Seychelles food sensations

Autumn

2009-10-14T08:17:00.000-07:00

I love autumn,apart from the gorgeous changes in nature I love knitting/crocheting with all my woollen fibres, as well as all that I love baking .The top two photos are two cakes one baked on Monday packed with pureed fruit and cherries .The second a banana cake with flaked almonds,delicious I'm told .They look very similar but the texture of the fruit filled one was so dense and very cakey.The banana cake much lighter,soft. The colours are very similar I used dark muscovado sugar, you can always ring changes by changing sugar.
I have been baking lots of cakes and not eating them. Not sure, if i should write that but it isn't because I don't like them but its more about making the family feel so happy when I put a slice on cake next to them while they do whatever it is we all do in the evenings. Ahh Autumn, its so wonderful .I'm off to check todays dinner smoked mackerel dauphinose and a side of spinach.

Fish curry cooked in coconut

2009-09-28T15:46:00.003-07:00

I I am often asked when do I find time to cook from scratch. They say they don't have the time. I

am amazed at the junk food people will eat, strange looking sauces with untold additives.Why cant they see that by the time they have called for a takeaway they could have made this dish ,full of flavour and additive free .This is a really easy dish that can be prepared in 20minutes.

.I have adapted a few things. I find lots of people like fish without bones. I ,on the other hand, love the fish with bones ,most people in Seychelles use fish with the bone.It makes the sauce have depth.For that reason I do this dish with filleted fish . Any white fish, . I prefer to buy my fish from my fishmonger.We often go to billingsgate I buy fresh fish, from the Indian ocean and fillet it myself. I love eating fish that my parents ate in Seychelles it makes the dish authentic .

It's very difficult to find a fishmonger as supermarkets are forcing small business's to go under as they cannot compete with supermarket prices. They have changed the face of our high streets, dozens of one pound shops,.every high street have become carbon copies .Its very sad.We no longer chat to the butcher,baker, fishmonger buying food has become a lonely one.

Ok, rant over.

Ingredients.

3 garlic cloves,

3 green finger chilli's

5cm/2in piece of ginger, peeled

3tbsp of sunflower/ groundnut oil

1 small onion, finely sliced

5-6 curry leaves. (these are become easy to source they can be found in most supermarkets)

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp salt

200ml coconut milk

155ml boiling water

500g of any fish fillet; pomfret haddock,pollack,snapper,cut into 4cm/2in wide pieces

Method;

1 Place garlic, chillies and ginger together in a food processor until smooth.

2, Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion with the curry leaves for a few minutes over a medium heat.You want them softened.

3. Add the garlic, chilli and ginger mixture with turmeric and salt. Fry for a few minutes, then add 200ml coconut milk with 155ml boiling water.

4. Simmer for 8 minutes then add the fish pieces and gently simmer. The sauce should reduce and thicken.

5. Check the seasoning.When the fish is to liking serve with rice and salad

I love these recipes of my childhood it connects me to my family, sharing the same way of preparation ,using the same fish. Very comforting,

Serve with rice and a salad.

Method

Chayote/christophene/ Cho cho Salad

2009-09-17T14:19:00.000-07:00

Christophene, also called cho-cho or choyote, is a rough-skinned, pear-shaped vegetable.On slicing open you’ll find a very pale green and watery interior, with a soft white seed. It’s almost squash-like in appearance, and melon-like on the inside.
Christophenes grow on vines on shady and cool mountain slopes. Easy to grow and harvest, they are quite economical, plentiful and easy to prepare. Not having much of its own flavour, christophenes can be used extensively in cooking. It is approximately 93% water and is neutral in taste.Very low fact. They are readily available in Indian grocers .

The following salad is one of my favourite

2 cho-cho ,peeled and cut in half. Remove the white seed.
2 red onions , finely sliced
1 /2tsp of white wine vinegar
1 large lemon
2tsp sunflower oil
1tbsp flat leaved parsley, finely chopped
1 or 2 green birds eye chilli ,finely chopped (add according to your preference)
1 tbsp salt
black pepper freshly grind (never use the powdered stuff)

