[CH] Mauritian recipes

Peter Moss (pmoss@yoda.alt.za)
Sun, 13 Dec 1998 02:40:24 RSA-2

Having had a very long search for Mazavaroo I have at last found 
a recipe and obtained samples from Mauritius.  To this I owe Ms 
Jeannette Ah Chok a great deal of gratitude.

Not only has she sent me chile seeds and mazavaroo samples but 
even a cooked meal.  I hope the habanero, scotch bonnet, aji and 
rocoto seeds I sent in return as a small token of thanks 
introduce some new flavours and heat to such tasteful cooking. 

Anyone like to take a stab at the derivation of the word 
mazavaroo, mazavarou or mazavaru please do so.  A internet search 
of it will reveal absolutely nothing.  

Roux obviously from french - red.....

The island has a history of French occupation and rule as well 
as Indian and African populations and a smaller Chinese 
population.

This is what I have found out so far.

["MAZAVARU - (English: Chilli sauce)
Sauce, gravy; also a relish to be eaten with the rice.
mazava light, clear, luminous, bright - Richardson 1885.  

(The etmya are somewhat doubtful because adjectives 
normally follow nouns in Mauritian Creole)."]


Once again thanks to Jeannette for the research and comment.

Recipes from "A taste of Mauritius" - Paul Jones & Barry Andrews 
ISBN 0 333 34005 1

Bringal Chutney

6 Aubergines
1 Onion
2 Tomatoes
3 Green chiles
1 Small cup vinegar
  Oil for frying
  Seasoning

Deep fry the aubergines whole and then remove the skins.
Clean and slice the onion finely.
Liquidize or crush the aubergines and chile.
Heat some oil in a pan and fry the onion until soft but not 
brown.
Remove skin from tomatoes and slice in half, remove seeds.  
Slice tomatoes into fine strips.
Add onion to aubergine mix.
Add tomatoes and vinegar.  Mix well and season to taste.

--------------------------OO----------------------------

Cucumber Chutney

1 Cucumber
2 Chiles
  Vinegar and oil
  Seasoning

Clean the cucumber leaving no seeds.
Grate the cucumber.
Chop chiles finely.
Add vinegar, oil and seasoning and mix.

--------------------------OO----------------------------

Coconut Chutney

1  Grated coconut
3  Red chiles
10 Mint leaves
4  Coriander leaves
   Seasoning

Roast coconut until light brown.
Ensure all ingredients are dry.
Place all ingredients in a liquidiser and grind until a paste is 
formed.

--------------------------OO----------------------------

Lemon or orange anchard

10 g Mustard seed
4 g Saffron
3 fresh red chiles
1/4 L oil
Peel of 10 lemons or oranges

Soak the peel in boiling water for three minutes.
Ensure that no white pith is left on the peel.
Cut peel into cubes or julienne.
Leave to dry for one day in the sun or one hour in a warm oven.
Crush or liquidize the mustard seeds, saffron, chiles and mix 
with the oil.
Add the dried peel to the mixture and allow to marinate for a 
few days.

--------------------------OO----------------------------

Mango anchard

10 g Mustard seed
5 g Saffron
3 Red chiles
1/4 L oil
10 Green mangoes
10 g Salt

Peel and cut the mango into eight pieces.
Add salt and marinate for two hours in the sun.
Crush or liquidize all other ingredients.
Mix with oil.
Add the mangos to the mixture and mix.
Allow the mixture to marinate for a few days.

--------------------------OO----------------------------

Chile sauce

30 Green chiles
1/4 L boiling water
5 Cloves crushed garlic
5 g Crushed ginger root
2 g Salt
1/6 L Chicken stock

Place all ingredients in a liquidiser and mix at high speed 
until pureed.
Add two tots of rum.

--------------------------OO----------------------------

Recipes from Jeannette Ah Chok of Rose-Hill, Mauritius.

MAZAVAROO

Crush 1 lb of red chiles and 1/2 lb of garlic together.  Add 
salt and 1 to 2 tblspoons of vinegar.  Add sugar to taste.

--------------------------OO----------------------------

Aubergine chutney

1 Large aubergine (round)
6 cloves of garlic
1 Medium onion
1 green chile
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 tablespoons oil
  Salt and pepper

Wash the aubergine and make 6 slits with a knife.
In each slit place a clove of garlic.
Rub the aubergine surface with some oil.
Place under a low grill and brown all sides.
When cooked remove the skin and crush the pulp with a fork.
Leave to cool.
Slice onion finely, chop chile and mix with the remaining oil, 
vinegar, salt and pepper.
Add aubergine pulp and mix well.

--------------------------OO----------------------------

Green Paw-paw chutney - from Rodrigues Island

Peel the green paw-paw, remove seeds and grate it thinly.

Add salt (according to taste) and mix well.
After 1 1/2 hours squeeze in a thin cloth to remove as much 
juice as possible.
Expose the pulp to the sun for half a day.
Heat a little oil.
Mix 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder with a little water to form 
a paste.
Add paste to the oil and stir in well for 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add green paw-paw pulp and crushed 
chiles.
Mix well with 2 to 3 tablespoons of vinegar.

--------------------------OO----------------------------

The amount and type of chile is not that important except where 
green is used and open to change according to taste.  As are all 
ingredients.  For green chile I would suggest a cayenne type 
or at least a C. annuum as the most suitable.

Watching little chiles get bigger.

Peter