Methods of Cooking and Culinary Terminology

Metod ek Terminolozy Kiliner

By virtue of its mottled influences, it is no surprise that the Seychellois cooking methods are so varied. Interestingly, the terminologies are derived principally from the French language, our prime culinary influence and inheritance. However it is adapted to the ‘terroir’ – for example dairy cream is replaced by coconut cream and wine or other alcohol might be substituted by toddy. Some of the lexicon has been adapted to our island life and invented to suit the ingredients and products, such as ‘kay’ and ‘satini’.

As with the equipment and utensils, I have classified the method of cookery and cooking terminology under their Creole name followed by their English explanation.

Akomode
This is the action of seasoning a dish. It is usually done towards the end of the cooking process to balance out the flavours and salt to taste.

Asar
Asar is pickled vegetables, of Indian origin, that can range in spiciness and is a popular dish on the islands . It is used as a condiment on dishes, particularly those that are served with rice, especially curries and grilled fish. The vegetables used in the pickle are usually only blanched and not fully cooked as they need to retain their crunchiness. Asar is usually preserved in a jar and kept in a fridge and used whenever required.

Asi
This method is derived from the French term hachis which is a culinary word used for meat or fish recipes where the flesh is chopped finely.

Boukannen
This method of cooking which originated from the pirate days in the 18th century. The pirates were regular visitors to the Seychelles Islands, which were along the route of their forays. Our remote islands were the perfect haunts for them to hide their booty, replenish their food stock and repair their ships.

The ‘boukannen’ grilling method was initially used to smoke strips of meat over cool embers in order to preserve it during their sea voyages. It originated from the French word boucaniers or boucan meaning wooden grill used for smoking. The word originated from the Caribbean and is closely linked to the word buccaneer.

In fact, it is alleged that when Christopher Columbus and the Spanish arrived in the Caribbean around 1492, on a mission to find spices in the Far East, they encountered the Amerindian Caribs whose diet was based on fish, exotic meats like turtle, iguana, guinea pig and alligator and local produce like cassava, pineapples and cashews. The newcomers were intrigued by a food preservation method in which they cooked the food on abrabacot (a wooden framework over a pit of coals). The Spanish adopted the technique and named it barbacoa, where the words barbecue, then boukan come from.

This method of grilling has been adapted in Seychellois cuisine and applied more to fish dishes. It was initially used by the islanders to preserve their fish for a few days, as there was no means of refrigeration. This has now been extended to smoke-grill fish to be cooked the next day or to consume straight away. The fish of choice is usually mackerels. They are skewered from head to tail and placed five or six in a row in a piece of the mid-rib of the coconut frond, slit into two and tied at both ends and known as a boukan. Usually a part of the green mid rib of the coconut leaf is used because the moisture in the rib prevents it from burning. The smoke is obtained from the use of coconut husks and charcoal. The fish which is usually well seasoned with spices and chilli, oiled and brushed with lime juice is laid approximately one third of a meter over the smoking embers. If the fish is to be used the next day it is not fully cooked, but only hot smoked.

Boulet
Literally meaning small balls and usually made from fish that is seasoned with chilli and onion added for the extra zest. Eggs and a bit of flour may be added to bind the flesh, which is then rolled into small balls. Boulet is in most cases shallow or deep-fried

Bouyon
This word is derived from the French term ‘court-bouillon’, which, in its strictest culinary sense, is merely a poaching liquid with herbs and spices that contains a tinge of lemon or lime juice. It is used primarily to poach fish. In the Seychellois cuisine, the bouyon is more than just a poaching liquid. It is more of a bouillabaisse; a dish made primarily with fried or fresh fish. We have two types of bouyons – the bouyon blan and the bouyon bred. The bouyon blan is made from fresh fish flavoured with herbs, green or ripe tomatoes, garlic, ginger and the tarty flavour is obtained from bilenmbi also known as tree cucumber. This fishy broth is usually made with fresh Red Snapper head and eaten with boiled rice and chilli.
Another method, the ordinary bouyon is made from chunks of fried fish, spices and condiments plus chopped up local spinach or bred.

