Mauritian Cuisine with Chicken

1. Chicken Chop Suey

A kind of chicken stir-fry enlivened with plenty of onions, mushrooms, broccoli and carrots that is easy to make, colourful and plainly delicious.

Ingredients

1. 2 chicken breasts, cut into cubes
2. 1 carrot, sliced into round shape
3. 50 grams bean sprouts
4. 2 tablespoons garlic paste
5. 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
6. 1 large onion, cut into quarters and remove the layers one by one
7. 1 green pepper
8. 1 small red pepper
9. 1/2 cup broccoli
10. 1 can whole corn, roughly chopped
11. 1 can oyster mushroom
12. 1 tablespoon soy sauce
13. 1 tablespoon corn starch
14. Roughly chopped spring onions for garnishing
15. A pinch of sugar
16. 1 tablespoon chili flakes
17. Salt
18. Pepper
19. Oil
20. Water

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken with 1 tablespoon garlic paste, salt and pepper and refrigerate fro 30 minutes
2. In wok or pan heat 2 tablespoons of oil and brown the chicken in batches
3. In the same pan heat another tablespoon of oil
4. Add the chopped ginger, carrots, broccoli, oyster mushroom and stir fry for 5-8 minutes
5. Add the green and red peppers and stir fry for 2-3 minutes
6. Add the chicken, canned corn, chili flakes and garlic paste
7. In a separate bowl add 1/4 cup of water, soy sauce, corn starch and whisk well
8. Pour the sauce in the pan and add the bean sprouts
9. Season with salt and pepper
10. Stir well and add a pinch of sugar
11. Check the consistency and add more water if required
12. Allow to simmer for another 3-6 minutes
13. Turn off the heat and garnish with spring onion

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2. Chicken Gizzard, Heart and Liver

This spicy, aromatic chicken gizzard, heart and liver dish is a typical Mauritian dish which makes a great bread or sandwich filler.

3. Butter Chicken

This creamy curry butter chicken dish combines spices with simple ingredients like butter and tomato sauce for a colourful, flavourful, tasty dish.

Ingredients

For the chicken marinade

1. 4 chicken breasts, cut into cubes
2. 1 tablespoon tandoori spice
3. 1 tablespoon cumin powder
4. 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
5. 1 tablespoon ginger paste
6. 1tablespoon garlic paste
7. 1 cup plain yogurt
8. Salt

For the gravy

1. 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2. 2 medium onions, chopped
3. 1 small green chili, chopped(optional)
4. 3-4 medium tomatoes, chopped
5. 3 cardamoms
6. 1 cinnamon stick
7. 3 whole cloves
8. 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
9. 1 tablespoon garam masala powder
10. 1 tablespoon paprika powder
11. 1 tablespoon coriander powder
12. 1 teaspoon sugar
13. 1 tablespoon garlic paste
14. 1 tablespoon ginger paste
15. 1/2 cup fresh cream
16. 1 tablespoon oil or butter
17. Salt

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients for the chicken marinate and allow to marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight
2. Cook the chicken into a preheated oven for about 10 minutes (the chicken does not need to be completely cooked as it will be further cooked in the gravy)
3. Heat oil or butter in a pan
4. Add the whole cardamons, cinnamon stick, cloves and fry for a 3 seconds
5. Add the cumin seeds and as they start to splutter add the chopped onion
6. Fry until the onions softens
7. Add the tumeric powder, green chili, coriander powder and chopped tomatoes
8. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes then lower the flame and cook until tomatoes are mushy (You may add a little water if required)
9. Remove form heat and remove the whole cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamonms and allow to cool for a few minutes before blending into a fine paste
10. Pour the entire paste again in the same pan that was used earlier
11. Add the chicken and cook until it is done (May add some water if required)
12. Season with salt
13. Add the sugar and the garam masala
14. Turn off the heat
15. Add the fresh cream, mix well
16. Transfer into a serving dish, serve with naan or rice

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4. Chayote Chicken Dumplings

A popular street food, these dumplings are made by steaming chayote and chicken and enjoyed with chili, soy or garlic sauce.

Ingredients

1. 6-8 Chayote (Chou Chou)
2. 100 grams ground chicken or any ground meat of your choice
3. 1 teaspoon garlic paste
4. 1 teaspoon ginger paste
5. 150 grams corn starch
6. Salt
7. Pepper

Instructions

1. Peel and grate the chayote
2. Season the chayote with 1/2 teaspoon salt and allow to rest for 15 minutes
3. Put the chayote in a kitchen towel and squeeze to remove all the excess water
4. Combine the chayote, ground chicken, garlic paste, ginger paste, pepper and salt
5. Gradually add the corn starch to bind all the ingredients
6. Take a little of the mixture and form small balls
7. Cook the choyote balls in a steamer for about 20 minutes
8. Serve with chicken broth, green chilli and on top garnish with chopped spring onion

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5. Crispy Oven Baked Chicken

Chicken pieces are marinated with spices and herbs and baked in the oven for a healthier alternative to fried chicken without sacrificing for taste.

Ingredients

1. 5 chicken legs (Skin off and cut into two)
2. 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
3. 1 1/2 tablespoons mustard paste
4. 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
5. 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
6. 1 tablespoon cayenne powder
7. 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
8. 1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
9. 2 tablespoons thyme leaves
10. 1 cup breadcrumbs
11. Salt

Instructions

1. Combine the mayonnaise, mustard paste, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne powder, black pepper powder thyme and chopped coriander leaves in a bowl and mix well
2. Take one chicken piece at a time coat with the above mixture and dip in the breadcrumbs
3. Repeat the process for the remaining chicken pieces
4. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours
5. Grease an oven proof utensil and place the chicken on the utensil
6. Preheat oven on 350 F and cook for about 30 minutes or until chicken is done
7. Serve with salad and fries

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6. Chicken Fingers

Chicken breast strips are seasoned, breaded and fried to make crispy, tender, juicy and delicious fingers that put store nuggets to shame.

