THERE is always that time when we go to a restaurant and have a delicious exotic dish that we just wish we knew how to make so that we can eat it whenever we want to. Which is usually every day at this point. Willibald Reinbacher’s selection of culinary jewels of the Indian Ocean might be the answer.

Through his travels around this region since 1995, he collected recipes directly from the home kitchens of the locals inhabiting the wide breadth that the Indian Ocean spreads over from Mauritius to Indonesia. What he discovered was a pragmatic and varied cuisine dictated by what is currently available, dressed by a myriad of spices, secret techniques and love. This Willibald refers to as Aquacasia, a name sounding rather like a mysterious place, like the mythical island of Atlantis, than a cuisine.

His culinary adventures inspired him to publish a collection of more than 60 amazing but uncomplicated recipes under the same name. The book is a real homage to the local tradition as it shows not only mouth-watering food but the ocean, the land, the local people and animals.

Here Willibald talks to Glass about what cooking means to him, what meals are best to cook at a dinner party and what would be his last meal.

What is the most important thing about cooking for you?

Using only locally sourced fresh produce and to be able to translate the culture and tradition of a place into recipes.

You grew up in a small village in Austria, surrounded by nature and seem to have gravitated towards beautiful islands. Do you feel a certain pull towards nature?

I grew up in the mountains of Austria surrounded by incredible nature. Here it was the norm to grow your own vegetables, and we also had an animal farmyard with chickens, pigs and other animals.  I owe thanks to my mum and grandpa who taught me how to plant produce, harvest and farm, as well as how to make delicious food from the offerings.

Was it then difficult for your sensibilities being in the urban centre that is Dubai?

Yes, Dubai was exactly the opposite as to how I grew up in the mountains. However, it was well worth it and a very important part of my career working with and learning from some of the best chefs from around the world.

Across much of the world we have lost our relationship to food. It’s now something that comes in a package in a supermarket rather than something we feel a deep connection to. What would you say to encourage people to think more deeply about the food they consume?

Working long hours and having to use expensive local ingredients are barriers for most people cooking at home. I would say to all, plan your day and start cooking your own food. When you start doing this, you will see and experience the difference in using local healthy produce and automatically steer away from supermarket packing. It’s a normal process that soon becomes a habit.

How do islanders on, say, Madagascar relate to their food, as opposed to someone in an inner city such as London?

Most islanders cannot afford to go to restaurants, so for them, eating is not an experience but rather a daily task that allows them to work harder if they have had a good portion of rice, meat and vegetable. Eating in London is all about trying new things and enjoying a myriad of experiences.

A lot of people are overwhelmed by recipes that look complicated or have more than five ingredients. It always takes me twice as long to make something exactly according to the recipe! What are your tips for non-professionals to make their culinary experiments a little easier or smoother?

Cooking is easy and the more you cook the more you will learn and understand seasoning and spices, the balance between sweet and sour, but more importantly, how to handle products. With everything you eat, think how it’s made and what is inside. After a while you will become confident, fast and won’t even need a scale to measure.

If I, someone of very average cooking ability, wanted to prepare a three-course meal for friends, which three dishes would you suggest as a starting point?

Start with the fish and coconut ceviche, it is simple and almost impossible to get wrong. As a main, serve the Malagasy beef rib with potato and dried shrimp. It has a very different ‘wow’ flavour and can easily be prepared in advance. For dessert, the baked yoghurt is simple and tasty. With this menu, you will only spend 15 minutes in the kitchen during your party.

What would be your last meal, and why?

That would be a blowfish if I would fillet it myself.

Images courtesy of Lukas Lienhard

Published 21/10/2016 at theglassmagazine.com