When you think of Mauritius Food you may instantly think of aromatic curry-style dishes being the main staple throughout Mauritian cuisine. However, the food in Mauritius varies vastly in all aspects due to a diverse mix of cultural influences.

Even though it is a relatively small island there are a lot of seafood-heavy dishes as one would expect. But there is still a high meat consumption in Mauritius, particularly chicken. 

What Is Special About Mauritius Food?

A unique feature of Mauritian food is that it encapsulates various cuisines such as Chinese, Creole, French, African, and Indian. Food in Mauritius is particularly seasoned with fresh green chilies as opposed to powdered chili. Dishes often contain high notes of cumin, coriander, and turmeric.

That said, you can expect some rich and strong flavors in the food from Mauritius, credit to all the different spices involved. The amount of delicious dishes on offer is certainly one of the exciting facts about Mauritius for foodies.

Whether it’s a salad, soup, noodle, curry, or rice dish you can be sure to taste some amazingly flavored and well-seasoned Mauritius Food on your travels.

Traditional Mauritius Food

Even with the different influences and cultural blend, Mauritius food also incorporates its traditional roots.

Chicken Vindaye Or Vindaye Poule

Chicken vindaye is a traditional creole curry, which is a popular dish served in restaurants or even street markets.

Interestingly, many Creole dishes as opposed to Indian dishes do not marinate the meat overnight. Instead, sauce bases are made from all fresh herbs and ground spices.

The base of the curry sauce is made from a bunch of spices and ingredients like turmeric and mustard seeds, green chili, garlic, and ginger, all ground together in a mortar. These are what give a strong taste to this Mauritius dish.

The chicken gets cooked separately first with onions, and beef, and seasoned heavily. They are then cooked with the sauce to form the perfect combination and texture.

Chicken vindaye goes particularly well with a side of coconut chutney, potato chutney, rice, and some freshly picked salad.

Chilli Cheese And Chicken Balls

Chilli cheese and chicken balls are a traditional Mauritian snack type dish. It’s one you’d expect to find in the street markets, but it’s also a very popular dish for local Mauritians to prepare at home.

This dish uses minced chicken that is seasoned well with chili flakes, paprika, basil, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper to preferred taste and spice levels. The mixture is then shaped into small balls before getting coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried until golden brown. This ultimately results in a delish ball of sinful goodness.

The crispy exterior creates a heavenly contrast with the tender interior. In the center, the balls ooze with a chunk of mozzarella for that extra tangy bite.

To take it up a level, you can even enjoy it with a refreshing sauce. A dip that goes particularly well with this popular food in Mauritius is a fresh chutney made of tomato, diced onion, coriander, and lemon.

Bol Renverse (Magic Bowl)

Bol Renverse is a fusion of Chinese and Mauritian cuisine and is also known as the upside-down bowl. You may have heard of an upside-down pineapple cake – well this is a very similar idea just in stir-fry format. The dish is prepared in reverse quite literally.

The base of the bowl would have a fried egg, and added in would be chicken, vegetables, and lastly, a layer of fluffy rice. The bowl is then tipped over on a plate and there you have it! When you uncover the bowl, all the juicy ingredients are now at the top, sitting on a pile of fragrant, steaming white rice.

Biriyani

Mauritian-style biriyani is an extremely well-known layered-style dish taken from Indian cuisine. It is slightly different from the traditional Indian Biriyani. The Mauritian biriyani places potatoes at the bottom of the pot to soak up all the spices and prevent the rice from overcooking.

This Mauritian dish consists of alternating layers of rice and vegetables, topped with your choice of meat. It is particularly fragrant and aromatic with a careful blend of spices of turmeric, cardamom, and cinnamon.

Biriyani is traditionally a family-style dish as it’s a huge one-pot wonder perfect for a large group of people. Additionally, biriyani is also found in the street markets where generous portions of biriyani rice are topped with fresh cuts of succulent meat.

Mauritian Cari

Cari is a traditional Mauritian curry which is a great flavourful sample of what a typical locally cooked dish in Mauritius would look like. You would find it readily available in many eateries.

The Mauritian cari can have either chicken, fish, lamb, or any other seafood as the main highlight. The sauce is the binding factor of the dish which is enhanced by using a depth of spices such as cumin, chili, turmeric, and coriander.

Cari is then served with white rice, pickled vegetables, and flatbread known as roti. In some restaurants, this dish is elegantly served on a banana leaf.

Street Food In Mauritius

Whether you are in the sunny capital of Port Louis or the tropical beach paradise of Flic en Flac, you can find street markets all over Mauritius. The best thing is there are endless amounts of Mauritius dishes on offer in these local haunts.

With the wide variety of amazing, traditional Mauritius food you could find in the vibrant street markets, it’s hard to choose, and won’t be possible to go through all of them. But here are some examples of the most popular Mauritius dishes which can be found in street markets.

