The
Essence of.....Mauritius
An exploration of the world through food and drink
Essence -ial Information
|
UK Tourist Office |
32-33 Elvaston Place London SW7 |
|
Currency |
Rupee |
|
Capital |
Port Louis |
|
Language |
English (+Creole) |
|
Main Airlines |
Air Mauritius, British Airways, Virgin |
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Flying Time from UK |
12 hrs |
|
Visa |
No |
PROFILE
Mauritius is a paradise for the palate where the ethnic diversity of the local people is reflected in its cuisine. The cuisine of Mauritius is a testament to the influence of the culinary traditions of France, India, China and Africa that the people of Mauritius have incorporated with their local fruits, vegetables and other ingredients. The cuisine of Mauritius, with its with its variety of flavours and aromas is indeed a gastronomic delight.
Included in most recipes are tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic and chilies while the traditional base is definitely the curries and "rougailles" which is made from the blends of home crushed spices. The combination of curries and rougailles along with white rice and other beans is popular with the locals and is generally included in their everyday food. The unique interblending of spices with vegetables, meat and fish is what lends that distinctive, unique charm to the food of Mauritius.
During the nineteenth century, after the abolition of slavery, Indian workers who migrated to Mauritius brought their cuisine with them. Those indentured labourers came from different parts of India, each with their own culinary tradition, depending on the region.
The end of the 19th century saw the arrival of Chinese migrants, who came mostly from the south-eastern part of China. Along the years, each community has adapted and mixed each other's cuisine to their liking.
The production of rum is common throughout the island.[citation needed] Sugarcane was first introduced on the island when the Dutch colonised it in 1638. Even then, the propensity of making rum out of sugarcane was strongly recognised. Sugarcane was mainly cultivated for the production of "arrack", a precursor to rum.
Fish and seafood are popular ingredients as are the abundant variety of locally grown fruit such as papayas, passion fruit, guavas, mangoes, lychees, bananas, pineapple and coconut.