7 CURRY
A UNIQUE CULINARY EXPERIENCE
7 Curry or “7 cari” in creole, is an array of several vegetable preparations served on fresh plantain leaves along with hot rice. The Mauritian 7 cari originated from a journey of culinary traditions from Southern India with the arrival of Tamil immigrants on the island after the abolition of slavery in 1835.
The South Indian meal is an adaptation of Ayurvedic principles to food preparation and consumption. A meal should contain the six different tastes in a proper ratio so as to be healthy and digestible. The six tastes, known as the ‘Aru Suvai’ in Tamil are the following: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. Those the six tastes are incorporated through different spice combinations and other ingredients.
The Mauritian 7 cari consists of the following:
-
‘Dal Brinzel’ – Mauritian version of Sambar with eggplant.
-
‘Pomme De Terre Masala’ – Potatoes cooked in a blend of powdered spices generally called ‘Masala’ in Mauritius
-
‘Haricots Masala’ – (Green beans cooked the same way as the potatoes)
-
‘Cari Banane’ – (Raw banana, grated and sautéed with a blend of spices consisting of mustard and turmeric.)
-
‘Ziromon Toufer’ – (Pumpkin cooked with mild spices)
-
‘Cari Zak’ – (Raw jackfruit cooked in a mild spice blend)
-
‘Rasson’ – (The term Rasson actually comes from Tamil ‘Rasam’. It is a watery soup prepared with tamarind and several spices. Usually eaten with rice, in Mauritius)
The 7 cari comes with dessert consisting of ‘Applon’ (‘Apalam’, a fried cracker often accompanying Indian meals) and payasam (a fragrant sago pudding).