A plain bouyon bred is made simply from local spinach or bred baton blan or Chinese cabbage. The bouyon in all its forms is probably the most popular dish among the Seychellois and is consumed almost daily as it is a rich and consistent broth.

Farsi
This is the stuffing that is used in fish, meat and vegetable dishes. The stuffing ingredients are usually sausage meat, livers, breadcrumbs, herbs and spices. The Seychellois stuffing would have an exotic touch, as spices such as cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns would be added to the mix.

Frir
Frying was one of the ways to preserve fish for future use as well as a method of cooking. The fish is usually cubed, seasoned and fried. If it was to be used as a method of preservation the fish is fried longer than if it is going to be used straight away where the inside will still be soft. Fried fish was usually kept is a jar and will keep for up to five days or more. Now all we do is wrap in cling film and place in a fridge.

Frikase
Unlike the French method of cookery, which means a white stew, the Seychellois frikase is a term used when meat or fish is first fried and then cooked with pumpkin or other vegetables and gourds such as kalbas or pousinika. The dish is always flavoured with ginger and garlic and takes the colour of the vegetables used, for example, if cooked with your pumpkin, it will be the colour of the pumpkin.

Griye
There are several ‘grilling’ methods in the Seychellois cuisine, depending on the ingredients and the desired effect. Griye applies to either meat or fish but in Seychellois cooking it is fish that is mostly enjoyed grilled.The main grilling methods are:

Dan pwalon
This is when the grilling in done in the pan and in most cases the pan is covered, hence a very moist grilling which produces a succulent texture. The meat or fish is seasoned and then seared in hot oil with condiments and spices added to the mix.

Lo labrez
Contrary to the moist grilling, this style of grilling is done over charcoal embers and can result in a very dry dish if one is not careful. This is why it is important to frequently baste the dish with oil during the cooking process. Contrary to what many people would do, you don’t really want to grill over an open flame. The heat is not consistent and there’s a higher chance of burning the outside of your food before the inside is cooked thoroughly. You want the glowing embers, not the flames.

If using fire wood to perform the grilling, the goal is to get the firewood to burn down into white hot coals. The coals provide a heat as hot as or even hotter than the fire, but one that is much more even and consistent. To isolate the coals, move the larger pieces of wood aside and use a long handled spoon or shovel to rake the coals where you want them. You can keep adding more kindling to the main fire as it dies down.

Kanz
The kanz or congee is a term used for rice that has been cooked in extra water. It is very similar to the Chinese congee rice, which is soft, moist and almost gooey. To add extra flavour to this dish, one would add a dash of oil leftover from fish frying. Kanz is usually eaten with a rich fish bouyon, fried fish or as is.

Kari
This is the creole term for curry. The curry is also another very popular way to cook fish, meat and vegetables. Introduced to the Seychelles by the Indians, the dish is eaten at least two to three times a week with fresh boiled rice. The Seychellois curry tends to be rather hot and very fragrant with a twist of spices.

Kari Koko
This is a curry flavoured with thick coconut milk or cream. Kari Koko is a very popular way to cook fresh Karang or Trevally and other dark fleshed fish. In most cases cinnamon leaves are added in order to give it that special fragrance. This method of cooking is used mainly for fish (both fresh and salted) and seafood but the Seychellois have also adapted it to chicken, especially the locally bred variety. More recently, a new ingredient has been given the kari koko treatment – the lapo latet reken or salted shark head skin!

Katkat

This is a dish that is prepared with unripened cooking bananas or plantain. There are two types of Katkat. The katkat dou and katkat sale. The katlat dou is made with coconut milk, sugar and cinnamon powder and eaten as a dessert. The katkat sale is the salted version and could be a meal in itself. It is made with coconut milk, fish, salt and seasoning.

