Did You Know You Can Eat Coconut Sprouts?

And that they taste like manna from heaven?

Coconut sprouts are called uto in the Cook Islands, o'o in Samoa, manzanas de coco (coconut apples) in Latin America and here in Seychelles we call them koko zerm (or coco germes if you wanna be a little more high falutin'). In Hawaii, this food was considered so powerful that only the royals were allowed to eat it.

Sweet and Sour Pork with Tamarind and Mango Recipe

By Louise Pool
Good pork is always available here in the Seychelles. I've bought imported pork fillet a couple of times and it just can't compare with our local meat. I wonder if it's all the breadfruit the pigs are fed?

Since we have such a mixture of cuisines making up our Creole cuisine, sweet and sour pork is available in most take aways. Sometimes it's good and sometimes it's, well... What it always is, to my taste, is too fatty. Now I enjoy good pork crackling, but I can't stand mouthfuls of fat (and bits of bone) in my pork dishes. I like lean filleted pork, not pork that's looks like it's been attacked with a machete. (This goes for chicken, too. Those of you who have eaten chicken curry take aways in Seychelles will know what I'm on about.)

What Everybody Needs to Know About Coconut Oil

By Louise Pool
Living on a tropical island, I am lucky to have a large supply of one of nature's most beneficial foodstuffs. Coconuts have always been a mainstay of the Seychelles diet and once upon a time, long long ago, most people cooked with it as well. Nowadays, it's mostly palm or sunflower oil and I have to admit I, too, am guilty of this. I use coconut oil for frying if I'm making a Kari Koko (coconut curry) as I don't like the taste of it in all foods. It's great for adding to smoothies, yoghurt and puddings, though. (The picture on the left is a bottle of coconut oil sold for massage purposes, but coconut oil is coconut oil...)

Coconut oil is a food, and is one of the best cooking oils you can use. Unlike most vegetable oils, coconut oil's chemical structure is kept intact even when used in higher cooking temperatures and is therefore resistant to mutations of fatty acid chains. Research shows that the fatty acids found in coconut oil raise the body's metabolism, boost the immune system, and help provide greater energy which can also lead to weight loss.

Homemade Ginger Ale Recipe

By Louise Pool
Ginger is one thing we have an abundance of here. I've always chewed on ginger if I had a headache or was feeling slightly nauseous (think Cat Cocos in August), but recently started making my own ginger ale as a more pleasant and refreshing alternative painkiller. It works better than paracetamol and will save you hours of waiting at the clinic.
Of course, aside from the medicinal effects, it's also a refreshing drink to be enjoyed anytime. This homemade version tastes a lot better than commercial ginger ale and has the advantage of using fresh ingredients and probably less sugar than the pre-bottled variety. Everybody who has tasted it is addicted...

Strawberry Coconut Smoothie Recipe

I love strawberries! Much as I enjoy tropical fruit, I occasionally get a craving for summer fruit especially strawberries. The little local shops stock apple and oranges (strangely, no tropical fruit) and once in a while you can find a half rotting basket of unripe strawberries next to the mouldy packet of mushrooms.

A couple of years ago, frozen strawberries started appearing in the shops. Not regularly, but once in a while and they taste heavenly... They aren't much good for strawberries and cream, as they go mushy as soon as they are defrosted, but are great for use in cooking and, straight from the freezer, in smoothies.

Seychelles Food Sensations

Yesterday, I found a blog that features recipes from the Seychelles: Seychelles Food Sensations. Mouthwatering stuff. Delectable. Tempting to the palate. And all the ingredients needed are available in Seychelles.