Briani & Dholl Puri

Today, I prepared a healthy and hearty, Indian-inspired Mauritian meal that's not only fun to make but is also fun to eat: Briani with Dholl Puri. My sincere thanks once again to the Philippes, who also shared their recipes for these dishes with Mauritius Food Recipes, a site that's chock full of wonderful ideas for every meal from breakfast to dessert.

Dholl puri (a.k.a dhall puri or dholl poori) are the closest thing I could find to a national dish for Mauritius. Dholl refers to the peas that are blended into dough that's then used to make the thin, circular bread called puri. The chef, who makes them in this very handy YouTube video I found, claims dholl puri are among the most popular foods on the island. The puri may seem complicated but, really, they're not. So, be brave and you'll be rewarded - they're absolutely delicious!

These flat breads are typically used as both the dish and utensils for eating curry on the go, so I chose briani-style curry. (The briani recipe I referenced is a baked dish, layered with basmati rice, but I modified it to a stove-top version that we can eat with the puri.)

Mauritians often eat curry with chutneys and pickles. A favorite is coriander chutney, made with lots of fresh cilantro. We were given several Indian chutneys and pickles in a gift basket for Christmas, so we used those, but there are many easy recipes available if you decide to make your own.

There are only two of us, but I made the full recipe for each dish. If you pack them carefully, separating each piece with parchment paper and sealing them tightly with foil, the puri freeze well. So, we'll be able to thaw and enjoy them at a later date!

To make the dholl puri, boil 1 pound of yellow split peas in 2 cups of water with a ¼ tsp each of ground turmeric and salt for about 15 minutes, then take them off the heat and let sit for an hour. Don't let them get sticky or they won't grind well; they should be easily chewed but still have some bite to them. Drain the peas thoroughly, but save the water. Using a food processor, grind the peas, 2 tsp of ground cumin and a pinch of salt till you achieve a dry, grainy consistency.

In a large mixing bowl, slowly add the reserved water to about 4-5 cups of flour and blend till you get a pliable (but not sticky) dough. Cover it with a towel and set it aside in a warm spot for about 30 minutes. Then, pinch off some dough (about the size of a golf ball), create a well in it, and insert about 1 tsp of the pea mixture. Close the dough around the peas, dredge it in flour, and roll it out as thin as you can. Keep the board well floured and don't push too hard with the rolling pin.

In a large, hot skillet sprayed lightly with non-stick spray, cook each puri for about 30 seconds, flipping once, till slightly puffy and lightly browned on each side. The puri need to remain flexible, so be careful not to overcook them.

While the dough was resting, I prepared the briani:

Oil
2 onions, thinly sliced into strips
1 lb. beef, cut into small, bite-sized chunks
2 Tbsp garlic-ginger paste*
1 tsp cumin seeds
6 oz fat-free plain Chobani Greek style yogurt
1 cup water, wine or broth
1 tsp garam masala
1 bay leaf

¼ cup fat-free half-and-half
1 cup peas and diced carrots, thawed (if using frozen)

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped, for garnish

*To make this paste, combine 1 Tbsp each garlic and fresh ginger that's been grated using a microplane. If you don't have a microplane, finely mince each and smash with a spoon or mortar-and-pestle till pasty.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the onions till slightly softened. Add the cumin seeds and garlic-ginger paste and sauté till the onions are crispy. Add the beef, keeping the pan fairly hot, and sear on all sides. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Then, add the yogurt, water/wine/broth, garam masala and bay and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 45 minutes till most of the liquid has been absorbed and the meat is tender. (If the meat cooks before the liquid reduces, take out the meat and boil the liquid till it's think and creamy, then return the meat to the pan.) Add the half-and-half, herbs, peas and carrots, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Enjoy your briani by spooning some onto a dholl puri (along with your chutney and pickle) and folding it into quarters so that the bread forms a pocket around the curry. No utensils required! That made this meal fun and delicious!

Mauritius: Did You Know?

Got a party coming up? Well, now you can "Wow!" the other guests with your arcane knowledge of this remote, tropical isle...