Method

Steam or boil the cho cho, time will vary as they are often different sizes,you want a bit of resistance when you pierce with your knife. Drain set aside to cool.
Thinly slice the red onions put into a bowl , add the salt to the onions. Now, this is a little unusual but you must rub and squeeze/massage the salt into the onions. This is something my mum does she says it sweetens the onions. Now ,add some water to the onions, swirl the onions around. . Drain the water and squeeze all the water out from the onions.The salt will be removed and you will be left with lovely mild onions.(They are delicious Ilike to use them when making cheese n onions sandwiches.)
Add black pepper to taste. Pour 1 to 2tsp of white wine vinegar .
Slice the cho- cho try not to cut it too thick or thin. Add these to the onions. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and add to onions, adjust according to your preference.You are looking for a slight tang and sweetness.
Add the sunflower oil , I suppose we are making a deconstructed vinaigrette.Allow the flavours to develop. It allows the cho to soak up the lemony,vinegary dressing. Serve with grilled fish and plain basmati rice

Lazy days

2009-09-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

Tonight's dinner was a lazy affair. Spaghetti with mussels,cherry tomatoes,basil, dash of white wine, garlic.I really enjoy these quick meals by the time the pasta is ready you can rustle up the sauce. Very quick and packed full of flavour.

Golden apple (fruite cythere)

2009-09-08T16:45:00.000-07:00

They have a green skin which becomes yellow when ripe.Inside a nucleus of fibrous and bristling spine adheres to the crunchy pulp. In Seychelles, the crunchy green fruit , preserved in vinegar or serves as a condiment. Golden apple as I've always called it is sweet n sour at the same time.Textually it is very similar to unripe mango.I often eat them when the skin is tinged with a little yellow uncooked ,sweet sour, sharp all at once.Golden apples are available from Indian/west Indian grocers.

As with many of seychellois dishes this is served as a side dish

The following recipe is delicious

4 golden apples, grated (on the large

2 red onions finely sliced into half moons

1 tsp of cumin seeds

2 chillies,finely sliced

1 large spring onion ,finely chopped

A heaped tbsp of chopped parsley

Sunflower 1tbsp

Method

In a frying pan add the oil and when it starts to get heat add the cumin seeds they should pop and become very aromatic.

Add the other ingredients and fry them ,until the mixture softens it should not be sticky.It should have bite .This filling is delicious with fried fish,rice, or a curry. I love having it cold with cuts of meat in a sandwich.

A roaring fire

2009-08-25T20:08:00.001-07:00

Barbeque Sunday
Originally uploaded by i.n.d.e.p.e.n.d.e.n.t

Few things stir me, one of which is the smell of firewood ashen ,grey .I love having barbeques they are etched in my brain.I have great childhood memories .My favorite is one we had in seychelles on the beach i was only five or six but I remember the smells and sights.Gorgeous roasted bread fruit black and charred but within a soft cream interior sweet and yet not.

Indian ocean mackerel studded with chillies and chared in spots added the right mount of smokiness .It was served with an unusual
accompaniment of chatiini payaya. At its simplist it's a shredded salad soured with lemon but of course, as with most simple things its steeped in tradition and I'll have my hand slapped for the crude defintion. I wanted to created a picture and offer my thoughts of this my first memory of bbq.

The one lasting thing about all my memories of bbques is that they have alll been family events first and foremost with my parents and my own children, and more recently friends laughin .drinking,dancing and lots of eating all around the fire. it fills me with so much pleasure a sausage ,a whole jerked snapper,or the hubble spud and much more all taste like heaven to me when done on the barbie.

I find it strange that i have been neglecting this blog as food is such an interrugal part of my life.I cook almost everyday from scratch and yet,somehow. i neglect taking photos.ok,my photos aren't too great but I'm going to try and blog much more about food.

I end with this beautiful image from flickr to help you remember your fav bar beque memory.

Smoked mackerel

2009-07-08T00:41:00.000-07:00

There are just somethings I never do without in my fridge ,smoked mackerel fillets,is one of those things ,peppered or plain.You can make all manner of things ,I love it flaked and added to potato dauphinose.,a add it to salad, even just having them with grilled tomatoes for breakfast.

Today I baked butternut squash, green ,red, orange peppers, red onions, garlic,chopped red chillies together anointed lightly with some olive oil. Bake until soft and golden.Five minutes before you are ready to take the dish out of the oven add a handful of cherry tomatoes .Just so they are warmed through .This dish is best served warm. add a large handful of basil leaves an drizzle with lovely balsamic vinegar. Baking vegetables to my mind concentrates the flavour .These vegetables work very happily together. An easy one pot dish.

