Welcome to Sundaram Spices Roche Carri

This blog is a tribute to the richness and beauty of the Mauritian cuisine passed over by our elders. This is dedicated to all those who are near or far from home and is an open platform to share recipes and anecdotes about our country, our sega and our multi-cultural nation. We will try to post a series of recipes on a regular basis. We highly encourage you to interact and help us by sharing tips, family recipes and other "bons plans." Feel free to browse our blog to know more about our passion for Mauritian multi-ethnic food and don't hesitate to share your comments and reviews.


Friday, August 5, 2011

The cure of homesickness

I love Halim.

The steaming hot bowl of spice and meat. The crunchy baguette dipped in the thick soup. The tangy taste of lemon juice and chili paste.

MOUTH-WATERING!!

I never thought I knew how to prepare Halim. The list of ingredients was unfamiliar and long. It was always somebody's specialty ; an aunt or a cousin and it seemed a really tough challenge to try to make a Halim as good as them. I always insist for my mom to make it when I visit or my aunt when I'm in France but being by myself in the US and having a sudden craving for home, I had to improvise. Thankfully, I brought back some
Epices pour Halim from my trip last month and so I logged on to sundaramspices.com to follow the recipe.



I actually customized the recipe with tips learned from my dad when my mom was making Halim. He told me to blend the roots of the coriander to give the soup a richer taste. I couldn't manage to find the roots but I used a lot of coriander leaves and that seemed to do the job. Now, I know that this is not the most traditional Halim recipe but it was really good and above all, very easy to prepare. I, for one, know that the next time I miss home, I can make my own steaming Halim and curl up in front of family photos.

Halim
(Serves 6)

You will need:
  • 20g Sundaram Epices pour Halim
  • 3 tsp Kashmiri Chili (optional)
  • 1.5 lbs Lamb
  • 1/2 Cup Barley (Du BlĂ© ConcassĂ©)
  • 5 tbsp of Oil
  • 125g Yellow Split Peas (Dholl)
  • 50g Red Lentils
  • 2 Big Onions, chopped.
  • 5 Garlic cloves
  • 2 tsp Ginger & Garlic paste
  • 2 bunches fresh coriander
  • Chopped Spring onion
  • 1 tomato
  • Salt to taste
  • Water
Steps:
  • Wash and soak the lentils, split peas and barley together with 4 cups of water for 2 hours.
  • Cut the lamb into medium-sized cubes then wash them thoroughly (I let them soak in water, lemon juice and 2 tsp of garlic paste for an hour so as to get rid of the odor of wild game. I have found that the lamb here is quite different than the one we get back home and soaking them in the acid juice takes out some of that smell. But this is optional).
  • Drain the pulses and put them to cook with enough water (the water should not fill more than 3/4 of the pressure cooker) and 2 tsp salt for 15-20 min.
  • In a blender, mix together 1 bunch of roughly chopped coriander, the tomato, 1 onion, 5 garlic cloves and keep aside.
  • Heat the oil. Stir in the rest of the chopped onion and ginger & garlic paste. Add the Sundaram Epices pour Halim, Kashmiri Chili and 3 tbsp of the blended mix and let cook for 5 minutes on high heat. Drain the meat and add to the pan. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and add the rest of the blended mix. Simmer until meat is tender (approx. 20-25 mins - depending on the meat). By this time, your kitchen should be filled with a heavenly smell.
  • Lastly, pour in the boiled pulses and taste. Add more salt if needed and let boil for another 10 minutes.
  • Sprinkle the Halim with chopped coriander and spring onions. Serve hot with sliced baguette, lemon juice and chili paste.
  • Close your eyes and picture yourself back in our paradise island.



Enjoy!!

Monday, April 11, 2011

Who said that careme* foods are boring?



This period (April 8 to 17) is a very special one for Tamil Mauritians as fasting for Cavadee has started. The Sittirai Cavadee is celebrated to honor the God Muruga. As I am not home to participate in the festivities, I wanted to contribute in my own way. This recipe is a delight for vegetarians and a change from the traditional vegetable curries. I adapted it from one of my favorite food blogger (B. Peltre) and made this with an original Mauritian twist.

