Mauritius is a tiny island of only 1 million people. Mauritius has an incredibly rich and diverse food culture, infused with influences from its mélange of inhabitants (Creole, French, Chinese and Indian people). The island is also blessed with fertile soil, so the local produce is incredible – from super-sized vegetables to sweet fruits. Here are some of the dishes we would like you to try out whenever you visit Mauritius.
1. Dholl pori
This is a lovely food which is loved by many Mauritius citizens, we wouldn’t be mistaken if we say Dholl pori is Mauritius national dish in Mauritius. Dholl pori is said to be derived from Indian flatbread, paratha. The dish came to be when the Indian immigrants to Mauritius couldn’t get the required ingredients to make the bread on the island, so their substitute resulted to be a fried thin bread stuffed with ground yellow split peas, and served in a pair with bean curry, atchar and chutney. The dish is so popular that you’ll find stalls on the street selling dholl puris .
2. Curry and all the trimmings
Mauritius curry is so different, it’s not the curry you may be used to from Durban or India though the Indians has a strong influence in their dish. The curry has a different and unique flavour, but the base has many similarities; there’s garlic, onion, fresh curry leaves and turmeric. Mauritius has varieties of Curries which are served in many different ways you have a chicken curry, prawns, shrimps, octopus etc. Mostly they are served with steamed rice or a flatbread.
3. Dim sum
Do you like the Chinese Dim Sum? Mauritians have made their own dim sum, called boulet. these are dumplings made from fish, prawns, or chou chou (a pear-shaped vegetable). Boulet are steamed and then eaten in a fish broth with lots of chilli. They are always served in a light bouillon so it is like dim sum in a light soup. Thanks to its Chinese population, Mauritius has delicious Cantonese food. Do not forget to taste the typical Cantonese dim sum with Mauritian touches while staying in Mauritius, as a starter or just as a snack while you’re on the beach!… You’ll definitely love boulet.
4.Gajak
Do you want a quick, delicious and affordable snack? Then try some Gajak. In Mauritius, snacking on “gajaks”, often over a drink, is an almost daily ritual, even more popular during festive periods. Gajak are delicious little titbits, which comes in a variety of forms like; Samoosas, Gateau aubergine, cassava chips or gateau patat and are full of flavour. Gajak is mostly being sold from the back of a motorbike or at the stalls along the streets/beach.
Sea Foods
Mauritius is one of the leading exporters of seafood in Africa, with most of it being taken to Europe. You will love the country because of the fresh seafood in the menu of most hotels; and the fact that they have mastered the art of preparing mouth-watering seafood cuisines. Mouth-watering seafood is a real treat in Mauritius. If you wish to experiment, try baby octopus curry with bread, a real delicacy. You can also sample giant prawns, lobsters and crab dishes.
