or: Chilli for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Many places in the world have condiments which seem to appear at every meal. Salt and pepper springs immediately to mind however that isn’t always seen at breakfast in the same countries where it is likely to appear for lunch and dinner. I am yet to see anyone put salt and / or pepper on their breakfast cereal.

Mauritius has a condiment that appears at every meal and with every gadiak.

Chilli.

There’s ultra-hot chilli, mild chilli and everything in between. There are chilli sauces (smooth, chunky), chilli dips and just the humble chilli masquarading as a garnish. It’s not. It’s meant to be eaten. Sometimes they even slice it so you know for sure that it shouldn’t be left there looking like wilted parsley.

And it is eaten. At every meal. By everyone.

I’m convinced that it is not possible to have a salad without chilli in it. Sometimes it’s hiding but it is there and you know it when you find it.

Since I’m obviously not from here (the way I talk is an easy giveaway), the locals are always courteous in asking me how hot I can handle something and then tone it down a little further “just in case”.

This has changed somewhat within a circle of my friends since I introduced them to wasabi.

Those that make my roti always check and then give me a thin covering over the pancake-like bread before adding my meat and vegetables to it. This is a great pre-dive snack.

Those that make my lunch at times put a chilli or two on the side of my plate, next to my rice, and when I point to something that may be particularly spicy, they suggest something else and offer to put a piece of whatever the spicy thing is on my plate before I commit to a whole serving. They also have various chilli sauces on the table.

Sometimes I have a bread roll with chicken on it. There is always chilli added. Also tomato sauce and mayonnaise. That could be another blog on the mix of sauces I have experienced here compared to the combinations of which I’m more familiar.

I digress…

Last night I was at an Italian restaurant. We ordered pizza and a lasagne. Chilli sauce arrived on the side.

Now that’s fusion.

* Thanks to The Fabulous Thunderbirds again for the title to this post. And now to play the rest of the Cocktail soundtrack,- “The four million selling party album of 1988” – wow!