The chilli cake or gato piman is a traditional Seychellois snack made with red split lentils, chilli and spices. It is deliciously spicy and ideal for beach picnics or as accompaniment to a cold beer.
In the Seychelles, we have traditionally used red split lentils, or lantiy rouz, to make our chilli cakes. The name split lentils originates from the fact that seed coat of the lentils have been removed and the inner part of the lentils, known as the cotyledon ( this takes me back to my biology class!) have been split in half. If you do not have access to red split lentils you can use yellow split lentils as a substitute. In fact, in Mauritius they prefer the yellow split lentils to the red split lentils.
The origin to the chilli cakes is unknown. Most of us assume that that they must have been an Indian contribution to our Creole cuisine, but , the fact that they are similar in look and texture to the falafel, may point to a middle Eastern origin. Falafel is a Middle Eastern appetizer made using chickpeas or fava beans, which are processed and flavoured with herbs and spices, then rolled into balls and fried until crisp and golden.
As a young Praslinois, I grew up buying my gato piman, after school, wrapped in newspaper, at Velu and Deven , two Indian shops in the village of Grande Anse Praslin. The flavour is engraved in my mind and, despite the fact that I have tried so many times, I have unfortunately not been able to reproduce it. I am either not getting the ratio of spices correct or missing out one of the ingredients. I will never know!
In Seychelles, chilli cakes are only consumed as a snack. In some other countries they are accompanied with chilli sauce for that extra bite, or inserted in bread to be made in a type of sandwich or even made into a salad with tomatoes, onions, herbs and spices.
Why the name Chilli Cakes?
I guess we call it chilli cakes because chilli is one of its main ingredients. The bird’s eye chilli , or piman martin, is the preferred chilli . The goat chilli or piman kabri, may also be used but it is a very hot chilli and the strong flavour tends to overpower the other spices. However, the spice level can be adjusted to suit your own taste. If you love your spice, feel free to add as may chillies as you want, but if you prefer to not add any at all, it will still taste just as yummy, but it will not be chilli cakes!
Storage of lentils
All the lentils used in Seychelles are dried although canned ones are now available. Store lentils in a sealed package or airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place. Dried red split lentils are one of our a staple food and this is due in large part to its indefinite shelf-life and high nutrition value.
It is suggest that, for the best flavour and presentation, you use dried lentils within one year. Over time, the stored colour may fade a little, but the flavor will not noticeably deteriorate. Discard any lentils that are exposed to dampness or insect activity.
Cooked lentils may be refrigerated up to one week in a sealed container. Cooked lentils may also be frozen up to six months. The chilli cakes can also be frozen for a few weeks. When you are ready to use them , all you have to do is to defrost them in your microwave for 30 seconds and them put them in a hot oven for about 10 minutes. They will end up being as crispy as the day they were made!
The Preparation
Before cooking, rinse lentils in cold water, in order to remove debris or shrivelled lentils and then drain. Soak for about 4-6 hours. I tend not to soak them overnight as the lentils may absorb too much water resulting in a very moist mix. When you are ready to start your dish, place the lentils in a colander or a sieve and wash under running water and leave to drain for about 30 minutes.
Once your lentils are drained of excess water, place in a mortar and pound into a thick coarse paste. This was the traditional way of making the paste. Alternatively, use the modern method which is to blitz it coarsely a few times in a food processor. Your paste should not be too fine, you need some crunchy bits! If required, you may have to add 1 tablespoon of water to loosen the paste. Avoid adding too much water because the lentils have already absorbed a lot of water and you may end up with a very loose paste.
Once the paste is done, transfer it into a large mixing bowl and add in the other ingredients, except the flour, and thoroughly mix. Once all ingredients are thoroughly mixed, add a tablespoonful of flour at at time until you have a thick and loose paste that is still a bit moist. Roll mixture in rough small balls of about 3 cm diameter in the palm of your hands and set aside until ready to fry. The flour is required in this recipe because it acts as a binding agent or else you will have difficulty keeping the balls in shape.
Heat enough oil in a large frying pan and fry the small balls for about 4 minutes until golden brown. Space them out a little so they do not stick together. Drop as many as the frying pan can accommodate in a batch. Ensure the oil is not too hot because, of its thick consistency, the outside the cakes may cook faster than the inside.
When one side of the cakes is done and nicely fried, carefully turn over the cakes to cook the other side. Once the cakes turn a uniform golden brown, take them out and carefully place them on a kitchen towel, to soak out the excess oil. They should be golden and crunchy on the outside and soft, fluffy and moist on the inside. The cakes are best served and eaten when fresh and warm but are as good when consumed at room temperature.