Dholl Puri or Dhal Puri

Dholl Puri or sometimes referred to as dhal puri is the most popular and well-known Mauritius street food dish. It is often eaten as a snack or even for breakfast. You will even hear it called the national dish of Mauritius.

Dholl Puri is typically a vegetarian dish where a soft, light, and fluffy puri is rolled out flat. It is then filled with dhal (lentil) in the middle and cooked on the hot stove.

A bean curry flavored with fresh tomatoes, onions, chili, and herbs is often added to bring the dish together with the core flavors of Mauritius cuisine. Whilst this may seem like a simple and easy dish to make, it is very satisfying on the tastebuds.

Farata

This traditional flatbread from Mauritius is very similar to Dholl Puri. However, when the farata is cooked it is much puffier in appearance as opposed to dholl puri which is flat and thin. The farata is filled with either fish or chicken curry; it is then wrapped up, perfectly filling and for snacking.

Don’t fret if you’re vegetarian, because you can also find farata filled with potato and bean curry instead of meat or fish. It is interesting to note that Dholl puri is Mauritian in origin whereas farata is based on the Indian-style flatbread called paratha.

If you are looking for some Indian cuisine in Mauritian food this is a great dish for you to try. 

Mine Frite

You can find touches of Chinese cuisine and flavors in Mauritius food and mine frite is one delicious example. This Mauritian street food staple is a base of freshly fried noodles with soy sauce which can come with vegetables or chicken or egg.

Mine frite is served straight from the red-hot wok. The flavors come mostly from the ingredients themselves since the dish doesn’t contain a strong sauce base. For an extra punch of flavor, you can add a dressing of garlic, lime juice, and chili sauce.

Boulettes

Boulettes are a popular dumpling dish that can be found in the markets of Mauritius; more specifically in the Chinatown of Mauritius, as this dish draws inspiration from Chinese cuisine.

The dumpling is steamed with meat or fish, and they can be served in a roughly chopped-up salad, or more commonly in a soup-style broth.

The broth is dressed with a green chili sauce or oil. This is a warm, hearty, and authentic Mauritius food with a tinge of Chinese culture that is sure to satisfy your taste buds.

Haleem

Haleem is a popular meat and lentil-cooked soup in Mauritian cuisine. It begins with salad and spiced meat in the base of the bowl, and the haleem is poured over the top of this with a dressing of vinegar lemon, and chili.

This food from Mauritius is typically made with lentils, wheat, and barley and seasoned heavily with cumin, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon.

Haleem is a very healthy dish and it is not uncommon for Mauritius cuisine to use a good and generous amount of lentils in cooking. As the lentils are spiced moderately with fresh herbs and ground spices, the dish is elevated to another level.

Gateaux Piment

Mauritius food offers a fusion of different cuisines, including Creole which features a blend of European and African cuisine.

Gataeu Pimet is a Creole dish that you will commonly see amongst the street foods of Mauritius. This is a deep-fried fritter made predominantly from yellow split peas, fresh green chilies, coriander, and fennel. Whilst they can be enjoyed as a starter, or a light snack, you can regularly find them in street markets.

Desserts In Mauritius Cuisine

Mauritius food also has an array of appealing desserts, influenced particularly by French cuisine, that you can find in markets, bakeries, supermarkets, or restaurants. Desserts in Mauritian cuisine tend to use a combination and variation of many different flavors.

The most common notes of flavors you will pick up in the Mauritius desserts are lemon, chili, coconut, and even tamarind.

Alouda

Alouda is served as an ice-cold drink or dessert, and it originates first from the Indian dish called ‘Falooda’. They have rather similar preparation and ingredients, including flavored agar jelly pieces, black basil seeds, and a scoop of vanilla-flavored ice cream.

The milk base of the drink is made by combining full-fat milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk. In addition to the wet ingredients rose water and vanilla essence is added.

One of the attractive features of Alouda is that it can come in different fanciful colors, usually pink/rose, green/pistachio, or yellow/vanilla. The exciting visuals simply add to the already refreshing taste. 

Mauritian Napolitaine

These are two small shortbread biscuits joined together with a layer of sweet jam in the middle.

The buttery biscuit base is made from a combination of flour and butter until the dough has been made. Once this has had enough time to chill, the dough is rolled out.

They are typically cut into small round shapes and then baked until golden. Once cooked, a thin layer of jam is placed in the middle of two shortbreads. This delicious, sweet treat is then glazed over with usually pink or white color to give the dessert an attractive appearance. 

Napolitana is a popular dessert and snack found in many supermarkets in Mauritius as well as the street markets, bakeries, and cafes. It is convenient to eat on the go and makes for a good pairing with hot coffee or tea.

Tarte Banane

Desserts in Mauritius food often take advantage of locally sourced fruits, and Tarte banane is one such example. This is a traditional Mauritius dessert and pastry perfect for afternoon tea.