Cauliflower wth shredded ginger

2009-06-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

Cauliflower
Originally uploaded by abaesel

Seychelles cuisine usually consists of fish/meat , rice ,and a veg dish .Very simliar to an indian thali .I love cauliflower this recipe is wonderful. I love eating it any time of the day,often cold with really good bread .

500g cauliflower
3/4 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp oil
1-2 tbsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp cumin powder
salt.
1 chopped chilli

Cut the cauliflower into florets.
Take a frying pan and place on the fire and add the cumin seeds and toast , it should be aromatic and darken slightly.Set aside.
Heat the oil and fry the ginger after 30 seconds add the cumin seeds and chilli and the cumin powder.
Add the salt and add the cauliflower.
Cover with the lid and cook over a low heat until the cauliflower is as tender as you like.

Big George

2009-05-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

We recently heard some sad news that a family friend who we called Big George. had past away, On this occasion I couldn't attend the funeral I started a new job on that day .Although I could not go I couldn't help thinking about that families sadness. Nothing like death to remind us how short are lives are .Never put off what you can do today. I have neglected my blog as I have so many things going on. I have made a promise to myself I will post at the very least every fortnight.

I needed some comforting food a lovely prawn curry with steamed basmati rice and a salade tomato. Simple fare that soothes my body and my soul.

Prawn Curry

2009-05-21T08:09:00.001-07:00

Prawn curry recipe is below
Prawn Curry
Originally uploaded by Niamheen

Karri koko (prawn curry cooked in coconut milk

2009-05-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

I adore seafood, well I would coming from an island in the middle of the Indian ocean. On todays menu is a delightful prawn curry with coconut milk .

Carri coco means a curry that is made with coconut.Serves 4.
2 tbsp oil veg/sunflower oil1
50g (5oz) onions, sliced
3 green chillies, sliced
100ml (3 1/2fl oz)coconut milk
350g (12oz) large peeled raw prawns15g
(1/2 oz) tamarind pulp (I buy mine from oriental supermarket its in a jar and can be stored in the fridge very handy to have)
1tsp salt
1tsp pepper
1tsp grated ginger
1tsp chopped garlic
1tbsp massale

For massalé:2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp black peppercorns1
tsp cardamom pods
1 tsp cloves
small piece of cinnamon
1 tsp ground chilli1
tsp grated nutmeg

Method
:Dry roast the coriander seeds,cumin seeds,black peppercorns, cardamon pod and the clove,be careful and dont let them burn the flavour of the massale will be greatly affected. Dry roast them until they are aromatic a few secs is all that is needed. Grind all dry ingredients in a coffee grinder or if you like have a go in the pestle and mortar(I've never been clear as to which is which,is the pestle the bowl?)Set them aside to cool a little and then grind ,add the chilli and the freshly grated nutmeg.Store in an air tight container, use this massale for the curry.

Method;

Fry the onions ,garlic,ginger together until soft and very aromatic, add the green chillies and the massale. Mix and add the coconut milk. Lower the heat and simmer add the tamarind pulp . Continue cooking until all the ingredients are cooked and the sauce is thickened.
Add the large peeled prawns , I had some shell on prawns that I've used for todays dish .I love to suck the shells ,but more importantly they add a fishiness to the sauce which it so delightful.It makes a lovely prawn stock.

The dish is done when the prawns are no longer grey but pink and the sauce is thick.Serv with steamed basmati rice. My dad always added parsley as a garnish but it also acts aids digestion.
As a family we all sit around the table discussing the days events,whilst sucking and peeling prawns.Using all of our senses .

Flavoured rice

2009-01-12T07:43:00.000-08:00

In Seychelles rice is eaten everyday with that in mind I often spice up the rice to add a new dimension to it.For instruction on how to cook rice please check earlier posting.For this dish do the absorption method

Cumin and turmeric scented Rice

Serves 4.

300g/ 10 oz basmati

20 fl oz/1pt of water

1tsp of cumin seeds

1 onion peeled and chopped into small cubes

1tbsp of veg/sunflower oil

1tsp turmeric powder

Heat the oil until it is very hot add the cumin seeds, they are ready when they start to pop and the oil smells very aromatic add the onions and fry until golden brown add the turmeric and swirl.

Add the rice and coat in this very flavoursome oil add the water continue to cook as the instructions for the absorption method in earlier posts. Serve hot with any dish.

