{"id":2255,"date":"2014-11-25T17:05:00","date_gmt":"2014-11-25T22:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/veganlovlie.com\/2014\/11\/niouk-yen-veganvegetarian-version-chayotedaikon-radish-dumplings-boulette-chouchou\/"},"modified":"2019-12-11T02:18:57","modified_gmt":"2019-12-11T07:18:57","slug":"niouk-yen-veganvegetarian-version","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/veganlovlie.com\/niouk-yen-veganvegetarian-version\/","title":{"rendered":"Niouk Yen (vegan\/vegetarian version): Chayote\/Daikon Radish Dumplings (Boulette Chouchou)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Niouk Yen<\/strong>\u00a0is\u00a0a delicacy in Mauritius. They are steamed dumplings made with grated chayote. I’ve found that daikon radish can also be used. Enjoy with garlic sauce or chili sauce on their own or in a broth with noodles<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"niouk <\/picture><\/p>\n

Food cravings for the local cuisine – aren’t they the worse when you really can’t find the food you are craving for where you are? For a few months now, Boyfriendlovlie and I have been craving our local dumplings – Niouk Yen being one of them. Despite living in many countries where Chinese cuisine is so popular, I have never come across a Chinese place that sells Niouk Yen. So, undoubtedly, they must really be a typical Mauritian-Chinese delicacy.<\/p>\n

What are Niouk Yens?<\/h3>\n

They are dumplings that are made with chayote then steamed and eaten accompanied by your favourite chili, soy or garlic sauce. You know what? My mouth is watering (again!) as I am typing this, they are that delicious and yet require very few ingredients.<\/p>\n

\"Niouk <\/picture><\/p>\n

In Mauritius, these dumplings are a common street food, so much that no one really makes them at home. We just go to one of the reputable “marchand boulettes” (dumpling sellers) and order them. Well, that was before I became vegan actually – these dumplings are not originally vegan. The recipe usually calls for dried freshwater shrimp and\/or meat. So, even if I made a holiday trip back to the island, I probably couldn’t enjoy them unless I make them myself. Speaking of which, I decided to go ahead and make them. Daunting as they have always sounded (since they taste so great, you would think that a lot of preparation goes in there), they were not actually all that hard to make. I was pleasantly surprised with the results!<\/p>\n

\"Niouk <\/picture><\/p>\n

Chayote (or locally known as chouchou) is one of the most common vegetable available in Mauritius. But here in Montreal, unless I make a trip to the Asian store (or every now and then, but not always, Super C carries them), I usually have a hard time getting hold of them. So, in this recipe, I have substituted them with daikon radish and they were pretty tasty with just a slight difference in taste. Texture-wise, I would say it is 98% close – daikon radish has a little more firmness compared to chayote which is more tender. But both are good to use.<\/p>\n

Enjoy Niouk Yens in this Coconut Curry Ramen Noodle Soup<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Watch the step by step video for easy directions.<\/h3>\n