Another time, sitting in the shade of a lush sea grape tree on the golden sands in Sainte Anne, a popular beachfront town in Grande Terre, I enjoyed a an Indian-inspired bokit bursting with chickpeas, cabbage and potatoes and dressed with turmeric and tamarind sauce. As I licked the sauce from my fingers, I leaned against the trunk and watched an eager queue of patrons line up at the small truck for bokits stuffed with everything from aubergine to mutton.