How to make coconut water

2008-09-22T08:46:00.001-07:00

Coconuts
Originally uploaded by Eun Leanan

The liquid that comes out of a fresh coconut is NOT the same as coconut milk.
This liquid is coconut water .
The coconuts supplied in may non-coconut-growing countries often have little or no liquid inside. The fresher the coconut, the more juice it will have.
Coconut milk is a liquid extraction from grated coconut flesh. If you don't want to use a can, you can make coconut milk at home.
How To Make Coconut Milk
You will need:

8oz of unsweetened desiccated coconut
¾ pint boiling water
-- Put the coconut in a mixing bowl.
-- Pour the water over the coconut and mix it briefly.
-- Leave it to stand for about 20 minutes.
-- After 20 minutes, drain the water into a fresh bowl through a sieve or piece of linen (or even a very clean tea towel). you might prefer to get hands-on about this and just compress the water out of the coconut with your hands.
-- Squeeze the coconut as well as possible - it ought to be almost dry by the time you have finished.
-- The liquid you have left behind after you have squeezed the coconut is the milk - and you can use it in your coconut milk recipe as a replacement for the tinned version.
-- It will stay fresh in the fridge for a day or two if you keep it in a sealed container or cover it with cling film.

The beautiful photo is from flickr

2008-05-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

I'm really rather fond of fish , that's the understatement of the year. I adore fish and seafood. sometimes even I hanker for some fish deep fried and battered. I made a batter but added some masala to it. Deliciously, crisp and flavoursome. served with some good olde mushy peas and tartar sauce, sounds strange but delicious nonetheless.

SimplyLobster

2008-04-21T03:23:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the best treatment of something as delicious as lobsters is the simple touch, yesterdays meal was just that, lobster simply cooked. I used a food processor added chillies,parsley, onions, garlic, lemon juice was added to create a delicious pic cant green sauce.The lobster was served with this hot green sauce. For me its perfect.

Pineapple with salt and pepper.

2008-03-05T08:57:00.000-08:00

Growing up my dad hated us eating sweets, my parents worked really hard, dad for london underground and mum for royal mail. Both are very proud of working for them .They worked very hard always picking the shifts whereby one parent was always home when we finished school.I can honestly say I never came home from school to an empty house. someone was always preparing a meal.

When my dad was on lates at the weekend I was allowed to stay up a bit later. I loved it ,he always came back with his idea of sweeties and treats; a ripe mango, lychees, custard apples, tamarind in the pod, papaya , melon, coconut, always wrapped in newspaper ,later it was brown paper bags.

My absolute favourite treat was pineapple.I loved the the preparation,somehow this prickly looking thing turned into the most beautiful fruit.I 'm sure you all know how to prepare a pineapple,but i'm sure many of you have never had it sprinkled with salt and a fresh grinding of black pepper.

Next time you have a really juicy ripe (it must be ripe) pineapple try it like this,salty, savoury, flavoursome and sweet.So, next time that child of yours wants some sweets try and change their perception of what a sweet is.Its worked for my brother and myself and both my children have been bought up thinking fruit was a sweet.Of course, it hasnt stopped them eating sweets but they are quite happy to forgo them and eat fruit instead.

Sliced octopus with onions and tomatoes

2008-02-27T05:53:00.000-08:00

2008_02260006
Originally uploaded by heldasland

Ingredients;

1.8kg octopus
250g sliced onions
500g sliced tomatoes
5g fresh chopped chilli
30g crushed garlic
20g crushed ginger
30ml soy sauce (we have a large chinese communnity in the Seychelles)
45ml sunflower/veg oil.
1 tbsp chopped parsley (this isnt traditional but my dad used it, I think it adds a freshest to the sauce

Method;
Boil the octopus as described in earlier post. Set aside when cool enough to handle cut into long thin slices on the diagonal.Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil, add the garlic,ginger,chilli,and stir for 1 minute .It will smell very aromatic.Add the onions,stir until brown and soft .Add the octopus,sliced tomatoes,soy sauce, and cook slowly for 20 minutes. The onions and tomatoes will make a lovely rich sauce. Add the chopped parsley.The octopus will be tender and delicious.

Serve with rice and salad.

Octopus, how to prepare.

