Seychelles Recipes

Palm Heart Salad

Ingredients

300g palm heart (fresh is best but canned is still tasty)
100g red bell peppers, finely chopped lengthways
100g green mango, finely chopped lengthways
50g fresh coconut, grated
100g avocado, cubed
2g fresh mint
5g fresh coriander

Dressing:
30ml sesame oil
45g shallots, finely chopped
30g fresh ginger, finely chopped
45g pickled ginger, finely chopped
30ml pickled ginger juice
1 small fresh chilli, finely chopped
110ml rice wine vinegar
110ml sugar syrup
30ml soy sauce
30ml fish sauce
4/5 limes

Directions
1. Using a potato peeler, peel long strips of the palm heart.
2. Roughly chop mint and coriander but keep a few whole leaves aside to garnish.
3. In a bowl combine the palm heart with the julienne peppers, mango, avocado and mint.
4. Mix all of the ingredients for the dressing together and then toss together with the salad.
5. Garnish with whole mint and coriander leaves prior to serving.
Source: Le Nautique, http://lenautique.sc/blog/2017/02/09/summer-salads/


Victoria Fizz Cocktail

Ingredients
Juice of 2 fresh oranges
1 teaspoon sugar
2 measures Pernod
2 measures Drambuie
Soda water

Directions
Put orange juice, sugar, Pernod and Drambuie in a shaker with some ice cubes and shake well.
Pour in a tall glass and add more ice cubes, top up with soda water and decorate with slices of lime.

Source: International Magasine Kreol, https://kreolmagazine.com/culture/food-cuisine/seychelles-magical-cocktails-victoria-fizz/#.XXhF6ChKiUl

Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk

Ingredients

1 medium-sized chicken cut into small pieces
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp four spice
1 tbsp saffron
2 tbsp curry powders
salt and pepper
200g potatoes, peeled and quartered
cinnamon leaves, roughly chopped
whole curry leaves
250ml coconut leaves
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp crushed ginger
1 onion finely chopped

Directions
1. In a pot, fry the onions in hot oil for a few minutes.
2. Add the garlic, ginger, curry leaves and cinnamon leaves, curry powder and saffron and stir for a few more minutes.
3. Add the chicken and potatoes and stir well. Cover and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
4. Pour in the coconut milk and cover and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Uncover and cook further for 15 minutes, until the milk has evaporated and the mixture is creamy.
6. Adjust seasonings and serve with steamed rice.

Source: The Seychelles Cook Book, https://theseychellescookbook.wordpress.com/main-dishes/chicken-curry-with-coconut-milk/

Lentils

Ingredients
2 cups red lentils
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp grated ginger
2 tbsp vegetable oil
salt and pepper

Directions
1. Before you cook the lentil it is important to rinse it under tap water a few times to remove any dirt. After the lentil has been wash place in bowl and add about 3 cups of water and leave it to stand for 1 hour or until the lentil has absorb almost all of the liquid.
2. In a non-stick saucepan heat the oil, once hot add the onion and sautee for 1 – 2 mins until the onion is soft and translucent.
3. Add the lentil to the pan and sautee for 15 – 20 min, adding water if it stick to the pan (this is an important step because you are breaking down the lentil and making sure that it will be creamy once it finish cooking). If the lentil is not mushy at this stage continue to sautee until it becomes mushy.
4. Add water to the dish, enough to loosen the lentil and helps to cook it further (about 2 cup). (N.B. you can use vegetable stock instead of water). reduce the heat and simmer for half an hour, then add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further 10 mins. You should be constantly passing a spoon in the dish because at this stage it tends to stick to the pan and it will also help it becomes creamy.
5. Before removing the dish from the heat season with slat and pepper (the seasoning depends on your salt tolerant).
6. This dish is best serve hot with plain rice.

Ladob Banan

Serves 6

Ingredients

3 ripe plantains

4 tbsp brown sugar

4 cinnamon sticks

1 tsp nutmeg

dash of salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 can (13.5 oz) of coconut milk

Directions

Peel the plantains and cut into quarters, once length-wise, and once through the middle.  Arrange flat side down in the bottom of a large cooking pot.  Wedge some cinnamon sticks between them, and cover them in the brown sugar, nutmeg, and salt.  Pour in the vanilla and coconut bmilk and place on medium-high heat.  Bring to boil for 10 minutes, then lower the heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.  The liquid should evaporate or be absorbed into the plantains, leaving tender plantains and a gooey sauce.

Source: 197 Dishes, by Laurie, https://197dishes.wordpress.com/2016/03/05/6-part-2-seychellois-ladob-banan/