Food

  La Reunions’ cooking is like its population, rich and diversified : it’s a mixed cooking.

This diversity is due to a intermingling from a few countries. A few generations ago, people from all the world arrived on La Reunion. They were from Africa, China, Mauritius, the Middle East and some others countries. They came with their cultur, their specialities. And so, today, we find in the cooking of La Reunion a lot of influences from these countries.

La Reunions’ cooking is a simple and convivial cooking. The meal are generally composed of a main dish, served with rice, beans, and “rougail” (a sort of chilli pepper) or edible leafs (also known as  “brèdes” in La Reunion).

I’ll present you differents parts of a typical traditional meal.

First of all, if you want to quench one’s thirst, you can drink our regional sparkling water the “Cilaos” or the “Volcanik”, our still water “Edena” or “Australine”, you can add some syrup made with sugar cane. And if you want to drink a beer there is also the beer the “Dodo”.

The appetizers and starters :

They are very diversified and come essentialy from Asia. You can find them in almost all the food shops. Most of them are fried but you can find some more dietetic dishes like spring rolls or “achards” (spicy vegetables).

Warning ! The dish called “Bonbon piment” isn’t sweet, it’s salted and spicy.

The main dish :

It’s impossible to come on our beautiful island without tasting a “cari”. The “cari” is the main dish in the creole cooking and is composed of meat or fish prepared with tomatoes, onions and several spices. It can also be prepared with typic vegetables from La Reunion, for exemple “Ti’ Jacque” or  “Chouchou“. The “cari” can be served with “brèdes”, with “rougail” which designate a spicy condiment and a variant of cari.

Some famous main dishes : “Rougail saucisses“, “Civet zourites” (octopus), “Cari poulet” (chicken)

There is also others main dishes like the famous “Riz cantonnais” (rice with omelette, ham, prawns, peas), a chinese dish really liked by children, or the “Sauté mines” (fried pastas with vegetables and meat).

The sweets :

Usually vanilla is used in all sort of dishes, sweet or not. Vanilla bourbon is known for its high quality.

– You can find a large diversity of exotic fruits. According to the different period of the year you won’t find the same fruits. For exemple litchies and mangoes grew up mailnly in December.

You can find the most delicious pineapple of the world : the Victorias’ Ananas.

With all these fruits we do fruit salad, cakes, alcohols….

– There is a lot of different cakes. They are made with fruits, sweet potatoes (“Gateau Patate”), corn flour (“Gateau Tisson”),… You can also eat little sweets like “Bonbon miel” (with honey) or the unvoidable cake “Chemin de fer” (a pink roll cake).

You can end your meal with a glass of arranged rum (infused herbs in rum) and/or with a “coffee Bourbon” which is produced in the south of La Reunion or a tea (for exemple vanilla tea).

 

                 ENJOY  YOUR  MEAL   !!!