The Seychellois kitchen is highly influenced by the multi-cultural population which has crossed the archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Their traditions and tastes can be found in all the currys, stews and dishes.
The typical Seychellois Sunday rest is the traditional picnic where we cook, we take everything to the beach and there we eat, drink a little, swim often accompanied with some sega music and dancing on the beach. For the picnic we prepare vegetable salads, curries, stews and other dishes in sauce, some of which have been simmering since the previous day. Not to forget the grills. There is no such beach picnic without the kreol BBQ set up under a coconut tree with fresh fish, chops, ribs and chicken thighs.
The Creole cuisine is sometimes spicy, sometimes gentle but always full of fresh local produce from the bountiful nature like fruits, vegetables, roots, spices, fish and meat. Seychelles is world-wide known for their wonderful landscapes and endless summers where the Seychellois cuisine carries all the warmth and joy of the islands within it.
For 4 persons
Freeze the octopus the day before, defrosting it 3 hours beforehand will soften the flesh. Cut into pieces (3 cm). Boil the octopus for 45 minutes over a low heat in a saucepan with 1 quarter of water. Discard the water and reserve the octopus. Wash the aubergines without peeling them and cut into cubes. Grate the ginger. Heat the oil in the casserole over a high heat. Pour in the curry powder and fry for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the curry leaves and ginger, then the aubergine and octopus.
Pour in the coconut milk and cook over a low heat, stirring regularly, without covering, for 30 minutes. Halfway through cooking, add the hermit cinnamon leaf and crushed garlic. Depending on the consistency of the sauce, add a little water during cooking. At the end of cooking, season with salt and pepper, add the vinegar or bilenbi, stir and taste the seasoning. Serve with basmati rice and a chutney of green papaya.
