Try a taste of Mauritius this Pancake Tuesday

Pancake Tuesday is only a day away, and with the clock ticking for us to pick up all of the essential ingredients, there are many international versions that are worth trying. Whether it be a simple pancake mix from the bottle, or a mix made from scratch; everyone makes their pancakes in a unique way within their families. 

In Ireland and Commonwealth countries, Pancake Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday as it is officially known, is a day in February or March which precedes the religious day of Ash Wednesday which is the first day of Lent in the Christian calendar. During Shrove Tuesday, people consume pancakes in an attempt to use all unnecessary ingredients ahead of Lent, where each person is expected to give up an indulgence until Easter. 

In other countries, there are carnival celebrations such as Mardi Gras which is commonly known as the last day of “fat eating” or “gorging”. Although it is evident that there are different traditions in other countries during this time of the year, there are also different recipes available. In Ireland, we rarely steer away from the usual pancake recipe with lemon and sugar or chocolate sauce. As Ireland is an ever-diversifying nation, there is way more availability for international cuisines and ingredients within our supermarkets. 

Although we could list numerous different recipes that are worthy of tasting this Pancake Tuesday, this unique recipe from Mauritius is one which is sure to tantalize the taste buds and offer you a new experience worthy of wanting to try a new cuisine every year!

The recipe is as follows:

Pancake batter:

• 150g flour 
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 egg
• Splash of vanilla extract
• 1 quarter litre of milk
• Half tablespoon of yeast
• Tablespoon of oil

Topping:

• 100g of dried fresh coconut
• 2 tablespoon of milk powder 
• 3 tablespoon of sugar
• Selection of fresh fruit

And there you have it! Something quick and different to try this Pancake Tuesday. The flavour of the fresh coconut brings a different type of sweetness which is something everyone looks forward to on Pancake Tuesday. 

Interestingly, Mauritian chef now living in Ireland, Christophe Martin explains that there are so many more options for pancakes more commonly consumed in his home country. However, he explains that Mauritius, in particular, is known for its diverse cultures, especially when it comes to cuisine. When asked what dish or ingredient would be count as being a signature of Mauritius, he stated that “the dishes we eat are a representation of the diverse cultures and religions which have entered our nation, like Chinese style cooking, Indian spices and Muslim/Middle Eastern flavours”. 

When asked which cuisine he likes to cook with, he chose Chinese cooking as he loves “the mix of flavours and the change between the sweet and salty within cooking Chinese dishes”. In that regard, he himself enjoys the sweet and salty aspect that can be achieved with a pancake and its accompanying ingredients. His choice for Pancake Tuesday would be the more American style pancakes which come with bacon and maple syrup. I think the below image shows us why..