This is a statement that is especially true when talking about cultures. It is common to distinguish one culture from another by their eating habits and cuisines. Let’s take the various eating habits around the world. You will most likely find an Asian who uses chopsticks and sits on the floor when he eats than a Caucasian. This is because most Caucasians were raised to use a spoon and fork, or even a knife, and sit in chairs to eat. However, there are still other cultures that are used to eating with their hands, such as the Filipinos.
In kitchens, if you take a closer look, pizza and pasta are for Italians, breads for French, rice for Asians, etc. Although these things are no longer as distinct as they used to be, with fusion cuisine becoming more popular, these staples still set one culture apart from the rest. Also, there are some cultures that would not eat pork, while others would devour it almost every day. The Chinese, for example, would eat snakes, while others would find this to be beyond them.
If you think about it, this increases the diversity between cultures. However, these things also make each culture unique and interesting. In fact, many people who travel to different places would not miss the food that a particular place has to offer. This is one way a culture reveals itself to those who want to experience it.
An example would be the culture of Mauritius. Since Mauritius is home to various cultures, the food here is also representative of said cultures. They have foods of Indian, Creole, French, Chinese, English and Mauritian origin. Therefore, dining in Mauritius would be a delightful experience.
Curry is the traditional base of Mauritian cuisine. This was influenced by the Indians who once ruled the island. The rice and the use of spices in many Mauritian dishes still have an Indian influence.
There are many specialties that you must try when you visit Mauritius. Among others are venison (deer meat), cameras or prawns in spicy sauce, octopus, and dholl purri (wheat pancakes stuffed with ground peas and served with curry). You can also try their biryani which is mainly rice and meat. There are also foods sold on the streets. These are samosas, rogai and many others. for dessert they have pepper cakes or chili cakes, Indian sweets such as gulab jamun and fraseola. For your drinks, you can go for rum, beer, alouda (iced almond flavored milk drink), or fresh coconut milk.
You can taste these foods in most hotels (small restaurants) and restaurants on the island. You can also join the locals during the day on the streets. You will find many carts that carry and serve Chinese food. Also, many Indian specialties are served on the streets. Eating here is cheaper and you will get value for your money as the foods are tasty. However, you will have to be careful when eating in these areas, as it is not as clean as indoor restaurants. If you prefer, you can also opt for European takeaway.
There are many restaurants around serving different cuisines. You just have to explore which one suits your tastes. Part of discovering and understanding Mauritian culture is trying out the various fares available.