We may have inherited the term from either one of the two sources discussed below:

Firstly the term may be of Hindu origin which means ‘cut-cut’ as the banana in the katkat is usually roughly mashed or may even originate from Karachi, where a special meat dish called kata-kat made from offal is very popular.

Secondly the term may have derived from ‘Katikaty’ or ‘katikate’, introduced to us by the Malagasy slaves who were brought to the Seychelles from the Tanala region located in the south-east of Madagascar. ‘Katikaty’ is dish that is made with sliced cassava topped with beef and beans served with rice.

Kay
This cooking method may have been derived from the Chinese word kuie which means turtle!

One of the most exotic ways to cook a turtle is the intricate preparation of a kay. This delicacy is unfortunately off the menu as Seychelles has a staunch law protecting turtles. See the section on turtle to learn more about the Kay.

The dish was enjoyed with boiled rice and a palm heart salad, which were mixed with the cooked meat in the shell and served straight from the shell. The mixture was usually eaten with the fingers.

Ladob
This cooking method could have derived from the French word daube which is a classic Provençal stew made with inexpensive beef braised in wine, vegetables, garlic, and herbs and traditionally cooked in a daubière, a braising pan. Or, could it also have derived from the Malagasy word ‘dauba-dauba’?

In Seychelles this method of cookery has a different meaning when it applies to fish and meat to when it applies to desserts.

The meat or fish ladob is like a stew to which fried potatoes and at times small green peas have been added. The fish and the meat may also have been fried or pot-roasted, cooked in a thick broth.

A ladob banann, for example, is a dessert dish that has been cooked over moderate heat with coconut milk, nutmeg, vanilla and sugar. When the dish is cooked the coconut milk turns into a creamy consistency.

Letoufe
In French, the word étouffée (borrowed into English as “stifled”) means, literally, “smothered” or “suffocated”, from the verb “étouffer“. It is a cooking method that is also used in both Cajun and Creole cuisines of Louisiana. The method involves cooking in a covered pan at low heat with minimal amount of liquid.

This method is primarily used to cook fish and is basically a steaming method. The fish is usually cut in cubes, seasoned with salt and black pepper then placed in a pot with a few drops of oil, a dash of water, two cinnamon leaves, a few bilimbi and a few cloves. It is covered with a heavy lid ( ie. stifled) left for about ten minutes on a slow fire and kept covered until needed, which is usually the next day. It is another way to preserve fish to be consumed later. This method of preserving fish has also extended our culinary techniques to prepare other dishes that have been “touféed”.

Mertri
Originating from the French word meurtrir meaning to bruise or macerate which is a procedure used in food preparation where raw, dried, or preserved fruits or vegetables are soaked in a usually salty and/or acidic, liquid before cooking. Macerating refers to the softening or breaking down of tough fibres in foods using a liquid. This process not only helps to make a particular food more flavourful, it also makes it easier to digest. This is especially helpful with raw onions that are to be used in salads as it also removed the pungency from the onion.

Rougay

Origin of the name

There are two possible sources for the rougay. The first source may be from the French words ‘roux d’ail’, which literally means a roux flavoured with garlic. A roux is a combination of butter or margarine and flour cooked together. It is a base for some thick sauces and there are of three types depending on the degree of cooking namely the white, blond and brown roux. In our case our rougay uses flour, garlic, ginger and ripe tomatoes locally known as ponmdamour (from the French pommes d’amour) as a base. It is a cooking method used mainly for seafood, salted fish; and local sausages that have been fried.

The second source may be from the Tamil word ‘ûrugaï’ or ‘ouroukaille’ which means a spicy stew and possibly imported to Seychelles from Mauritius where there is a large Tamil population.

