(Posted 21st October 2024)
Courtesy of Laura Samoisy
Marie-Aimée is a former octopus fisher. This activity, widely practiced by the women of Rodrigues, has declined in recent years as octopuses have become rarer. Many of these women have since turned to making artisanal achards, a tradition passed down from their grandmothers. To stay connected to the sea, the former fisher has specialized in seaweed achard. Hello Rodrigues followed her.
Hyperlink: https://hellorodrigues.fr/ile-rodrigues/culture/les-achards-aux-algues-de-marie-aimee
A Gift from the Sea
For several years now, Marie-Aimée Agathe, along with one of her daughters, Stéphanie, has been passionate about a type of seaweed from the samphire family. The two women take the bus to Grand-Baie with their buckets and a picnic. Wearing a pretty straw hat, old T-shirts, leggings, and sneakers, they wade knee-deep into the water to “pull the seaweed,” as they say. You simply have to bend down to pick the clusters of seaweed and toss them into the buckets. Marie-Aimée is the only one on the island to make this “gaumon corne” achard. The scientific name for it is Gracilaria salicornia. It has medicinal properties, helping to lower blood pressure, aid digestion, and act as an antioxidant. It’s also rich in vitamin A. In Europe, samphire is used in some dishes, with a taste reminiscent of pickles. Since this fine seaweed is harvested at mid-tide, the fishers have to work with the ebb and flow of the sea.
A few hours are enough for the harvest. After a brief break on the rocks for a snack, they bring back their haul, which varies between 10 and 20 kilos each outing. On these days, they rent a vehicle to transport the seaweed back to their home in Lataniers. “I have loyal customers who love this achard. I sell my jars at the Port-Mathurin market with Stéphanie,” Marie-Aimée announces with a generous smile.
A Complicated Preparation
At home, a workshop/kitchen is specially set up for all her preparations. Marie-Aimée took a course in 2002 to learn the basics of European hygiene standards. Gloves, apron, scarf on her head… She sterilizes the jars and busies herself with her daughter, cooking their preparations that will be jarred.
On site, she carefully cleans the seaweed, rinsing it three times in fresh water, then separating the branches one by one to check for any small shells, crabs, or pieces of coral stuck to them. “Sometimes I feel limited in my production because of water problems on the island. Cleaning this seaweed requires a lot of water,” the cook laments.
Next, the slightly orange seaweed must soak in brine overnight (salt and vinegar) to preserve it, then be boiled, and finally dried. “It’s only after all these steps that I can finally start making the achard. Other women have tried and given up because it’s too demanding,” she admits.
To make her recipe, Marie-Aimée cuts dried chilies, which she sautés in a pot of oil with crushed garlic. She adds turmeric powder, then her seaweed, and finally incorporates fresh green chilies picked from her garden. Ready to give it a try? You can find Marie-Aimée at the Port-Mathurin market, after the bridge, to the left, near the fruit seller.
Hello Rodrigues Magazine is a digital mag promoting the small and remote island of Rodrigues in the Indian Ocean. Launched in January 2024 by the initiative of Laura Samoisy, director of publication and editor in chief, the magazine aims to promote this sunny destination and its culture. Connect on hellorodrigues.fr to know more about this little island.
