt it. Enjoy!!!!

Amber