East Africa
Seychelles
Creole curries, breadfruit and reef fish grilled over coconut husk.
Staples
- Diri (white long-grain rice)
- Friyapen (breadfruit, boiled, fried, or roasted)
- Mayok (cassava tubers)
- Zourit (fresh local octopus)
- Kordonnyen (shoemaker spinefoot and reef fish)
Seasonings
- Piman kabri (fiery habanero chili paste)
- Fey karipole (fresh curry tree leaves)
- Safran seselwa (fresh native ground turmeric)
- Lwil koko (raw artisanal coconut oil)
- Massalé seselwa (Creole roasted ground spice blend)
Techniques
- Grilling whole fish over dried coconut husks
- Simmering curries gently in fresh coconut milk
- Pounding satini condiments with lime and chili
- Slow-cooking sweet or savoury ladob with vanilla
At the table
Seychellois meals are anchored by home matriarchs serving wide enamel plates heaped with jasmine rice, a fresh grilled fish smothered in chili-garlic paste, and a cold satini of grated green papaya. While households on the main island of Mahé consume diverse fresh pelagic fish from the Victoria market, outer granitic islands like La Digue lean more heavily on traditional salted fish (pwason sale) and backyard-grown breadfruit.
20 recipes across 7 courses
Ask AI for moreBreakfast
Maniok Bouyi (Boiled Cassava with Salt Fish)
Tender chunks of starchy cassava paired with flaky, savory salted fish simmered in fragrant Creole onion, garlic, and chili oil.
Pwason Sale Fri (Fried Salted Fish with Onion and Tomato Rougay)
Salted fish crisped in coconut oil and smothered in a rich, tangy Creole tomato, ginger, and garlic rougay sauce.
Soup
Main
Bred Mouroum avek Pwason Sale (Moringa Leaf Broth with Salted Fish)
A restorative Seychellois broth brimming with tender moringa greens, steeped ginger, garlic, and savory flakes of desalted kingfish.
Kari Koko Kourpa (Sea Snail Coconut Curry)
Tender reef snails simmered in fragrant coconut milk with freshly ground Seychellois masala, cinnamon leaf, and crushed green papaya.
Kari Koko Poisson (Seychellois Coconut Fish Curry)
Tender red snapper simmered in fragrant coconut milk infused with fresh curry leaves, turmeric, and vibrant Seychellois masala.
Kari Poul (Creole Chicken and Potato Curry)
A deeply fragrant Seychellois chicken curry enriched with roasted spices, vibrant turmeric, fresh curry leaves, and tender potatoes.
Kari Sousout (Chayote Squash Curry)
Tender chayote squash braised in a mild, golden turmeric and coriander gravy with aromatics, fresh curry leaves, and creamy coconut milk.
Kari Zourit (Octopus Coconut Curry)
Tender octopus simmered in fragrant Creole spices, fresh coconut milk, and crushed papaya leaves for a luxurious island curry.
Kat-Kat Banann (Green Plantain and Salted Fish Mash)
An iconic Seychellois rustic mash of savory green plantains, rich coconut milk, and flaky salt fish stewed to velvety perfection.
Pwason Griye (Grilled Whole Fish with Chili and Garlic)
Succulent whole coral fish scored and stuffed with crushed chilies, garlic, ginger, and calamansi, charred over open flames.
Side
Piman Kraze (Crushed Red Chili Paste with Calamondin Lime)
Fierce and fragrant Seychellois chili condiment of stone-crushed bird's eye chilies, garlic, ginger, and aromatic bigarade lime.
Salad Palmis (Millionaire's Palm Heart Salad)
Crisp fresh palm heart shaved paper-thin and tossed in a zesty, mustard-laced Creole vinaigrette with sweet shallots and aromatic herbs.
Salad Zourit (Octopus and Onion Salad with Lime)
Tender braised reef octopus tossed with piquant lime juice, crisp shallots, and spicy piment cabri for a bright seaside Creole salad.
Satini Reken (Shark Chutney with Bilimbi)
Tangy, spiced boiled shark meat shredded and sautéed with sour bilimbi, crushed chilies, turmeric, and fried shallots.
Dessert
Ladob Banann (Sweet Plantain in Coconut Milk and Vanilla)
Ripe plantains gently poached in fragrant spiced coconut milk infused with whole vanilla beans, nutmeg, and cane sugar.
Nougat Koko (Caramelized Coconut Nougat)
Traditional Seychellois confectionery made of freshly grated coconut slowly caramelized with raw cane sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg.
Drink
Baka (Fermented Sugarcane and Fruit Beer)
A lively, effervescent Seychellois homebrew blending freshly pressed sugarcane juice, bitter citrus, and bananas into a tart, rustic nectar.
Kalou (Fermented Coconut Palm Toddy)
A historic naturally sparkling Seychellois palm wine tapped from coconut inflorescence, delivering an earthy, sour-sweet, effervescent kick.