For instance, did you know that Mauritius is actually part of the Mascarene Islands, which also include Rodrigues, Reunion, Cargaods Carajos and other island banks?

The flag of Mauritius, created following its independence from the British, is made of four colored stripes: red, blue, yellow and green, from top to bottom. The stripes represent bloodshed, the Indian Ocean, the new light that shone on the country, and the island's vegetation.

Mauritius got its current moniker from the Dutch. Explorers named it after Maurice of Nassau, the Prince of Orange from 1618 to 1625. The country already had a name, however. Early Arabs traders had called it Dina Arobi (or Harobi), which translates to either "Desert Isle" or "Square Isle."

One bit of info I was surprised to learn: Mauritius actually has its own little "colony." It governs the tiny Agalega Islands, situated about 700 miles to the north. The Agalegas cover just 27 square miles with a population of about 300. The economy there is based almost entirely on its primary export, coconuts and coconut oil.

Don't Be a Dodo

Dodo sculpture at the Budapest Zoo.

Despite being long-extinct, the dodo bird is well known. But, did you know dodos were unique to Mauritius?

 

Recent research determined that dodos evolved from migratory African pigeons. As the pigeons settled into isolated, island living, they evolved into the larger, ground-dwelling dodos. The closest living relative to the dodo is the Nicobar pigeon, native to the Nicobar island and Southeast Asia.

 

Mauritius was uninhabited by humans until the Dutch began settling there in 1598. Therefore, the dodo knew no predators until that time. Not surprisingly, they were passive and inquisitive creatures. So, when dodos first encountered humans, the dodos most likely were easy prey. The Dutch, and the rats, pigs and monkeys they brought with them, hunted the dodos for food. In just decades, they were gone. Dodos were officially declared extinct by 1681.

Civet de Langouste

Some friends recently told me they’ve enjoyed following my blog, and they wanted to learn more about how I choose the locations and recipes. Since we hadn’t gotten together in a while, we set a dinner date at their place.

What a fun challenge to extend this experiment to entertaining! They’re brave enough to try something new and we all like seafood, so we picked a lavish treat: Civet de Langouste (Lobster in Red Wine).

Much to our delight, even with the splurge, our weekly shop was cheaper than usual! The fresh lobster, prosciutto, wine and cognac cost about $45. (Since we don’t drink cognac, I bought a miniature, which costs more by volume.) We scaled back our other meals to use less-expensive but no-less-delicious protein, like chicken, eggs and beans, so we didn’t break the bank.

If you’ve got a special occasion coming up and want to prepare something unexpected and luxurious, I definitely recommend Civet de Langouste. It’s truly succulent. Interestingly, it takes on the color of the wine you choose, so it can range from ruby red to deep purple depending upon its hue. Plus, I think it would work equally well with duck, beef or even a "gamey" protein like bison or boar.

My sincerest appreciation to Madeleine and Clancy Philippe, who granted me permission to share their recipe. Here’s how I made it.

Oil

3-4 lbs. fresh lobster

¼ lb prosciutto, diced into lardons

1 large carrot, thinly sliced

2 onions, minced

2 shallots, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper

Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

3 Tbsp cognac

1 can (15 oz) petite diced tomatoes

1 bottle dry, fruity red wine (We used Apothic Red.) 

Cooked egg noodles

If you're going to prepare the lobsters yourself, steam or boil them, shell them using a bowl to save the juices, and slice the tails and claws into large chunks. Use the remaining meat and green “coral” to your preference. Fortunately for the squeamish, like me, the fish mongers at Price Chopper sell them already cooked.

Heat the oil in a large skillet, and lightly brown the prosciutto and lobster chunks. This’ll take about 5 minutes, and you’ll need to watch it carefully so the lobster doesn’t burn. Then add the carrot, onions, shallots, garlic, cayenne, salt and pepper and sauté for a few more minutes till the veggies soften slightly.

Deglaze the pan with the cognac and sauté till it evaporates. Remove the lobster and keep it warm. Add the tomatoes and wine to the veggies, bring to a boil, and cook till the liquid thickens and reduces by half. Add the lobster and reserved juices (and other meat and coral, if desired) and simmer for a just a few more minutes to blend the flavors. Serve, and savor!

