Bring the vibrant flavours of Mauritius into your kitchen with this comforting and aromatic trio of dishes by Brendan Pang.
Recipe 1: Mauritian Roti
Makes: 6
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 200ml boiling hot water
- Extra flour, for dusting
- Vegetable oil, for dusting
Method:
- Add flour to a bowl. Pour in boiling water and mix with a spoon to form a rough dough.
- When cool enough to handle, knead into a soft, smooth dough. Adjust with a little flour or water if needed.
- Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
- Knead briefly, roll into a log, and divide into 6. Roll into balls, flatten, and lightly dust with flour.
- Roll one piece into a thin circle (about 2 mm). Brush with a little oil and fold into a square (like folding a letter, then folding the ends in). Repeat.
- Roll each folded piece out again to 2–3 mm thick. Stack with flour between each.
- Cook on a hot pan over medium-high heat: 30 seconds / Flip, 30 seconds / Flip again until puffed
- Stack and cover with a tea towel to keep soft.
Recipe 2: Rougaille Saucisse
Makes: 4
Ingredients:
- 500g pork and fennel sausages (about 6 sausages)
- Vegetable oil
Creole Sauce:
- 2 tins (400g each) diced tomatoes
- 3 onions, sliced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 small bunch parsley, chopped
- 1 small bunch coriander, chopped
- 6 spring onions, chopped
- 4 large green chillies, chopped
- Salt, to taste
Method:
- Drizzle a little vegetable oil into a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, carefully lower sausages into the pan and cook for about 2 minutes before flipping. Continue turning the sausages every few minutes until they are brown on all sides, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove sausages and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice diagonally into pieces and set aside until required.
- In the same saucepan over low-medium heat, add a generous amount of vegetable oil. Cook onions gently and do not allow to colour, about 5 minutes.
- Add ginger, garlic, thyme, parsley, coriander, spring onion and chilli to the saucepan and continue to cook, stirring for about 5 minutes.
- Add the tinned tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the sausage and stir well. Cook for a further 5 minutes, remove the sprigs of thyme and season with salt.
- Serve immediately with steamed rice or roti.
Recipe 3: Mauritian Butter Bean Curry
Makes: 4
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 15g ginger, grated
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped (optional)
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 200g tin chopped tomatoes
- 400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 400ml coconut milk
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- Small bunch coriander, chopped
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- Salt, to taste
Method:
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook onion, garlic, ginger and chilli for a few minutes until softened.
- Add curry powder and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat.
- Add tomatoes and simmer for 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add butter beans, coconut milk and bouillon. Season lightly, then simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes until thickened.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir through coriander and lime juice just before serving.
Equipment and utensils
- Chopping board and knife
- Mix of spoons
- Spatula / wooden spoons
- 3 x Mixing bowls – for dough, sausages and curry
- Rolling pin – for roti
- Brush – for oil
- Large pan – for frying roti
- Spoons for mixing
- 2 x large sauce pans or wok – for sausage dish and curry