Cuisine of Réunion

Réunionese Creole cuisine is the food, techniques and typical dishes of Réunion, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean. Its defining trait is the blend of colonial culinary habits with local ingredients and influences from Malagasy, African, French, Indian and Chinese traditions. History

History

Réunion's cuisine took shape in the colonial period, when European eating habits mixed with native ingredients and with a strong Malagasy and East African influence. Later, Indian and Chinese immigrants added their own contributions.

The result is a diet that is spicy, flavourful and hearty, with white rice as the base of almost every meal. Boucanage, the traditional method of preserving meat, and cooking in cast-iron pots remain linked to this tradition.

Culture: the aperitif is an integral part of the meal, and fried snacks such as samosas, Chinese-style bouchons and bonbon piment are especially popular. Dishes like local curry, rougail and civets are always served with rice and with pulses, vegetables or pickles. The cuisine also reflects the island's varied communities, which share many recipes while keeping religious and cultural differences.

Culture