In the first days in the Seychelles, one’s head spins from the abundance of fish, seafood, coconuts, mangoes, and other fruits. It seems like the perfect menu. Moreover, everyone claims that locals eat rice and fish in various combinations and that the Seychelles can’t surprise you with anything gastronomically unique. But this is not entirely true. The food here is quite unusual.
The cuisine on the Seychelles Islands is truly distinctive and interesting. The food and drinks are notable for their exotic notes of national cuisine. We have selected the top 10 dishes of the Seychelles that we recommend trying during your vacation.
1. Zourit
This dish is also known as kari koko zourit, and its main ingredient is octopus tentacles. The tentacles are sliced and then cooked slowly in rich coconut milk. It is then seasoned with a mixture of local herbs and spices, including garlic, cinnamon, fresh ginger, saffron, turmeric, chili pepper, and, of course, curry powder. The dish is usually served with fluffy basmati rice and chili sauce. Properly cooked octopus is spicy and flavorful, but the spices do not overpower the natural taste of the product.
2. Breadfruit Fish Balls
This snack looks like cheese balls in breadcrumbs, fried in oil. In reality, Boulet Pwason ek Friyapen consists of breadfruit pulp, fish, greens, and spices. The starchy pulp is mashed and mixed with the other ingredients. The mixture is then formed into balls and fried. The finished dish is served as a standalone snack or with rice as a side dish.
3. Ladob (Banana in Coconut Milk)
About 15 varieties of edible bananas grow on the islands. All of them are prepared in many ways: frying, boiling, stewing, drying, adding raw to dishes, and turning into puree. One of the most popular ways is making the banana dessert ladob. Bananas are cut and mixed with coconut milk and sugar, then cooked over high heat. The bananas should not turn into a completely homogeneous mass. The dessert, when served, has two parts: the bananas themselves and the sweet sauce. Sometimes raw fruits are added for decoration.
4. Kari Bonito (Bonito Curry)
This fiery mixture of curry powder, curry leaves, and turmeric often includes peppercorns and cardamom, in which large pieces of mackerel are stewed. Sometimes mackerel is replaced with an assortment of several fish. However, it is mackerel that gives the dish its characteristic smell and taste. This fish dish is served with boiled rice.
5. Chutney
Chutney, or Chatini Requin, is a puree made from shark meat mixed with fried onions, lime juice, bilimbi fruits, and various spices, including turmeric. The puree is made from boiled meat. Shark chutney is usually a cold dish, complemented by sliced green papaya. There are serving options with rice and lentils. Seychelles chutney is quite salty and has a typical fishy taste. It is often available for takeaway in Creole restaurants.
6. Grilled Fish
Grilled fish is a dish every tourist in the Seychelles will try without our advice. Among the many types of fish prepared on the islands, we want to highlight the bourgeois fish, sea bass, and red snapper. Remember that every dish here is drenched in spices, so if you want to enjoy the pure taste of fish, inform the chef in advance. Otherwise, various peppers, curry, and garlic will end up in your dish.
7. Kat-Kat Banana
Kat-Kat Banana is a traditional Seychellois dish that includes green bananas and fish, all cooked in coconut milk. Usually, the bananas are first boiled in fresh coconut milk, then mashed into a puree and mixed with already cooked minced fish fillet. Karange or amberjack is also added. This banana-fish mixture is generously seasoned with ginger and garlic.
8. Green Bouillon
Bouillon brede is the most popular first course in the Seychelles. It is made from greens, similar to how we make green borscht or spinach soup. Locals call the greens brèdes, from which the dish gets its name. What is added to brèdes: bok choy, moringa leaves, ket choy, Chinese lettuce, and lettuce. The greens are chopped and boiled in broth with fried onions, ginger, garlic, and spices. Sometimes chicken or fish broth is added.
9. Octopus and Smoked Fish Salad
Salad Zourit Pwason Fimen is light, smoky, and has a fantastic crunchy texture. It consists of various salad leaves and fresh vegetables. Fruit slices or pieces of lime may also be added. The main ingredients, of course, are grilled octopus tentacles and cold smoked fish. The salad is on the menu of most hotels.
10. Palm Wine
The traditional alcoholic drink on the islands is called kalou. Essentially, it is palm wine. The raw material for it is a blend of juices from various palms. The juice is extracted similarly to how we obtain birch sap. Therefore, some palms may have bottles hanging to collect the juice. Most often, coconut and date palms are used. The wine is made very quickly. Fermentation starts immediately after collecting the juice. The process is initiated by wild yeast from the air or by residual yeast in the bottle. After a few hours, a light aromatic wine with a strength of up to 4% is produced.
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