Enjoy!!

A twist on Couscous and Vegetables
(4 big servings)
You will need:
  • About 1/3 cup dry couscous per person, so 1 + 1/3 cup for 4 people
  • 2 small zucchinis (courgettes)
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
  • 1 inch fresh ginger root
  • Olive oil
  • 1 Red Bell pepper
  • 1 carrot
  • Sliced olives
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly chopped
  • Water or Vegetable Stock
  • 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri Chili
Steps:
  • Preheat your oven at 300 F or 150 C.
  • Chop the red bell peppers.
  • Grate the ginger.
  • Mix the couscous with the ginger and the bell pepper.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Put the couscous in a large ramekin. Set aside.
  • Boil the water for the couscous (I usually add as much water as there is couscous) and keep it warm.
  • Wash the carrots and the zucchinis (courgettes) and slice them thinly. Season with chopped garlic, Garam Masala, Kashmiri Chili, salt and pepper.
  • Slice the red onion thinly.
  • Layer them on top of the couscous, upright and close together (zucchini, carrot, onion and repeat)
  • Add the thyme, parsley and sliced olives between the layers.
  • Pour a dash of olive oil.
  • Pour the hot water.
  • Place in the oven for about 1 hour 30 mins. Check to make sure it stays moist (add more water if necessary.)
This couscous can also be eaten as a side dish with non-vegetarian main courses. The secret of its success is to make sure that it stays moist so don't hesitate to add more water or olive oil.

Accompanied by a chatini pomme d'amour (tomato salsa) and a cucumber raita, it is simply delicious!!

Happy Cavadee to all devotees around the world!

careme* - fasting

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Tandoori Chicken is the bomb


Today was a beautiful sunny day. Summer is surely creeping up on us. Its funny how time runs by us so fast. In the blink of an eye, you find yourself being superwoman in 2011. It’s hard but when you get home after a long day (usually after fighting with a lot of other people), the only balm to your soul is a good homemade chicken tandoori. If this is the reward then… World bring it on!!
Tandoori Chicken

(2 servings)

You will need:
  • 20g Sundaram Epices pour Tandoori (Tandoori Spices)
  • 1 cup of Natural yogurt
  • Juice of 1 fresh lemon
  • 2 Tsp of Ginger and garlic paste
  • 4 Chicken thighs
  • Salt according to taste
Steps:
  • Prick the flesh of the chicken all over with a fork. Using a sharp knife, cut slashes in the chicken to allow the marinade to penetrate well. Place the chicken in a large, shallow dish.
  • To prepare the marinade: Mix the Sundaram Epices pour Tandoori (Tandoori spices), lemon juice, garlic and ginger paste and salt (according to taste) into a smooth paste with a little water. Add in the yogurt and mix well.
  • Smear this marinade all over the chicken and rub it into the slashes, turning the chicken over several times. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight (Do not marinate for longer than 2 days).
  • Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking. The chicken may be grilled or roasted. If using a charcoal grill, prepare a fire for direct-heat cooking.
  • Take the chicken from the bowl, pressing lightly to extract excess marinade, and brush with oil. Place the chicken pieces on a well-oiled grill rack and sear quickly (sealing in the juices) then grill until brown on both sides for about 45 minutes or until the juices run clear when a piece is pierced near the bone with a knife. Do not overcook or the chicken will dry out.
  • If you don't have a grill you can also bake the chicken. Preheat the oven to 450F or 200C. Place the chicken on a rack over a dish (to collect the juices and not end up with a greasy dirty oven like me), brush or spray with oil, and cook, turning once, 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked.

Serve with sprigs of cilantro, a hearty salad and a piece of baguette.

You can also use this recipe for barbecue as a substitute for pork chops or beef. It can be accompanied by any BBQ side dish (pasta, rice, potato salad) with relish.

Let your imagination run wild foodies!!