Les Incontournables Street Food de l'île Maurice (avec leurs recettes)
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Culinary Adventure in Mauritius: Irresistible Street Food You Should NOT Miss!
Mauritian food is rich in variety due to the country’s unique blend of Indian, African, Chinese, French and British influence and our island’s people have a well-entrenched tradition of eating on the run at roadside stalls - street food!
Local markets and streets are actually the place to go for an authentic Mauritian food experience where you can try our tasty, low-cost local cuisine. However, you can easily make them at home too!
Here is a list of the mouth-watering street food of Mauritius that definitely going to make you drool:
Dal Puri (aka Dholl Puri or Dhal Puri)
Dal Puri is recognized as Mauritius' national street food. This Bihari-style pancake-style flatbread is filled with cooked yellow split peas that have been blended and seasoned with turmeric and cumin. It is usually served with rougaille (tomato-based curry), curries, pickles and chilli paste.
If you would like to try Dal Puri and some curries to go with it, check out these recipes below:
Roti / Farata
Farata and Roti differ slightly in terms of thickness but the street language for them is Roti. Made of white flour, they are gorgeously layered (a bit like puff pastry, but soft), served with a variety of Mauritian curries, chutneys or pickles. In fact, you will find Farata / Roti and Dal Puri sold together.
If you would like to try your own roti at home, you can follow this Roti (Flatbread) recipe.
Gato Pima - The Most Popular Snack in Mauritius
Gato Pima literally translates to “Chilli Cakes”. These deep-fried ‘gadjacks’ (appetisers) are wholesome fritters that are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. They are made from yellow split peas, chillies, spring onions and curry leaves.
Gato Pima - paired with bread, butter and a cup of tea - make for the perfect Mauritian breakfast (commonly enjoyed during tea time as well).
Did you know that gateaux piments used to have a hole in the middle? Find out what happened to this tradition and why gateaux piments are no longer made this way.
Samoussa and other fritters
Another famous snack in Mauritius is Samoussa, whose Indian heritage shines through in the seasonings and recipes. It's crispy, flaky and delicious. The Samoussas are a typical Mauritian snack you will find at every street corner. These surely help if you are on the go and suddenly feel hungry.
Gato Arouille - A Savoury Sino-Mauritian Snack
Gato Arouille is made up of small taro (a root vegetable native to Southeast Asia and South India) with a blend of grated ginger, seasoned with salt and sugar. The ingredients are then combined with cornstarch, rolled into small balls and deep-fried to perfection for that satisfying crunch on the outside but beautifully soft inside.
Other favourite snacks among Mauritians are all sorts of vegetable fritters. Most of them can also easily be prepared at home:
- Gato Brinzel (eggplant fritters)
- Baja (deep-fried batter made from chickpea flour)
- Dipin Frir (deep-fried bread dipped in batter)
- Chana Puri (deep-fried dough with potato filling)
- Pima Cari Frire (Chilli fried in batter)
Biryani (or Briani)
Biryani can be made with meat, chicken or with vegetables. This fragrant rice dish is a cousin of the Hyderabadi Biryani, made with a variety of spices, long-grained Basmati rice, meat and yoghurt. Potatoes are cleverly used in Mauritian Biryani to absorb the spices at the bottom of the vessel during cooking.
We recommend going to the capital, Port Louis, or the market if you want to try this dish.
If you would like to cook biryani at home, you can try the following recipes:
Haleem
Haleem is a traditional soup-like stew that combines elements of Middle Eastern, Asian and Indian cuisines to create the ultimate comfort food. It is traditionally made with meat, such as lamb or beef, as the main ingredient, but it can also be made vegan. The meat is then cooked for hours with the other ingredients, including onion, lentils, split peas, barley, garlic-ginger, turmeric & chilli.
It's served hot, with spring onions (or other garnishes) on top, and freshly baked bread like baguettes or "round bread" on the side.
Boulettes: Mauritian-Style Dumplings
Boulettes are vegetable dough balls that are usually filled with meat or seafood and served alone, with broth, or with noodles. Any Mauritian would tell you that Boulettes are their favourite street food. A steaming bowl of Boulette goodness is just what you need if you've had too much to drink over the weekend.
Boulettes are easy to prepare too, click here for the recipe.
Mine Frite (Fried Noodles)
The thriving Chinese community in Mauritius has given rise to Mine Frite, another name for Mauritian fried noodles. The noodles are typically served with a variety of vegetables such as carrots, cabbages, pumpkin leaves, and any other vegetable of your choice, as well as garlic sauce and green chilli paste.
Mine Bouille (Boiled Noodles)
Mine Bouille is basically boiled noodles, topped with chopped spring onions, an egg and eaten with meat or vegetables. If you want a heartier meal, this dish can be served with a side of Boulettes.
It may sometimes be served with “chatini pomme d’amour” (chopped tomatoes, cilantro/coriander, onions, chilies and seasonings) or “oeuf roti” (hard-boiled egg glazed with a mixture of sweet soy sauce and spices).
Prepare your own mine bouilli at home with this easy recipe.
Alouda - The Mauritian Milkshakelouda
We recommend trying an Alouda, a trendy local drink, to complement your Mauritian street food experience and help alleviate the heat. The sweet and traditional Mauritian drink, influenced by the Indian drink Falooda, is made with milk, grated homemade agar-agar jelly and basil seeds.
You can find many street vendors selling Alouda around the capital, mostly along la Rue Desforges.
Feeling like channelling your inner Gordon Ramsay? You can find more Mauritian recipes here.