Chapter 7 Tomatoes Rougaille

Image Credit: © Madeleine & Clancy Philippe

The word rougaille (roo-GAHY) refers to Creole spices, like thyme and ginger. The cooks of Mauritius borrow flavors from Indian, Chinese, and French dishes. The best part about this recipe is that you don’t have to cook it! Just mix it in a bowl and pour it over warm cooked rice.

Mauritius

Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean. Its chief island, also called Mauritius, lies about 500 miles east of Madagascar and about 2,450 miles southwest of India.

Mauritius is the only known home of the dodo. The bird was first seen by Europeans in 1600. The dodo became extinct less than eighty years later.

Tomatoes

In Creole cooking, tomatoes are called “pommes d’amour,” a French phrase meaning “apples of love.” Tomatoes rougaille is often used as a chutney, a sauce or relish with sweet and tangy flavors.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

What You Need

Equipment:

Cutting board
Sharp knife
Mixing spoon
Bowl

Ingredients:

1 green pepper
1 medium onion
1½–2 cups tomatoes, fresh or canned

Seasonings:

1 clove minced garlic
½ teaspoon dry ginger OR minced fresh ginger root
½ teaspoon dried coriander^* OR 2 tablespoons freshly minced coriander or parsley

^*What’s This?

Coriander is an herb used a lot in Indian and Middle Eastern foods. It is also known as cilantro.

A dash of cayenne or hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
½ teaspoon salt, to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Rice (cook following the directions on the package)

What to Do

Finely^* dice green pepper and onion.
Dice tomatoes or open the can.
Mix all ingredients (except rice) in bowl.
Serve tomatoes rougaille cold or room temperature. Pour over bowls of warm rice.

^*What’s This?

Finely means very small pieces.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

Serves 3-4.