The variations
There are many variations to this dish. At the end of the day it boils down to what you have in your kitchen and garden.
If you wish to have crispier chilli cakes, add 1 tsp of rice flour into the mixture.
If you prefer softer and fluffier chilli cakes, add ½ tsp of baking powder to the mixture. The reason why I don’t use baking powder is because I like my chilli cakes more “meaty”!
If you prefer your chilli cakes to be extra spicy dry roast the following spices and add to the mixture before frying: ½ tsp fennel seeds and 1 tsp coriander seeds. Once nicely roasted, coarse pound them in a mortar and pestle.
Make it tropical by adding ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder to the mix.
You can also eat your chilli cakes in a curry or even in bread as a type of sandwich.
Here is the recipe for Chilli Cakes- Gato Piman
The chilli cake or gato piman is a traditional Seychellois snack made with red split lentils, chilli and spices. It is deliciously spicy and ideal for beach picnics or as accompaniment to a cold beer.
- 375 g red split lentils ( note 1)
- 3 chillies, finely chopped ( note 2)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cracked pepper
- 1 bunch coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 tsp ginger, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 tsp cumin seeds
- 10 curry leaves , chopped
- 5 tbsp plain flour ( note 3)
- ¼ tsp cinnamon powder (optional)
- oil for deep frying
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Wash lentils and soak for about 4-6 hours . The lentils should now weigh approximately 640g.
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Place in a colander or a sieve and wash under running water.
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Let drain for about 30 minutes.
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Place in a mortar and pound into a rough thick paste. This was the traditional way of making the paste. Alternatively, use the modern method which is to pulse the lentils coarsely a few times in a food processor. Your paste should not be too fine. If required, you may have to add one tablespoon of water to loosen the paste. Avoid adding too much water because the lentils have already absorbed a lot of water and you may end up with a very loose paste. (note 3).
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Transfer the paste into a big mixing bowl
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Add in the other ingredients, except the flour, and thoroughly mix.
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Add a tablespoonful of flour at a time until you have a thick paste that is still a bit moist. Roll mixture in rough small balls of about 3 cm diameter and set aside until ready to fry.
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Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the small balls for about 4 minutes until golden brown. Space them out a little so they do not stick together. Drop as many as the frying pan can accommodate in a batch. Ensure the oil is not too hot because, of its thick consistency, the outside the cakes may cook faster than the inside.
-
When one side is done and nicely fried, carefully turn over the cakes to cook the other side.
-
Once the cakes turn a uniform golden brown, take them out and carefully place them on a kitchen towel, to soak out the excess oil. They should be golden and crunchy on the outside and soft, fluffy and moist on the inside.
-
The cakes are best served and eaten when fresh and warm but are as good when consumed at room temperature.
1 -Instead of red lentils you may also try yellow split lentils, the flavour and texture of which will be slightly different but will taste as good.
2-The bird’s eye chilli , or piman Martin, is the preferred chilli . The goat chilli or piman kabri, may also be used but it is a very hot chilli and the strong flavour tends to overpower the other spices. You can adjust the chilli level to suit your own taste.
3- The recipe requires 5 tablespoons of plain flour. Please note that some lentils will absorb more water than others when soaked. Do not add all the flour in one go. Do it gradually. You may need slightly less or even more. At the end, all you require is a moist mixture that is not too dry.
Before the advent of food processor the traditional Seychellois cook would parboil the lentils and place it in a mortar and roughly pound it to make the paste.
The chilli cakes can also be frozen for a few weeks. When you are ready to use them , all you have to do is to defrost them in your microwave for 30 seconds and them put them in a hot oven for about 10 minutes. They will end up being as crispy as the day they were made!
The variations
Why not try and flatten your cakes. Do they have to be round? Chilli cakes can also be made into shapes of small flat patties. In fact, in Sri Lanka, for example, you can buy them in a biscuit shape. In this case they will be crispier because they are thinner.
You may also decide to add ½ teaspoon of turmeric to give the cakes that extra spicy dimension and yellow tinge.
If you wish to have crispier chilli cakes, add 1 tsp of rice flour into the mixture.
If you prefer softer and fluffier chilli cakes, add ½ tsp of baking powder to the mixture.The reason why I don’t use baking powder is because I like my chilli cakes more “meaty”!
If you prefer your chilli cakes to be extra spicy dry roast the following spices and add to the mixture before frying: ½ tsp fennel seeds and 1 tsp coriander seeds. Once nicely roasted, coarse pound them in a mortar and pestle.
Make it tropical by adding ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder to the mix.
You can also eat your chilli cakes in a curry or even in bread as a type of sandwich.
Did you make this recipe?
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