What to Eat in Mauritius: Typical Mauritian Food and Specialties | Page 5 of 5
Sagoo au Lait: A Mauritian Milk Dessert of Tapioca Pearls
Sagoo au lait is a sweet Mauritian dessert of tiny starch pearls cooked in milk or coconut milk with sugar and vanilla, thick as a loose pudding. The name points to sago from a palm, but what usually bubbles in the pot is cassava tapioca. It reached the island through Tamil, Chinese and French cooking, and supermarkets sell it as a drink in a bottle.
Achard: Mauritian Pickled Vegetables and Fruit
Achard is chopped vegetables or fruit steeped in oil with turmeric, mustard seed, garlic, and chili - the side dish without which no curry or dholl puri is served in Mauritius. The word is Persian, the dish is shared across the Indian Ocean, and mustard and fenugreek are what make the Mauritian version. Five versions straight out of the jar, with prices, from lemon to bitter gourd.
What to Bring Back from Mauritius?
Mauritius blends Indian, Chinese, African and French influences on its plates, and the local food souvenirs are every bit as varied. I came home with a Saint Aubin rum tasting set, a spice mix to flavor it, beans from the Dodo Café roastery and Bois Chéri vanilla tea. Salted banana chips and fiery ginger candies brightened up the long flight home.