On March 12th, 1968, Mauritius gained independence from the British. To celebrate this country’s independence, we are exploring 5 of the country’s most intriguing dishes.

Mauritius is located on the southeastern coast of Africa, near Madagascar. Mauritius’s culture and population reflect a Creole identity, made up of Afro-Mauritians, Indo-Mauritians (of Indian descent), Sino-Mauritians (of Chinese descent), and Franco-Mauritians (of European descent). The delicious cuisine of Mauritius, therefore, reflects these blended cultures. Curry dishes are common in the country.

( Bol renversé. Image by L’Académie de Goût via Wikimedia Commons )

Bol Renversé, or Magic Bowl, is a Sino-Mauritian dish that consists of rice, chicken, or shrimp and vegetable stir-fry and a fried egg that is placed in a bowl and flipped upside down. The chicken or shrimp and vegetable stir fry are typically made with oyster sauce and soy sauce. Bol Renversé, which means ‘upside-down bowl’, is mostly sold at Chinese restaurants in Mauritius.

( Rougaille. Image by Benoît Prieur via Wikimedia Commons )

Rougaille is a tomato stew dish that combines delicious spices like curry leaves, spring onions, cilantro, thyme, chilies, onions, ginger, and garlic. A variety of meats can be added to this dish, like salted fish, sausage, chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, or even vegetarian substitutes like tofu. Rougaille, found in Mauritius and other countries like neighboring Réunion, is commonly paired with rice or with bread.

( Haleem. Image by Charles Haynes via Flickr )

Haleem is an Indo-Mauritian dish that invigorates the taste buds. This spice-filled soup is made with lentils, and spices, and can be vegetarian or include meat, such as lamb, chicken, or venison. This dish is typically sold by street vendors and can be served with bread.

Read “Exploring Mauritius on Independence Day”:

Exploring Mauritius on Independence Day

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 ( Vindaye. Image by Benoît Prieur via Wikimedia Commons)

Vindaye is an Indo-Mauritian curry dish made with vinegar, mustard, and turmeric, and either chicken, fish, or even octopus. Vindaye, also known as Mauritian Mustard Fish or Mauritian Mustard Chicken, can be paired with rice or flatbread.

( Mauritian Dholl Puri. Image by SM Chalon via Wikimedia Commons )

Dholl Puri, an Indo-Mauritian dish, is a wheat flatbread dish that is filled with mashed split peas. This dish, commonly found in street restaurants, is often paired with condiments like chutney, pickles, and curries.

Have you ever been to Mauritius or eaten one of these dishes? Which one is your favorite?

Works Cited

https://www.chefspencil.com/popular-foods-mauritius/

https://www.holidify.com/pages/mauritius-food-728.html

https://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mauritius.html

https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/egg-chicken-rice-bowl-recipe

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/food-in-mauritius/