VEGETABLES OF MAURITIUS
“For me eating healthy is a challenge but in Mauritius there is a never ending supply of fresh, organic fruit and vegetables which definitely helps! These vegetables are packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals which are key to a healthy and happy life, not to mention delicious.
Below you will see a selection of vegetables I have bought locally and am happy to recommend to you. These are of course to my own taste and I am not guaranteeing you the same response for yourself. Nevertheless, I cannot recommend what I haven't tried."
Karen
LADY'S FINGERS
Commonly known the Okra and in Creole Lalo. It is a flowering plant which grows long thing green pods which hold seeds, these are the 'Lady's Fingers' and are edible.
They have a scary resemblance to the fingers of a witch and were quite scary and foreign looking to me at first, but now I know how delicious they are I don't mind so much.
The Lady's Fingers have a sweet, grassy taste which becomes more strong when cooked. It plays a popular part in Mauritian cuisine and can be eaten as a side dish, fried and spiced or cooked in local dishes such as curries and salads.
The plant grows all year round so you can always find Lady's Fingers at the markets. The seeds take around 2-12 days to germinate and the plant takes around 6 weeks to reach maturity with ready to eat Lady's Fingers.
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CHILLI
Mauritians are infamous for adding 'Piment' to every meal, this is a homemade chilli paste. Most meals in Mauritius are made without chilli, allowing those who don't like spicy food to still enjoy it while spicy food lovers can add as much they please.
There are 5 local varieties of chilli; Long Chilli, Small Chilli, Piment Carri, Piment Blanc and Piment Petard. All of these chillies are green and turn red at maturation, except the Piment Blanc, this one is white and turns light red a maturation.
The most famous Mauritian snack which is sold at most street vendors and as starters at Mauritian restaurants is the 'Gateaux Piment' this translates to chilli cake although they are savoury not sweet and not overly spicy. But the Piment ( chilli paste) which is served with them has certainly got a kick to it.
Even if you aren't a fan of spicy food it would be a crime to visit Mauritius and not at least try Piment!
PATTISON
The Pattison or Pattypan in English is an odd shaped vegetable which when ripe is a bright colour yellow. It is characterised by its small size and scallop edges.
It is a member of the squash family and in Mauritius it is normally sautéed, cooked, boiled, fried and sometimes grated raw with vinegar to create a salad. I must say I have only had it sautéed and it was delicious with salt and pepper.
These vegetables are available all year around and are always on sale at the local fruit and veg markets for a small price. Buying your fruit and vegetables form local vendors is usually much better value for money then buying them from large super markets, not to mention by doing this you are supporting local farmers and families.
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CHAYOTE
Also known locally as Chou Chou is a type of squash that originated from South America. Technically, much like the tomato, this is a fruit disguised as a vegetable.
Apparently it isn't so great eaten raw like other fruits, although I have not tried this personally! It has a crunchy taste and a bumpy green outside and it roughly the same size as a pear. In some countries they call it the Vegetable Pear.
Much like the previously mentioned vegetables this one can be found at the local markets all year round.
The Chayote is also know for having high levels of vitamin B and C as well as potassium and amino acids making it really good for you with lots of health benefits.
The methods of cooking the Chayote usually include sautéed, roasting and sometimes raw but ripe in salads for a crunchy touch. One way quite unique to Mauritius is to use the Chou Chou to make Chinese style dumplings which in Mauritius we refer to as 'Boulettes'.
Local vendors sell Boutlettes all over the island and serve them with soup/broth. There are lots of flavours including chicken, prawn, lamb, cheese, vegetable and most famous, Chou Chou! It is a must try for both tourists and expats.
CONCOMBRE BLANC
Known as White Cucumber in English is very similar to the cucumber we all know, however there are a few differences.
The outer layer of skin is as you might have guessed is white, the seed are much larger inside, they don't get as long as green cucumbers, they are much wider and some say they have a slightly sour taste, but as I am not a huge cucumber fan I don't really notice. We tend to remove the seeds when making salads but they are easily edible.
The greatest benefit of this local alternative is the price. The 'Green' or 'English' Cucumber carries a large import tax, not to mention its grown and harvested by locals so by buying it we are supporting them.
Although there are a few differences these local cucumbers slide into a salad very easily and most wont notice the difference! Mauritians use them in Creole, Indian and Chinese Cuisine, mainly in salads.
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