Travel To Seychelles & Enjoy Their Tasty Cuisine
This week we shall look at Seychelles Cuisine. The Seychelles islands are known for a number of things. Right at the top of most peoples’ list would be the beaches, what with their turquoise warm waters, brilliant white sands, palm trees, and well, you’ve got the idea.
Another thing most visitors to these islands fall in love with is the Seychelles food. And there’s a good reason for that. From freshly caught fish, to locally grown fruit, from spicy curries to sweet fried bananas, there is something here for every taste bud and palate.
History of Seychelles Cuisine
The Seychelles have no indigenous population. They were first populated by a group of French and later British settlers, who brought in slaves from western Africa and merchants from the East. Over time these people made Seychelles their home.
The preparation of most Seychellois creole food has roots in a combination of South Asian, Chinese, Malagasy, European, and Western African cuisine.
Below are some of the popular dishes you should try out while in Seychelles
Grilled Fish
This is a pretty simple dish. The fish is spiced with salt, pepper, some other spices, and, most importantly, chili. Traditionally this is wrapped and grilled in banana leaves over a wooden DIY grill.
Coconut Chicken Curry
This could be the most unoriginal Seychellois creole food. It is like a conventional chicken curry but cooked a little bit different as it is made with locally made masala (curry) powder and kari pile.
Anything with banana in
Seychelles, at last count, is home to at least 23 different banana species. From tiny little sweet bananas to giant plantains that need to be cooked, there is a banana size for everyone. And once you’ve tried a recently plucked banana you will wonder how you ever coped with the supermarket variety back home. Bananas are used as a key ingredient in a number of dishes, most notably, desserts. Bananas fried with sugar and butter are a favourite of mine, resulting in a giant, sticky, toffee-like mess. Bananas baked with coconut milk and sugar are another classic, the so-called Banana ladob. You’ll also find them flambeed with rum or brandy, fried as chips, and of course, just served as they come. Delicious in every way!
Bouyon Blan
This is a fish soup with various spices, and a fruit called bilimbi, that gives the soup its distinct and tangy flavor.
Octopus Curry
This is a seasonal dish for when octopi are harvested. It is prepared by boiling the octopus, cleaning it of any ink and impurities, and cutting it in little chunks. Eggplant, onions, garlic, kari pile, masala (curry) powder, and coconut milk are then added to it, and it is left to cook on a low heat. It is usually served with papaya chutney and rice.
Lentils
An often overlooked dish, but a critical side component of a traditional Seychelles curry feast is the humble lentil. In Seychelles, red lentils are a popular staple, served as a side dish with many dishes. These are often cooked for a long time with garlic, onion and ginger, with the result being a fairly yellow paste.
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