Sino-Mauritian Specialties

Today I am going to share with you some of the delicacies that can be found in our Chinatown. Did you know that some of our local cuisine are unique? Let me tell you why... Even though these recipes were brought by our ancestors from China when they came to Mauritius, over the years they have been adjusted and are now typical Chinese Mauritius food.

Niouk yen

Niouk yen, also known as "boulette chouchou" is a steamed dumpling. It is made from chayote or what we call "chouchou" in Mauritius, thus the name "boulette chouchou". The chayote will be mixed with some meat (pork or chicken) and dried shrimp to make the niiouk yen but it can also be made without meat. I believe most if not all Mauritans would have tasted it. If you haven’t, I would highly recommend you to try it; it can be found in most snacks and restaurants around Chinatown. 

Siu mai (燒賣)

Another popular delicacy is Siu mai, also known as Sao Mai in Mauritius. It is a Cantonese dumpling and is one of the must eat in dim sum. Its main ingredient is meat wrapped in dumpling skin. However, some Mauritians would use chayote to make siu mai which makes it unique and I have only seen this in Mauritius. People would often order niouk yen and siu mai for dim sum. These dumplings are usually accompanied with chilli sauce.

Sesame ball （煎堆）

Sesame ball, also called "Gato gingeli" is a fried Chinese pastry made of glutinous rice flour coated with sesame seeds. It is crispy on the outside but chewy inside and usually has a filling which is made from red bean. We can also find sesame balls filled with a peanut filing. Although we can now find Gato gingeli all year long, it used to be a delicacy made only during Chinese New Year. I remember that while I was in high school, we would always wake up early to make gato gingeli and to share them with our teachers and friends for Chinese New Year.

Spring rolls (春卷）

Spring roll is another cantonese dim sum delicacy; usually filled with vegetables and meat. It is wrapped in a thin dough wrapper and fried until golden yellow color. Spring rolls are considered as a lucky dish as it looks like gold bars (黄金万两). 

You tiao（油条）

Finally, You tiao are deep fried flour sticks. Mauritian hakka also call it Yiw tia cui, literally meaning oil fried devil. Why devil, I have no idea! It has been nicknamed as "gato les doigts" by Mauritians as it looks like fingers. Even though most Chinese people usually eat You tiao with porridge, nowadays we eat it as a snack. 

All so yummy! Now which one is your favorite? 

Written by JL