Colodent (Peanut Brittle) or ColoDON'T!

I was woefully wrong when I chose to make Colodent, a Mauritian treat that is similar to our peanut brittle.  I had reviewed dessert recipes for days, looking for things that seemed both easy to make and slightly less gluttonous than the others.  And, I thought I had found it when Colodent appeared before me.  The recipe I found had only three ingredients: sugar, peanuts, and water.  Simple, right?  What could go wrong?  Well...

Perhaps I started off incorrectly, even though I followed the instructions as they were written.  I added my sugar and water to a pan and waited for it to boil.  And stirred and waited.  And waited.  And added more water.  And waited.  And it bubbled up slightly, then disappointingly simmered and hardened.  Again, I added more water.  Repeated the tedium.  Then, more water.  Finally a strong bubble - but, it was quickly burst after I added the nuts.  The nuts must have brought the temperature down because it all hardened up again.  So, I added even more water, which lead to more waiting and more stirring - but the caramelization was nowhere in sight.

So, doing what any good cook would do when all hope was lost, I scrapped the recipe and used the nuts and sugar to make a mediocre brownie.  Nothing great was gained from my experience, though I suppose nothing was really lost.  It was just another reminder that recipes are not necessarily easier because they list a small handful of ingredients.  Don't be seduced by simplicity!  Instead, go with the things that appeal to you and try them all without fear.  And, when failure happens (as it does with everyone), don't be afraid to proclaim it as loudly as your triumphs.  Chalk it up to another brilliant lesson in life.  After all, no one (and no recipe) is perfect.  The fun comes in the experience.  C'est la vie!

If you are brave enough to try my experience for yourself, here is the recipe - maybe it will work for you.  Or, if you know the science behind cooking, and can tutor me and show me where I went wrong, I would be grateful.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups peanuts
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions:

1. Put the sugar and water in a heavy saucepan and slowly bring to a boil over low heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until it starts to thicken.
2. Add peanuts in two half portions. Keep stirring. As the mixture starts to caramelize into a golden color, remove from heat and continue to stir.
3. Pour onto a greased oven tray or a marble cutting board. Allow mixture to cool before cutting.

(The original recipe came from this site: http://ile-maurice.tripod.com/colodent.htm.)

Murg Massalam (Indian Garlic Chicken) and Mines Bouilli (Chinese Vegetarian Noodles)

Africa is a continent which possesses many layers of diversity - it's culinary outlets are no less diverse than its population.  Being so large and so full of the tales of conquest and adventure, one can unwrap the surface, with all it believes about the land, only to find one hundred more layers of interest further hidden below.  Indeed, Africa has many secrets, but perhaps one of its greatest culinary treasures lay within the shores of the small island nation of Mauritius.

Having been completely unpopulated prior to colonialization, Mauritius has been ruled and inhabitied by many transplanted foreigners including the Portugese, Dutch, French, and British.  Because those groups required slave labor, the addition of African, Chinese and Indians further added to the blended mixture of the island's population.  Thus, the country achieved the sense of a true melting-pot society.  And, the blending couldn't have been better planned!  A meal in Mauritius is one of fusion.  Generally, people eat Chinese appetizers with Indian entrees and French desserts - all the while, they do it without a sense of novelty.  To the "natives," it is just another meal.

From a personal standpoint, Chinese, Indian, Creole and French foods are typically at the top of the list when it comes to the foods I crave.  If I were to handpick the items that I would take on a deserted island (such as Mauritius used to be), there are no other cuisines which I would think to include.  Thanks to the now-extinct dodo and the lives of many brave sailors and slaves, Mauritius may just be my new culinary utopia.

Murg Massalam Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric

Instructions:

1. With a sharp knife, make a few shallow slashes in the chicken flesh and place in a non-metallic dish.
2. To make the marinade, mis all of the ingredients into a small bowl and pour over the chicken.  Toss until well coated.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or for as long as a day before you intend to cook it.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a deep roasting pan with foil and arranged the chicken in the pan.  Pour about 2/3 cup of water into the pan to form a shallow layer.  Spoon any remaining marinade over the chicken.  Bake for 45 minutes or until the chicken is golden and crisp, showing no signs of pink when pierced. 

(The original recipe came from "The Illustrated Kitchen Bible" by Victoria Blashford-Snell)

Mines Bouilli Ingredients:

• 15 ounces of Chinese egg noodles
• 2 Tbsp. chopped green onions
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. chili sauce
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. sesame paste
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp. vinegar
• black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl, except for the noodles, garlic and green onions. 
2. Boil the noodles for about 10 to 15 minutes then drain.  Add noodles and garlic to the bowl with the remaining ingredients.  Toss to coat.
3. Garnish with green onions and serve warm.

(The original recipe came from this site: http://ile-maurice.tripod.com/minetouni.htm)

Mauritius

Capital City - Port Louis
Currency - Mauritian Rupee
Population - 1,288,000 (2008 estimate)
National Language - English (unofficially the language of the land and of Parliament); French and Mauritian Creole are also largely spoken by most people.
Type of Government - Parliamentary Republic
Leaders - Sir Anerood Jugnauth (President); Navin Ramgoolam (Prime Minister)
Country's Motto - "Stella Clavisque Maris Indici" - Translates to mean "Star and Key of the Indian Ocean."

Location - Mauritius is an island off of the southeast coast of Africa and in the southwest part of the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar.  Aside from Mauritius, its Republic includes the islands of Rodrigues, Cargados Carajos and the Agalega Islands.  Mauritius Island is part of the Mascarene Islands.

Climate - Mauritius has a tropical climate with southeast trade winds and a season of cyclones.

Religion - Due to colonialism and the fact that the British imported many Indians to the island for their servitude, a little more than half - 52% - of the population of Mauritius are Hindu.  Roughly 30% are Christian (with the majority of those being Roman Catholic), 16% are Muslim, and the remaining 2% are non religious.

Cuisine - The cuisine of Mauritius is a mixture of Indian, African, Chinese and European fare.  It is common practice for various plates from these different cuisines to be served in the same meal.

Most Famous Landmark - Being an island nation best known for its sandy beaches makes practically the entire nation a landmark.  However, its most stunning asset is the "seven colored earth" of Chamarel.  Located on the southwest side of the island, Chamarel boasts dunes of multi-colored soil which are an incredible sight to any eye.  Red to yellow, purple to brown, black to white, green to tan - with every shade in between - the wonders of nature are boldly apparent.

If You Learn Only One Thing About Mauritius, It Should Be This - At the time of its discovery in 1507, the island of Mauritius was the home of the yet unknown species of bird called the "Dodo."  By 1681, it was made extinct after having been killed by the settlers and their domesticated pets.