Ingredients

1. 1 chicken breast
2. 2 cups corn flour
3. 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
4. 1 teaspoon garlic and ginger paste
5. 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
6. 2 eggs, beaten
7. 2 cups breadcrumbs
8. Salt
9. Oil for frying

Instructions

1. Wash the chicken breast and pat dry with paper towel
2. Cut the chicken into finger size shapes
3. Season with salt, pepper, garlic and ginger paste
4. Dip one chicken finger at a time into the beaten egg, the cornflour then again in the beaten egg and lastly in the breadcrumbs
5. Heat oil in a pan
6. On a low heat fry the chicken fingers for about 4-5 minutes on both sides, or until golden brown
7. Serve hot with dipping sauce of your choice

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7. Rice Vermicelli Soup

A delight for the eyes and taste buds, this delicious soup is made with chicken, bok choy leaves, carrots, shrimp and spices.

Ingredients:

1. 4 chicken legs cut into pieces
2. 10 large shrimp
3. 150g rice vermicelli (meefoon)
4. 4 bok choy (tom pouce)
5. 250ml chicken stock
6. Water
7. Green onion – finely chopped
8. 1 large finely sliced carrot
9. 2 tbsp garlic paste
10. 1/4 onion, finely chopped
11. 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
12. 2 tbsp light soy sauce
13. 1 tbsp oyster sauce
14. Salt
15. Pepper
16. Oil

Instructions:

1. Separate the bok choy leaves from its stem.
2. In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil and add the chicken with the garlic paste and allow to cook on medium heat.
3. When the chicken is almost done (slightly golden brown), add soy sauce and oyster sauce and stir.
4. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep aside.
5. In the same pan, add 2 tbsp of oil and stir fry the shrimp for about 2 minutes. Then add the chopped onion, garlic and sliced carrots and cook for another 3 minutes.
6. Add the bok choy leaves to the pan and cook for another 3 minutes.
7. Add the chicken stock, rice vermicelli and the cooked chicken and allow to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
8. Season with salt and pepper and add water to desired consistency and taste.
9. Garnish with green onion.
10. Serve hot (with green chilli paste – optional)

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8. Chicken Kebab

Ground chicken is combined with selected spices and grilled on skewers to make juicy and aromatic kebabs that would be a delight for the taste buds.

Ingredients

1. 250 grams ground chicken
2. 2 tablespoon coriander seed, roughlt crushed
3. 1 tablespoon cumin powder
4. 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
5. 1 teaspoon paprika powder
6. 1 teaspoon garlic powder
7. 1 teaspoon onion powder
8. Salt
9. Pepper
10. 1 teaspoon olive oil

Instructions

1. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients
2. Season with salt and pepper
3. On a metal skewer carefully shape the mixture into kebabs
4. Heat the grill and place the skewers on the hot grill
5. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes and then flip to the other side
6. Cook until the chicken is done(keep flipping the kebabs so that it cooks evenly on both sides)

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9. Tandoori Chicken

Chicken is marinated with yoghurt, lemon juice, herbs and a complex mix of spices for 12 hours and cooked in the oven to make delicious juicy red pieces.

Ingredients

1. 10 chicken drumsticks
2. 4 tablespoons plain yogurt
3. 2 tablespoons onion paste
4. 3 tablespoons tandoori powder
5. 1 tablespoon garlic paste
6. 1/2 tablespoon ginger paste
7. 1/4 tablespoon chili paste
8. 2 tablespoons lemon juice
9. 1 tablespoon oil
10. 3-4 lemon slices
11. 1 tablespoon onion slices
12. 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves
13. Salt
14. Pepper

Instructions

1. Wash and pat dry the chicken drumsticks
2. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients and marinate overnight in the refrigerator
3. Preheat oven to 350⁰F (180⁰C)
4. Cook in oven for about 20-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked
5. Garnish with sliced lemon, onions and chopped coriander leaves

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10. Sauteed Chicken Liver

Rich in iron, chicken liver is marinated with salt, pepper, ginger and garlic before being cooked with onions, chilli and soy sauce.

Ingredients

1. 400g chicken liver
2. 3 onions, sliced
3. 4 green chilies, sliced lengthwise
4. 1 tablespoon ginger paste
5. 1 tablespoon garlic paste
6. 2 tablespoon spring onions, chopped
7. Salt
8. Pepper
9. 3 tablespoon oil
10. 3 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions

1. Wash the chicken liver and pat dry with a paper towel
2. Season the chicken liver with salt, pepper, ginger and garlic paste and marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator
3. In a large skillet heat 3 tablespoon oil
4. Add the marinated chicken liver and cook for around 10 minutes or until the liver is done
5. Add the sliced onions and chilies
6. Season with salt and pepper and soy sauce
7. Turn off the heat and garnish with spring onions

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11. Sauteed Chicken

Small chicken pieces are cooked with bok choy leaves, onions, garlic and soy sauce to make a simple dish that makes a delicious sandwich filler.

Ingredients

• 6 chicken legs, cut into pieces
• 1 large onion
• 2 gloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 green chili, sliced lengthwise
• 150 grams bok choy, roughly chopped
• 2 medium onions, roughly sliced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

1. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoon oil
2. Add the chicken pieces, cook until chicken is 3/4 done
3. Add the bok choy, onions, soy sauce and mix well
4. Add the onions and chopped garlic at the last stage and season with salt and pepper