In shops now!
The Sunshine Diet is packed full of exotic recipes that are simple to create and are packed full of flavour and fragrance.
Order now from Amazon or Waterstones
Dairy Free Recipes
Potato and Kidney Bean Daube
This vegetarian Mauritian daube is a cross between a stew and a curry. Quick to make and very healthy, it makes for a great, easy midweek meal option.
I love every kind of daube (the Mauritian version of stew). Traditionally from the Daube region of France, these stews have become a staple in every Mauritian household. My version with potatoes and kidney beans is a very simple dish using only a handful of ingredients. I love eating this with steamed basmati rice and Fresh Carrot Salad, but you could probably eat this on its own and not feel underfed.
V
Vg
Df
La Mousse Mauricien 50th Anniversary Special Recipe
In honour of our beautiful island celebrating its 50th year of Indepence I made these pretty la mousse in the colours of our flag.
V
Vg
Df
Gf
Smoky Kidney Bean Chilli with black cardamon
A rich and delicious vegan chilli with smoky flavours from the black cardamon a one pot wonder perfect if your in the house and you can let the stove do all the work.
V
Vg
Df
Gf
Poudine Vermicelle
This used to be my after school snack that mum used to make for us before being sent to our rooms to do our homework! In Mauritius this is eaten for breakfast or as an afternoon treat with a hot cup of vanilla tea. I’ve made this recipe dairy free by taking out the butter and milk traditionally used and added more flavours and nuts that I think make this taste even more special.
V
Df
Cumin & Garlic King Prawns
The sauce for this dish can be made up in advance and left in the fridge hence why I add extra oil to this than usual as it preserves the sauce allowing you to use it for up to 5 days in the fridge. It’s a simple recipe but goes so well with seafood, chicken and fish and yes the quantity of garlic is correct!
Df
Gf
Mauritian Chicken Livers with Onion and Spice
This classic dish is typically served as a snack with crusty baguette served with pickled chilli (piment confit) on the side. It’s iron rich flavour paired with gentle warm spices and onions is so easy to prepare with just a few simple ingredients.
Df
Gf
Vindaye Tuna
A mouth watering delicacy of Mauritius. Typically made in advance and left to allow the flavours to work together, this is usually served with a big crusty baguette or you can eat it with Roti or Puri. Whatever you decide to eat it with you’ll always be happy to know your fridge has this for any rainy day fridge raid!
Df
Gf
Chicken with Lemongrass, Chilli & Ginger
The perfect pick me up chicken dish packed full of flavour and fragrant herbs. The lemongrass and chilli are perfectly balanced making this dish so moreish and one you’ll just keep cooking again and again
Df
Gf
Ras El Hanout Kebabs
Ras El Hanout is a delicious moroccan spice mix similar to the Indian garam masala and means “top of the shop” gorgeously fragrant and easily adds bags of flavour to any dish.
Df
Gf
Tilapia & Aubergine Coconut Curry
As featured in waitrose:
Mauritius owes it’s culinary traditions to history of passing trade including Arabs, Dutch, Portuguese, French and Indian. The island tempered native Indian curries making them milder and lighter in flavour. This dish is very evocative for me with the caramel scent of aubergine frying, clanking of pots and pans, the fragrance of mums kitchen.
Df
Gf
Long & Lazy 1 Pot Chilli
This one-pot long and lazy chilli is a great weekend dish when you don’t want to spend hours over the stove, yet want a great result. Using red onions pickled in lime juice alongside home baked spicy nachos makes this a winning chilli!
Df
Gf
Salt & Chilli Crab
A hot and messy savoury snack perfect for diving in, a shameless party finger food.
Df
Gf
Curried Prawns with Cucumber Relish
I just love this combination of fiery prawns with a soothing cucumber relish, so easy to put together and perfect for entertaining friends in the summer months. As featured in Sainsbury’s magazine.
Df
Gf
Monkfish Tails with Spicy Coconut & Tomato Dressing
Simple and delicious monkfish tails perfect for an evening party to impress. The coconut chutney is just delicious and works perfectly with the monkfish. Simple to prepare but really does have the wow factor. As featured in Sainsburys Magazine
Serves 4
Df
Gf
Baked Tofu, Quinoa & Black Bean
Baked tofu has a firmer texture and holds its shape better when tossed through a salad. This is deceiving as it is packed with loads of flavour, be liberal with the chilli and lemon as it really lifts this super fragrant dish.
V
Vg
Df
Gf
Cari Mutton (Mauritian Mutton Curry)
Mutton is a wonderfully rich meat that can handle lots of chilli and spice so this is the perfect for it. This is the dish that I cooked in the final of MasterChef and I still can’t believe that one of my family’s classic curries would be enough to secure me the title! It tastes even better the next day as all the spices harmonise and the flavours go deep into the meat.