It is a small, sweet, and delicate-tasting treat. The exterior is a shortcrust pastry that contains a soft banana filling.

That delish stuffing is normally made with overripe bananas which increases the sweetness. Mashed-up ripe bananas are cooked with brown sugar and vanilla essence, then cooled down before use.

The pastry shell can be made with simple ingredients such as plain flour, sugar, and butter. They are mixed with water to form the dough that is shaped into tart molds.

This Mauritian food is often easily identified by its appearance on the top, which features crisscross lattices made with pastry dough.

Victoria Pineapples

If you are looking for a sweet, fruity burst of flavor, the Victoria pineapple is much sweeter than your average pineapple and yellow in appearance.

A simple local way to enjoy the pineapple would be chopping it into cubes, and sprinkling some chili salt and tamarind. But it’s always fun to try something unique; and in Mauritius, you can find stalls serving up roasted Victoria pineapple. Sugar is added to the pineapple before roasting to give in a caramelized flavor on top of its natural sweetness.

As you are roaming in the street markets of Mauritius, it is common to see fruit carts with Victoria pineapples just waiting to be carved out and served on skewer sticks. Be sure to grab your dose of citrus goodness then!

Mauritian Coconut Flan

Coconuts are readily available in Mauritius, so you can imagine Mauritian food features this versatile fruit quite heavily. Both coconut water and meat are often used as a sweetener in desserts or as chutneys to soothe spicy curries.

The Mauritian coconut flan is a traditional dessert that is refreshing and sweet. You can find it in restaurants but also it is also a popular homemade food in local homes due to its simplicity.

To make the flan, egg yolk is beaten with sweetened condensed milk and coconut. Egg whites are separately beaten until they are stiff peaks. The two are mixed gently and then placed on top of the caramel sauce in a cooking dish and baked in the oven in a water bath.

The coconut adds a creamy sweetness to the dish and meshes well with the caramel. This delectable dessert is typically served chilled.

If you’re not a huge fan of coconut, the dish can also just be made as simple plain flan with caramel sauce.

Salads In Mauritian Food

The island of Mauritius, as one may expect, has a lot of freshly prepared salads on offer. Drawing from fresh local produce, these salads pack a huge punch of flavor and are notably vibrant and colorful in appearance.

Salads in Mauritius cuisine typically have a sharp and aromatic dressing stirred in or drizzled over bringing the salad together. Here are some of the options to look out for when sampling Mauritius food.

Palm Heart Salad

Palm hearts salad is also known as the millionaire’s salad or ‘Salade Palmiste’.

This is due to the cost of harvesting the hearts and how long it takes to grow – approximately 7 years. Each tree only produces one heart in its entire life span. So, as you can imagine these are treated as rather precious produce.

Once harvested, Palm hearts are often served as a ‘delicacy’ salad in Mauritius cuisine and cooking. A simple way is usually to mix the hearts with a vinaigrette of lemon, vinegar, and olive oil.

Octopus Salad

Based on it’s geographical makeup as an island, you can expect Mauritius food to feature seafood quite heavily.

Mauritian-style octopus salad is a great choice as a starter dish or maybe just a light lunch. If you enjoy seafood, this can be one of the first dishes to try.

The salad is created with a base of cucumber, peppers, and fennel. The dressing is typically a blend of red chili, coriander, mustard seed, olive oil, lime, and vinegar.

All ingredients are mixed and tossed gently in a bowl topped with the octopus and you can optionally add scallions to enhance the flavors.

Tropical Exotic Salad

Typically, this healthy salad is served in a cup and can consist of fresh readily available fruits. Such as roughly chopped-up mango, guava, starfruit, and pineapple. For that extra kick and ounce of flavor, a dressing of salt, chili, lime, and lemon can be drizzled over.

Tropical exotic salad is particularly popular on the beachfront markets where freshly prepared fruits are readily available.

Cucumber, Carrot, And Mango Salad

This dish may appear simple and neat with the three thinly julienned ingredients. However, it is packed full of crunch and a sharp citric dressing.

It is very common for salad or pickled vegetables to be served alongside a cari dish, and this is one popular option. That said, the rich flavors of the dish mean that it can also stand on its own

The dressing is made with vinegar, lemon, fresh red chili, and olive oil before being tossed with the colorful vegetables. You can further top it off with finely diced onions for an extra crunch and salad texture.

Discovering Mauritius Food

Whether you prefer light street food bites, a flavorful curry, or a hearty lentil-based dish, you will find a wide selection on offer among the many traditional Mauritius foods.

The diverse and rich influence from other countries plays a big role in Mauritian cuisine, creating opportunities to experience the taste from various parts of the world.

Be sure to take some time to explore and enjoy the culinary scenery when you visit the country!

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