🍽️ Cuisine
Mayotte, a French overseas department nestled between Madagascar and the African coast, offers a cuisine shaped by Comorian traditions, Malagasy influences, and French colonial heritage. Coconut, cassava, green bananas, and fresh seafood from the surrounding lagoon form the foundation of Mahoran cooking, where aromatic spices meet tropical abundance.
Mataba
Cassava Leaf Parcels
Mayotte's beloved comfort food—tender cassava leaves slow-cooked in rich coconut milk with fish or meat, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed to aromatic perfection.
Ingredients: 300g cassava leaves (or spinach as substitute), finely chopped, 200ml coconut milk, 150g smoked fish or chicken, flaked, 1 onion, finely diced, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tomato, chopped, 2 tbsp coconut oil, 1 tsp turmeric, ½ tsp ground ginger, Salt and black pepper, Banana leaves for wrapping (optional).
Preparation: If using cassava leaves, boil them for 30 minutes to remove bitterness, then drain thoroughly. Heat coconut oil in a heavy pot and sauté onion until translucent. Add garlic, tomato, turmeric, and ginger, cooking until fragrant. Stir in the cassava leaves and coat with the spice mixture. Pour in coconut milk and add the flaked fish. Simmer on low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until leaves are tender and sauce has thickened. Season to taste. Traditionally served wrapped in banana leaves alongside rice or green bananas.
💡 For authentic flavor, use young cassava leaves—they're more tender and less bitter than mature ones.
Mtsholela
Grilled Fish with Coconut Sauce
Fresh lagoon fish marinated in a vibrant blend of lime, garlic, and local spices, grilled over charcoal and served with a creamy coconut sauce—a staple of Mahoran seafood cuisine.
Ingredients: 2 whole fish (red snapper or parrotfish), about 400g each, cleaned, Juice of 2 limes, 4 cloves garlic, crushed, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, Salt, 3 tbsp vegetable oil. For sauce: 200ml coconut milk, 1 small onion, grated, 1 tomato, grated, 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped.
Preparation: Score the fish diagonally on both sides. Combine lime juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt, and oil into a paste. Rub thoroughly inside and outside each fish, pressing into the cuts. Marinate for 1 hour minimum. For the sauce, simmer coconut milk with grated onion and tomato for 15 minutes until slightly reduced. Grill fish over medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes per side until skin is crispy and flesh flakes easily. Finish sauce with fresh coriander, pour over grilled fish, and serve immediately with rice.
💡 The secret to perfect Mtsholela is a very hot grill and patience—resist the urge to flip too early.
Mkatra Foutra
Coconut Rice Cake
A traditional Mahoran breakfast treat—fluffy fermented rice pancakes infused with coconut milk, golden-crisp on the outside and soft within, enjoyed with honey or fresh fruit.
Ingredients: 200g rice flour, 150ml coconut milk, 100ml warm water, 1 tsp instant yeast, 2 tbsp sugar, Pinch of salt, ½ tsp ground cardamom, Coconut oil for cooking, Honey for serving.
Preparation: Dissolve yeast in warm water with a pinch of sugar and let stand 10 minutes until frothy. Combine rice flour, remaining sugar, salt, and cardamom in a bowl. Add the yeast mixture and coconut milk, whisking until smooth with no lumps. Cover with a cloth and let ferment in a warm place for 2 hours or overnight for deeper flavor. The batter should be bubbly and slightly tangy. Heat a cast-iron pan with coconut oil over medium heat. Pour small rounds of batter, cook until bubbles form on surface and edges set, then flip and cook until golden. Serve warm drizzled with honey.
💡 For extra-fluffy Mkatra Foutra, let the batter ferment overnight in the refrigerator—the slow rise develops complex flavor.