Extract from my first cook book ‘Sunshine on a Plate’
Df
Gf
Chilli Stuffed Sardines
I was brought up eating quite a bit of tinned fish, mainly because fresh fish was so expensive when I was a child. Because of this, I’m partial to tinned sardines and pilchards. I know it sounds a bit retro but you get an intense flavour from tinned sardines, which works perfectly with the piquancy of the chilli. You could make a vegetarian version of this dish using a mix of beans instead of the sardines.
Extracted from ‘Sunshine on a Plate’
V
Df
Gf
Vegetable Harira
This fragrant and spicy soup is the perfect dish to beat the winter blues. Make ahead and you can pack this for your lunch, the flavours taste even better the next day!
V
Vg
Df
Gf
Chicken and Prawn Magic Bowl
The ‘magic bowl’ a typical Chinese Mauritian dish (Sino-Mauritian) which gets me every time.
As featured on The Huffington Post
Df
Gf
Egg Rougaille
Rougaille is a classic Creole sauce which gives its name to many Mauritian dishes; it looks like a simple tomato sauce but is so much more. It has a huge depth of flavour thanks to the European herbs parsley and thyme, the heat provided by the chilli and the Indian flavourings of ginger, coriander and garlic.
V
Df
Gf
Thai Inspired Chicken Laab (spiced salad)
This Thai-inspired recipe is a stylish, moreish canapé
Df
Gf
Fresh Summer Lobster Salad
This crisp, summery salad with fresh lobster makes a delicious summer lunch or posh picnic.
Df
Gf
Website
Exclusive
Exclusive
Poisson Cru (Tahitian Ceviche)
The dish is sweet, exotic and refreshing. A twist on a classic ceviche with the addition of coconut milk to add that extra layer of tropical flavour. Perfect for summer and easy to make for entertaining friends.
Df
Gf
Chickpea and Coriander Burger
These burgers can be made in less than 15 minutes and are packed full of flavour.
V
Vg
Df
Gf
5 Star Butterbean Tagine
A vegetarian butter bean feast full of Moroccan-influenced flavours and will go down a storm with all the family.
V
Vg
Df
Mango & Chilli Chutney
Perfect for alfresco dining as part of a cheeseboard or tapas selection.
V
Df
Gf
Hot & Spicy Chicken Wings
What’s not to love - by far my favourite aperitivo snack with cold beer !
Df
Gf
Website
Exclusive
Exclusive
Son-in-law Eggs
A simple but impressive egg dish which you can serve as a starter or with rice as part of a main
V
Df
Gf
Persian Kebabs
These are so aromatic and heady with citrus flavour from the sumac, you can make these ahead of time and BBQ when your friends arrive
Df
Gf
Prawn and Mango Ceviche
The perfect al fresco starter, easy but impressive particularly for dinner parties
Df
Gf
Pepper Pot Soup
This dish is usually made using offcuts of beef, usually beef shin, and other meats can be used, but I think at this time of the year, we can’t get enough flavour from the wonderful root vegetables in season, so I tend not to use meat in this recipe.
V
Vg
Df
Gf
Saffron and Cumin Rice
This a lovely accompaniment to the ‘King Prawn Rougaille’. A subtly spiced and warming rice dish.
V
Df
Gf
Chicken and Vermicelli Bhaja
These cute little bhajis are perfect for parties and use rice noodles and chicken as a good alternative to onion.
Df
Gf
Sticky Rice with Mango, Papaya and Lime
These sweet amuse-bouche are perfect in-between courses, or at the of end a Thai meal. This was completely inspired by my wonderful trip to Thailand.
V
Vg
Df
Gf
Jerk Seasoning (Fish & Meat)
This is such a versatile seasoning and can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
V
Vg
Df
Gf
Mauritian Red Lentil Soup
This is the ultimate comfort food! Perfect for rainy days…You can cook up big batches of these and keep in the fridge so you can pick on it during the week.
V
Vg
Df
Gf
King Prawn Rougaille (Spicy Creole Sauce)
This is a typical ‘Mauritian Creole’ sauce using plum tomatoes, garlic, thyme and chilli, completely compliments the delicate flavours of the prawns.
Df
Gf
Mauritian Octopus Salad
This is colourful salad bursting with flavours: sweet and sour, salty and aromatic. Truly a more-ish and vibrant dish.
Df
Gf
Chilli Cakes
These deliciously spicy gateau piment are best served hot and are perfect with a crisp beer like Pheonix. If you can’t get hold of this beer then it would work equally well with something like Asahi. Bon Appetit!
V
Vg
Df
Gf
Spicy Aubergine Fritters
I love aubergines, particularly the finger aubergines which tend to be sweeter in flavour - you can find these in specialist Asian supermarkets
V
Vg
Df
Gf