2008-02-26T05:29:00.001-08:00

Seychelles - Octopus
Originally uploaded by kevboyce

As an ancient denizen of the deep - its ancestors lived at least 200 million years ago -- octopus has long been mysterious, thanks to its appearance, intelligence, habits, and remarkable defense mechanisms. (Not only can it shoot a confusing jet of ink to cover its retreat, its skin can change color, almost like a flashing neon sign.) But strange as it may be, the octopus is neither unfamiliar nor uncommon: It thrives in warm and temperate waters throughout the world, feeding on crustaceans and fellow mollusks (technically, octopus is a molluscan cephalopod). Happily, for us at least, it also develops a lovely flavor and texture, as long as it is handled correctly.

The stumbling block, according to reigning "wisdom," is that octopus is so tough that extraordinary measures must be taken to tenderize it. And if you ask five different people what these measures are you are likely to get five different answers, all arcane - which goes a long way toward explaining why no one cooks octopus at home. A Greek cook may tell you to beat it against some rocks (actually a contemporary would probably tell you to throw it against the kitchen sink repeatedly). A Spanish cook will dip it into boiling water three times, then cook it in a copper pot - only copper will do. An Italian might cook it with two corks. The Japanese rub it all over with salt, or knead it with grated daikon, then slice the meat at different angles, with varying strokes.

These methods work, but so does cooking octopus slowly, with no further ado. No one wants rubbery octopus (although sushi-style octopus is nearly rubbery), but if octopus is properly handled, without fuss, it is reasonably tender. It remains chewy, but so does lobster, or sirloin steak.

Octopus is much like squid: If you keep the cooking time minimal, under five minutes or so, you get a chewy but not unpleasant texture; this is a good technique for octopus salad or sushi. But for most preparations, long, slow cooking, which yields a tender texture, is best. (If you cook it too long, it becomes dry and tasteless.)

Size: There are tiny octopi, under six ounces; these may be difficult to find and tend to be expensive. They're great cooked for a couple of minutes and then served with little more than olive oil, lemon, and salt; but they are really tidbits, mostly suitable for appetizers. The most common octopi we see are in the two to four pound range (there are octopi that weigh almost ten times as much, but these are not seen in stores) You'll also see medium-sized specimens, in the 12- to 16 ounce range. These are useful and convenient because one is a good serving.

Really, size doesn't matter.I like both big and small,All that matters is that you don't overcook them. Where it comes from, whether it's been frozen or not, the size, the cooking method - these are all pretty much irrelevant as long as you cook it carefully.

Finally, there is the issue of octopus skin, ugly when raw, but a lovely gelatinous, almost fatty substance once cooked. (The animal itself is extremely low in fat.) Some cooks and chefs rub it off. To me, this is equivalent to making osso buco and discarding the marrow. It's worth noting that this gelatin is so powerful that cooked octopus can be made into a terrine simply by weighting it (see the variation on Octopus and Potatoes, below). This gelatinous skin dries out and virtually disappears during grilling and some other preparations.

Almost every octopus dish begins with simmering, and it is not unlike cooking a tough piece of meat: You put the octopus in water to cover and cook it until it is tender.This usually takes about an hour, but may be considerably less for smaller specimens and sometimes twice as long for larger, tougher ones. Judging tenderness is easy: When the thickest part of the octopus (the "skirt," where the head meets the legs) yields to the sharp point of a small knife with little resistance, it is done.

The simmering need not be in water you can also simmer the octopus, but in olive oil - a kind of octopus confit.

Once tenderized by simmering the confit can be dressed with soy and lime juice. It can be tossed in olive oil and lemon juice, with or without other seafood and vegetables, to make a salad. Or, or course, it can be grilled, making it both crisp and tender. This ultimately appealing combination is easily achieved, as long as the fire is hot enough to crisp up the exterior before drying out the interior.

The best way to judge freshness is to smell - the aroma should be of seawater, nothing else. (An octopus that is going bad will reveal itself to your nose in an instant.)

Two to three pounds of octopus is about the right amount for four people (it shrinks startlingly). It doesn't matter much if you buy one larger specimen or several smaller ones, though it will affect cooking time

Preparing:

An octopus is a sac (the head) with eight legs. In the head are eyes, a mouth, a pair of beaks, and a file-like organ used to drill through the shells of its prey. Cleaning octopus is a chore, but not a daunting one; it essentially involves removing these innards from the head sack and rinsing; you then cook the octopus, whole. But cleaning is barely worth a thought: I have not seen uncleaned octopus sold in a store in more than five years. All frozen octopus is cleaned before freezing. If a fresh octopus should be uncleaned when you buy it, ask the fishmonger to do it for you.

