DISH RESEARCH · Snack
Chili Cakes (Gato Piman)
Seychellois fried red-lentil cakes with chilli, herbs and spices.
About Chili Cakes (Gato Piman)
The Creole Melting Pot's gato piman are Seychellois snack cakes made from red split lentils, bird's-eye chilli and spices. The cook recalls buying the cakes after school in Grande Anse, Praslin.
Soaked lentils are pounded coarsely with a mortar. Onion, coriander leaves, ginger, garlic, cumin seeds and curry leaves flavour the mixture, while plain flour helps bind the small balls.
The cakes are fried and served warm, with a crisp surface and a softer centre. Cinnamon is optional, and the source also suggests the snack alongside a cold beer.
Allergens in this recipe
Allergen details are not yet confirmed.
Ingredients vary by restaurant. Confirm your allergens with staff before ordering.
Ingredients in Chili Cakes (Gato Piman)
The Creole Melting Pot's Seychellois red-lentil gato piman.
- Red split lentilsBase
- Bird's-eye chilliSeasoning
- OnionAromatic
- SaltSeasoning
- Cracked pepperSeasoningIngredient page not linked
- Coriander leavesAromatic
- GingerAromatic
- GarlicAromatic
- Cumin seedsSeasoning
- Curry leavesAromatic
- Plain flourBinderIngredient page not linked
- Cinnamon powderSeasoning · Optional
- Frying oilCooking mediumIngredient page not linked
- WaterCooking medium
- Rice flourBinder · Optional
- Baking powderSeasoning · Optional
- Fennel seedsSeasoning · Optional
- Coriander seedsSeasoning · Optional
- TurmericSeasoning · Optional
- BeerAccompaniment · Optional
Ingredient details & uncertainties
Allergen information is incomplete. Unconfirmed details do not establish that an allergen is absent.
- Red split lentils: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual39/41/79 red split lentils, not legacy yellow peas or substituted yellow lentils105.
- Bird's-eye chilli: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Preferred actual106 pimanMartin branch over goat chilli.
- Onion: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Salt: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Cracked pepper: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual83 species unprovided.
- Coriander leaves: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Ginger: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Garlic: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Cumin seeds: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Curry leaves: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Plain flour: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual89 plain flour cereal unspecified, no Wheat guess.
- Cinnamon powder (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Explicit optional90/116.
- Frying oil: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual91 generic oil botanical unknown.
- Water: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Explicit cold/running rinse/soak53/94 and conditional pastewater96 consolidated.
- Rice flour (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual62/113 named optional crispness addition.
- Baking powder (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual63/114 optional softness addition.
- Fennel seeds (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual64/115 optional dry-roasted/pounded spices.
- Coriander seeds (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual64/115 optional seeds, distinct required fresh corianderleaves.
- Turmeric (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual112 optional addition.
- Beer (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual39/74 optional beer pairing rather than mandatory picnic drink; exact grain/full product unresolved.
Origins & food traditions
Countries
- Seychelles
- SeychellesCatalogue link pending review
Cuisines & regions
- Seychellois Creole Cuisine
- Seychellois Creole CuisineCatalogue link pending review
AI-generated illustration of one possible presentation. Recipes and ingredients vary; the image does not establish allergen content.