Rougaille pistache (Mauritian peanut sauce)

This spicy peanut sauce is a symbol of resilience and a reminder that simple pleasures make life rich in their own way. My family serves this rougaille with a warm, crusty baguette straight out of the oven, simply breaking off pieces of bread and dipping them straight into the sauce!

• serves

  4

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

My mum and Uncle Bluey often dive into nostalgic tales of their younger days, especially from times that were financially tight when they moved to London from Mauritius in the seventies. In those moments, all it took to create something special was a jar of crunchy peanut butter, basic rougaille ingredients, and a loaf of bread – and just like that, they had a satisfying and comforting meal. The magic wasn’t in elaborate recipes or gourmet ingredients, but in the resourcefulness and creativity that turned humble components into something truly special.

Ingredients

• 1½ tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 1 bunch thyme sprigs
• 3 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 3 tsp storebought garlic paste
• 6 fresh curry leaves
• 1 tsp salt, or more as needed
• 2¼ cups (400 g) chopped ripe tomatoes
• 4 ½ tbsp (90 ml) crunchy peanut butter (see Note)
• Sliced red and green chillies, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, thyme, grated ginger, garlic paste, and curry leaves. Sauté for 2 minutes, then add the salt and cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and ½ cup (120 ml) water. Bring to a simmer and then turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add the peanut butter and mix until fully combined. The sauce will become thick, so add a little water if you prefer a thinner consistency. Season with salt to taste and take off the heat.
4. Remove the thyme sprigs, garnish with chilli, and you are ready to serve.

Note

You can also use smooth peanut butter instead of crunchy, but I personally prefer a bit more texture.

This is an edited extract from Vegan Soulicious: Plant-Based Island Cooking by Charlise Rookwood (Abrams Books, distributed by Thames and Hudson Australia, $49.99).

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.