Cooking: There are no hard and fast rules for timing. Some people say octopus should cook about 30 minutes per kilo (two pounds) but often the timing is longer. A 12- to 16-ounce octopus certainly cooks in less than an hour, and if you put four or even six of them in a pot together the cooking time will be faster than that for a four-pound octopus, which can take as long as two hours to become tender. Check with the sharp point of a thin-bladed knife; when it meets little resistance, the octopus is done. Do not cook further or it will begin to dry out and toughen again.

Great cooks blogroill

2008-02-16T14:26:00.000-08:00

Great news Seychelles Food Sensation had been added to the great cooks blogroll.
Great Cooks blogroll is a community that serves as a resource for anyone looking for meal ideas, creative cooking techniques, learning to cook, or looking to meet other Great Cooks. Click on the link at the side for all this and more!!!!!

Coconut truffles

2008-02-11T17:34:00.001-08:00

truffles 03
Originally uploaded by jamesjyu

Coconuts are plentiful in the Seychelles,so its fairly obvious that coconuts feature in lots of dishes.I love chocolate and coconut . opening a coconut are be daunting , the link shows how I open mine
http://www.howtoopenacoconut.com/ . The beautiful photo is from flickr.

Ingredients;
50g/2oz plain chocolate chopped,use the good stuff.
30ml/2tbsp single cream
100g/4oz icing sugar, sifted
50g/2oz grated coconut
Chocolate ,grated/coconut grated .

Method;

1.Heat the 50g chocolate in bain marie.
2.When melted remove and beat in the cream.
3.Gradually work in the icing sugar and grated coocnut.
4.Cover and chill until firm enough to handle.
5. Form into balls, coat 6 truffles iin the grated chocolate ,the remainder in grated coconut.

Sit back and enjoy.

2008-01-12T07:00:00.001-08:00

Photo courtesy of flickr

a
Originally uploaded by abbyladybug

Flavoured rice
In Seychelles rice is eaten everyday with that in mind I often spice up the rice to add a new dimension to it.For instruction on how to cook rice please check earlier posting.For this dish do the absorption method

Cumin and turmeric scented Rice

Serves 4.

300g/ 10 oz basmati

20 fl oz/1pt of water

1tsp of cumin seeds

1 onion peeled and chopped into small cubes

1tbsp of veg/sunflower oil

1tsp turmeric powder

Heat the oil until it is very hot add the cumin seeds, they are ready when they start to pop and the oil smells very aromatic add the onions and fry until golden brown add the turmeric and swirl.

Add the rice and coat in this very flavoursome oil add the water continue to cook as the instructions for the absorption method in earlier posts.serve hot with any dish.

Spice up your life

2008-01-05T08:00:00.001-08:00

Entree @ Frank Restaurant - 88 2nd Avenue
Originally uploaded by wEnDaLicious

With Christmas done and dusted I can say au revoir to the delightful goose fat roasted potatoes,marvelous bubble and squeak ,cooked with the glorious beef dripping.Trifles,honey roasted nuts.Boxes of celebrations. Over the Christmas period my family has a totally English menu, there is no excuse, I must lose a few pounds put on in the period.

Whenever I'm forced into this world of lowering the fat content of my food I revert to the food of my parents.Most of the foods are lower fat(except of course those cooked with coconut.)My favourites meals are those the envelope the western with seychellois spiciness.

There is nothing quite like having barbecue food, food cooked on the griddle always taste so lovely,a whole fish,slashed and filled with chili ,onions,garlic and ginger .Meat, chicken , vegetables all taste so wonderful cooked this way.The seared smokiness adds depth of flavour yet somehow the fish, vegetables, meat taste emphatically of themselves ie ;the fish tastes really fishy.

We rarely ate beef when I was growing up, mainly because in the Seychelles it was rare to slaughter cattle , therefore my parents didn't really eat it very often. If we did eat it it was always a stew (see earlier posts for recipe).Whenever I want to eat less I dont mind eating smaller portions but I will not compromise on flavour.I love to have heat and spiciness.

This is scarcely a recipe,

Take a piece of steak, I love a good ribeye ,use whatever cut you favour,crush garlic,ginger ,thyme (add any of these or all), add tamarind or sour mango powder.This will add a sour note,(these are easily obtained from asian grocers,some supermarkets sell them.) Marinate the steak over night, the seasoning really permeates the meat.However if you dont remember it can be done for a mimimum of one hour.