We enjoyed ours with egg noodles, but the Philippes recommend serving it with a fresh, crusty pain du baguette.

Bol Reverse

Tonight's dish from Mauritius follows a recipe that's heavily influenced by the Chinese. It's on the lighter side and doesn't leave us with a ton of leftovers, which is good since we're preparing tomorrow's dinner with friends. (That recipe is a decadent, luxurious meal. You don't want to miss it!)

So, tonight we'll go easy on the bellies and budgets.

Bol Reverse is a simple, balanced, affordable dish that's easy to make and fun to plate. Here's how I made mine, which serves 4:

2-3 Tbsp canola oil

3-4 chicken breasts, cut into strips

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp tamari

2 Tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp cornstarch

1 large shallot, minced
Cracked black pepper, to taste
1 cup fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 small bok choy, sliced into strips
Salt, to taste
4 eggs
3-4 cups brown rice, cooked according to the package
Fresh cilantro, basil or parsley, chopped, for garnish

In a bowl, mix the chicken strips with the tamari, garlic and black pepper. In a small glass, combine the oyster sauce and cornstarch. Set both mixtures aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Sauté the shallots till soft. Add the chicken mixture and cook for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms, bok choy and salt (see notes below). Keep the pan fairly hot, so the moisture from the vegetables evaporates. Sauté for a few more minutes before adding the oyster sauce mixture. Lower the heat and simmer till the chicken is cooked and the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.

In a separate pan, fry the eggs to your liking. When they're ready, carefully slide them into 4 cereal or soup bowls. Top the eggs with some of the chicken mixture, then finish filling them with the rice. Invert the contents of each bowl onto a plate, garnish with the herbs, and enjoy!

Cook's Notes: If you like your eggs sunny-side up, try to splash a little oil onto the yolks to harden them just enough so they won't break or top each portion with the egg after they're plated. Shiitake mushrooms would be great in this, but we had creminis on hand. The oyster sauce and tamari already contain salt, so you may not need more. Try using sea salt, which has less sodium. You also can use regular soy sauce instead of tamari, or replace the oyster sauce with red or rice wine to lighten it up even more. 

The Sega

Photo: mauritiusdelight.com

Mauritius may not have a national dish, but it does have a national song and dance. And, they're both the sega.

Started back during French colonial times, the sega was developed by the African slaves brought to Mauritius to work the plantations as a way to relieve their troubles, celebrate each other and forget their suffering.

Traditionally, the sega singer is backed instrumentally by a ravane (a thin, round, goat-skin drum), maravane (pebble-filled rattle) and a triangle. The lyrics often tell funny tales of love and joy. Using free-form shuffle steps, the dancers engage each other with undulating hips, swaying torsos and swinging arms. Women typically wear pretty blouses and long, flowing skirts, while the men wear loose-fitting shirts and pants.

Today, the sega remains a joyous event, seen everywhere from beach parties to weddings. Many hotels and resorts also offer sega performances for visitors. Click here to see a sega performance, courtesy of AZJV.

Week #4: Mauritius

Photo: lonelyplanet.com

We're heading back to the tropics, folks!

This week, we'll head 4,800 miles southeast to the tiny island nation of Mauritius, located off the east coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.

The island was reportedly known to Arabs in the 10th century, but it was officially "discovered" by the Portuguese in 1505. The island remained uninhabited, however, until 1598. After colonization by the Dutch, French and British, Mauritius gained independence on March 12, 1968. Today's populace comprises Indian descendants of colonial traders, who emigrated while under British rule, and Creole-African descendants of the French sugar plantation owners and their slaves, with a dash of Chinese and European settlers for good measure. Most Mauritians speak a unique Creole patois, which they developed during French rule in the 18th century.

There isn't an official national dish for Mauritius, although this man begs to differ. I'm glad I found this video, since I'd already decided to make dholl puri next Saturday to accompany a Mauritian curry. And, visual aids always help!

So, let's enjoy a week together in Mauritius. Don't forget to pack a healthy appetite!