Rougay, Rougail or Rougaille in the Indian Ocean

The rougay is a cookery term that is also widely used in the other Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius, Réunion, Madagascar and Rodrigues where it is known as ‘rougaille’ or ‘rougail’. This cooking method, however, is not consistent in every island.
Rougaille of Reunion Island

In Réunion Island, the ‘rougaille’ is an accompaniment which is equivalent to the satini of Seychelles and Mauritius. Thus, satini ponmdamour (tomato chutney) in Seychelles is equivalent to tomato rougay in Réunion and satini mang is equivalent to mango rougay, etc… They also have two different types of rougaille, namely the ‘rougaille pilon’ and ‘rougaille marmite’. Two cookery terms that do not exist in the Seychelles. ‘Rougaille pilon’ takes its name from the a pestle-and-mortar method used to make it. The chopped ingredients are seasoned and then roughly pounded in a mortar and pestle. It is uncooked and always has chilli as a major ingredient and is used as a condiment. The ‘rougaille marmite’ on the other hand is cooked, served as a main dish and may contain a variety of meat or fish.

Rougaille of Mauritius
- In Mauritius, they have the ‘rougaille simple’ or ‘rougaille touny’,which is purely vegetarian, as well as rougaille of seafood, tofu, eggs, vegetables and meat. The ‘rougaille simple’ is cooked and is closely related to our creole sauce. The rougaille in Mauritius may also contain coriander, curry leaves, cumin and other spices.
Rougail of Madagascar
- Madagascar also has its rougail Malgache. It is in fact closely related rougaille pilon of Réunion because it is not cooked and also used as an accompaniment. The ripe tomato is roughly chopped and not blended but simply mixed with oil, chopped onion, chilli, ginger, lime juice, salt and pepper. This rougail is locally known ‘lasatery Voatabia’ meaning tomato salad.
Rougay Selsewa
- Whereas in Seychelles, although you will encounter quite a few variations of spice combinations, the rougay is always served as a main dish and mainly limited to cooking with local sausages and salted kordonnyen and does not traditionally contain many spices except garlic, ginger and onion. Chilli is also optional, although most Seychellois will add some chilli to their rougay. Herbs like thyme and parsley are also added.

Sale
This is a term meaning “salted”, and applies to both fish and meats. Since the islands were so isolated in the early days, the need to preserve one’s fish and meat was of paramount importance. In the absence of refrigeration, salting one’s food for future use was an ideal method. This practice is still in existence although slowly fading away.

Fish salting is usually done when the fish is fresh. The fish is scaled, cleaned, incised, and salted. It is then left in the sun to dry and is picked up at night and stored in a sealed box. Fly screens are at times used to protect from flies and other insects, as flies would lay eggs on the fish thus contaminating it.

When the fish is dried there is no need to place it in the sun again but it should be kept in a dry spot away from household pests and pets. Sometimes salted fish is hanged over the hearth of the old style traditional kitchen to add a smoky flavour, especially when it rains continuously and the moisture may damage the fish. Sometimes the fish is consumed before it is fully dried and this is called salezon ver meaning green salting! Before consumption the fish should always be thoroughly washed and / or boiled to remove the extra saltiness. Fish that are usually salted are those that are seasonal and are in abundance when the season is right. Salted fish and meats have given rise to another dimension to our cookery, some of which we shall describe in detail.

Salted meat would be cured in a potis or earthenware pot, with salt, cracked pepper and sometimes spices such as cloves and cinnamon. Contrary to fish, the meat would always be kept in its moisture or marinade.

Satini
This is a chutney, which is usually made either from grated green fruits, vegetables or fish – mainly shark, salted fish and tuna that have been tossed in hot oil with a dash of lime, fresh chilli and chopped onion. Unlike the preserved Indian chutney, the Seychellois chutney is made fresh and consumed the same day. The fruit and vegetable chutney is used as an accompaniment for curries, grilled fish and bouyon whereas the fish chutney usually forms part of a main meal and is accompanied with boiled rice.