Sear the meat to your preference.In Seychelles meat and fish are to western standards cooked well done,I however love it rare to medium rare.Whilst the meat is cooking prepare the dressing.

1 red chilli or for ease , 1/2 tsp of chopped chilli.
2 spring onions
2 tbsps of rice vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
juice of lime to your taste.
Rest the meat.

In a bowl add salad leaves (your choice) and a handful of flat leaved parsley, chopped cucumber just to a crunch to the salad. The above dressing is delicious is has heat , piccancy,and the freshness from the lime. This is the perfect slimming food for me ,packed full of flavour. Bon appetite

Smoked mackerel

2007-12-18T05:47:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

6 Fillets of smoked mackerel

2 red onions, finely sliced

2 spring onions, finely sliced

6 tomatoes on the vine, sliced into rounds

large handful of parsley , chopped.

2 lemons

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

1. Take the red onions place in a bowl add 1tbsp of salt, squeeze and scrunch this into the onions, (sounds peculiar but my mum does this). Take the onions and wash them in water to remove the salt. Squeeze out the water. Place back into the bowl and add the red wine vinegar.Set aside

The reason this process is done is the salt removes some of the bitterness and also soften the onions.The red wine vinegar is added to marinate the onions.

2. Get a large plate and break the fillets of mackerel into bite sized pieces. Arrange the fillets in a single layer all over the plate.

3. Go back to the onions, add the sliced tomato , chopped spring onions ( these add freshness and crunch) , parsley, squeeze lemon to taste. Salt and pepper . Mix the ingredients. Put the onions over the mackerel .Let the salad sit and all the juices will mix together, the smokiness of the mackerel will permeate and adds fragrance to the onions and the tomatoes.The vinegar ,lemon cuts the richness of the smoked mackerel .It balances the salad ,serve this salad with with plain rice. I love to eat this with a large hunk of sourdough bread, and some beautiful red wine.

Ginger Root

2007-12-07T04:58:00.001-08:00

Ginger Root
Originally uploaded by cfwhitney

I have a really sore throat, my mum always insist we have ginger tea, as this is what she used in seychelles as a child.Its very soothing and tastes fabulous.

Ginger tea

Take a piece of ginger and slice into rounds.
Crush slices .
Pour boiling water onto the slices into a teacup.
Infuse five or six minutes
Add honey to sweeten.
You could strain the ginger but I don t, I leave the ginger in the cup and crush them with my teeth to release extra gingerflavour. It works wonders.

Seychellois stewing beef with peppers

2007-11-26T02:10:00.000-08:00

As winter nights are here, there is nothing more comforting than a bowl of steaming rice and beef slow cooked.Using stewing steak makes a beautiful thick sauce. The fat through the steak is very important in the sauce.

I find that stewing steak is not really used which accounts for the very economical aspect of this dish. My butcher has said more customers prefer roasting joints and steak rather than stewing or braising meat. I suppose its a sign of the times. We live in a fast moving world, where we don't have the time to cook these dishes. My argument is that this dish can quite happily sit on the stove or sit in the oven for 40-50 mins whilst you have a bath, or do something else.

I often vary this dish by adding carrots instead of the peppers, is also tastes good with baby potatoes fried and added at the end .Despite the list of ingredients this is a simple easy leave it alone dish.
The ingredients can be doubled or trebled and can be frozen for an even easier supper dish
Ingredients
500g stewing steak,
1 onion sliced in half moons,
1 tomato chopped,
1tsp thyme,
2 cloves garlic chopped,
thumb sized piece of ginger,
1 tbsp non flavoured oil,
2tsp dark soy sauce,
1tsp cumin seeds,
salt,
pepper.
2 red chilli's. finely chopped.
1tbsp flat leaved parsley
Method;
1) Add the oil to a pan heat up , when its hot add the cumin seeds, it should pop. Seal the meat and then set aside when crusty and brown. Fry together onions, garlic, ginger,chilli,

2) Add the meat to the veg and add the tomatoes, add the soy sauce. Stir fry and then lower the heat and place the lid on and cook slowly, until meat is soft. You don't need any water the meat cooks quite happily without it.

3)Add the peppers when the meat is tender and cook to your preference. I love them with a crunch. Add the parsley, cracked black pepper. Serve with plain steamed rice. In Seychelles we don't have brussel sprouts but at this time of year these are perfect.The resulting sauce is thick gelatinous and very tasty.