Hoteliers are creating
planet-friendly places
to stay in sublime,
natural settingsoff - g r i d
retreats and
eco-lodges1 ALPHONSE ISLAND,
THE SEYCHELLES
The chalets on private
Alphonse Island, in
southwestern Seychelles,
come with their own
bicycles, allowing guests
to freely trundle along
the palm-fringed paths.
Naturalists off er updates
on the comings and goings
of turtles, and the diving is
superb. alphonse-island.com2 THE RAINFOREST
ECOLODGE, SRI LANKA
For a wraparound rainforest
experience, try a nature
walk from The Rainforest
Ecolodge. The hotel stands
on a tea estate bordering the
UNESCO World Heritage-
listed Sinharaja Forest
Reserve — the country’s
largest primary rainforest.
rainforest-ecolodge.com3 MAFIA ARCHIPELAGO,
TANZANIA
Five islands make up Mafi a
Archipelago. The capital,
Kilindoni, is a sandy-laned
town surrounded by
mangroves and papaya
trees. Chole Bay, meanwhile,
is one of Tanzania’s top
snorkelling destinations, its
reefs teeming with clownfi sh
and rays. Stay at Pole
Pole, overlooking the bay.
polepole.comprawn fritters
Selina Periampillai, a Mauritian chef and author of The Island
Kitchen cookbook, serves up her recipe for prawn fritters
(known as ‘crevettes croustillantes’)QUIRIMBAS ARCHIPELAGO
The azure waters, coral reefs and luxurious lodges of Mozambique’s Quirimbas Archipelago promise the ultimate
island idyll. Ibo Island Lodge, located on the north west of Ibo Island, comprises three magnificent waterfront
mansions and is the perfect base for an island-hopping escape, with plenty of opportunities to explore by kayak,
dhow and standup paddleboard. iboisland.com
SERVES: 2 TAKES: 30 minsINGREDIENTS
1 tbsp spring onion, fi nely
chopped (approximately
2 spring onions)
1 green chilli, fi nely chopped
2.5cm piece ginger, peeled and
fi nely chopped
1 garlic clove, fi nely chopped
150g raw king prawns
1 lemon, ½ juiced, ½ cut
into wedges
1 tsp soy sauce
30g plain fl our
30g cornfl our1 egg, beaten
500ml vegetable oil,
for deep-fryingMETHOD(^1) Mix the spring onion, chilli,
ginger, garlic, prawns, lemon
juice and soy sauce in a bowl.
Season with salt and pepper,
then set aside to marinate
for 15 mins.
(^2) Combine the plain fl our
and cornfl our in a bowl,
then add 30ml chilled water
and the beaten egg and
whisk gently.
(^3) Pour the oil into a deep
frying pan and heat until the
temperature reaches 180C
on a cooking thermometer.
Scoop out the prawns from
the marinade and pat dry
with kitchen paper. Dip the
prawns into the batter one by
one, then deep-fry in the oil
for around 2 mins until lightly
browned and crisp.
(^4) Drain, then immediately
serve with the lemon wedges.
The Island Kitchen by Selina
Periampillai (Bloomsbury
Publishing, £26) is out now.
Jul/Aug 2020 101
INDIAN OCEAN