Gajak Attack! Mauritian Gateaux Bringele, Tomato Chilli Salade Recipes..
A great recipe to try at home, this quick and easy gajak (starters) recipe is something I LOVE to make at home, it doesn’t take very long (if you have the ingredients in your larder or fridge)
It’s served on the street corners by vendors in Mauritius, fried, hot and crispy aubergine slices battered in chickpea (gram flour) with fresh coriander, tumeric, spring onion and of course chilli! Eaten most of the times with a fresh HOT coconut or coriander satini or chutney but here I have added our tomato salad, laced with again fresh coriander, green chillies, red onion and olive oil.
Prefect for a snack, eaten with a glass of whisky/rum or wine to wash it down the true Mauritian way!
Batter Mix:
160g/1 Cup of Gram Flour (chickpea flour/basin)
1 Small Red Onion, finely chopped
2/3 Sprigs of Coriander, leaves chopped
2 Spring Onion, finely chopped
1/2 Chillies, finely chopped (optional)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
150ml water (approx)
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Firstly make the batter, mix the gram flour, slowly with the water to achieve a batter consistency (coats the back of a spoon), add the baking powder and salt. Then add in all the chopped ingredients and turmeric so you have a slightly yellowy tinged batter. Next..
Gateaux Bringele (makes about 10 slices)
1/2 Aubergine
Frying Oil
Kitchen Paper/Plate
Cut your aubergine slices into rounds, then cut the rounds in half so you have semi circle shaped aubergine slices.
Warm your oil to a medium/high heat then drop the aubergine slices in your batter, then fry them in the oil
Cook till golden brown on both sides and scoop out and leave to drain on a plate with kitchen paper, eat with coriander chutney & chillies!
Tomato Satini
2 or 3 Ripe Tomatoes (medium sized), cut into pieces, chopped finely
1/2 Green Chillies, chopped finely
1 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped finely
1 small red onion, finely chopped
Drizzle of Olive Oil
Squeeze of Lime
Pinch of Salt
Cut the tomatoes, remove stems, in a bowl add to it, the chillies, coriander, red onion, drizzle with olive oil and salt. Ready to eat!
