October 2009 - CaribbeanPot.com

Curry Channa (Chickpeas) With Aloo Recipe.

November 12, 2014October 26, 200954 Comments

Channa and aloo or “chickpeas with potato” cooked in curry and stuffed into “hops” bread was a fav of mine growing up. I would visit my uncle who was a teacher at Marabella Junior Secondary school and just outside the gates were vendors selling all sorts of local street food. Including channa and aloo sandwiches (they also had a range of hotsauces to top this off with). Then how could one forget Divali time when we would get invited to our friends place down the road for dinner. This usually meant curry channa and aloo with roti. It was a festive time and the table would be packed with a huge assortment of dishes, but all I ever wanted was the buss-up-shut roti and channa with aloo.

In my recipe I used canned channa, but if you have access to the dry peas and you have the time, give those a try as well. It just means you’ll have to boil the dry version until tender before adding to the curry potato. But you’ll avoid having to use processed peas which sits in a ton of salt and whatever else is used in canning process.

You’ll Need…

1 can chickpeas (also known as channa, garbanzo bean, Indian pea, ceci bean, bengal gram, Kabuli chana, konda kadalai, kadale kaalu, sanaga pappu, shimbra, Kadala)
2 tablespoon curry powder (madras)
1/4 teaspoon salt (add more to your taste)
dash black pepper
1/2 medium onion sliced thin
1/4 hot pepper (I use habanero or scotch bonnet)
3 cloves garlic – crushed and minced
3 leaves of shado beni (or 2 tablespoon cilantro)
2 medium potatoes cubed
2 tablespoons water for the curry paste
4 tablespoons water to add to the cooked curry
2 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

You have 2 options when using the canned channa. You can rinse and cook or rinse, remove the skin and then cook. Since I hate the sort of gritty taste the skin gives the dish, I usually remove the skins from each channa grain. Yes, it does take about 15-20 minutes to remove them all, but the end result is much better in my opinion. Side note: If you were to purchase any dish that comes with curry channa (doubles to name one) the vendor would not have taken the time to remove the skins off the channa. So you know it tastes good even with the skin.. it’s just my personal choice.

After I’ve emptied the can of channa and rinsed it under running water, I start removing the outer skin. This is rather simple… take a channa between your fingers and apply a little pressure. The skin and channa will separate easily.

Now that we’ve removed all of the outer layer from the channa it’s time to slice and mince up the onion, pepper, garlic and shado beni to start cooking. Don’t forget to peel and dice the potato as well. In a fairly deep saucepan, heat the oil on medium to high heat and get ready to cook the curry a bit. Put the curry in a small bowl and pour in the 2 tablespoons of water, then stir to a thick paste. Pour this into the heated oil and allow to cook for a few minutes. As it dries down a bit, add the onion, garlic, pepper and shadow beni and stir around. To give this a bit of time to cook, add about 4 tablespoons of water. (you’ll cook the curry mixture for 4-8 minutes in total)

When the onion and garlic is soft and the liquid is all burnt off, add the potato and stir around to coat every piece with the curry mixture we just made. Immediately after add the channa and stir.

Pour in the 2 and 1/2 cups of water, add the salt and a dash of black pepper then bring to a boil and reduce to a gentle simmer (pot closed). Allow this to cook for about 20 minutes or until the potato is tender. By now the water would have dried up and a thick sauce should have started to form. I like this dish with a bit of a thick gravy or sauce so using the back of my cooking spoon I press down on the potato and some of the channa. Then stir around so any runny liquid will get nice and thick. If you notice that after the 20 minutes cooking time you have little or no liquid in the pot, feel free to add some more and bring it to a boil. Same trick applies.. push down using the back of your spoon to help thicken the sauce.

Sometimes you wonder why it’s taken you this long to make something you usually purchase, when it’s so simple to make. leave me your thoughts below.

Happy Cooking

Chris…

p.s. hops bread is a a local bun the size of a hamburger bun in Canada and the US. It’s the main bun used for making sandwiches and you can get a fresh made batch at any of the local bakeries.

Spreading the culinary culture of the Caribbean.

May 28, 2025October 25, 20093 Comments

Very rare will you find a post on here that’s not a recipe, but after speaking with Chris from Food & Drink Caribbean I felt compelled to share the amazing work they’re doing promoting the cuisine of islands such at Antigua, St Kitts & Nevis and Dominica. I always tell people that if when I move back to the Caribbean and if I didn’t end up in my country of birth Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua would be my next choice. We been fortunate enough to have visited a number of the Caribbean islands while cruising and Antigua is etched in my mind as a true island paradise. The people, natural beauty and lifestyle are all amazing. BTW, you must visit Darkwood beach… I don’t want to say much more to have it over-run by tourists 🙂 (like me)

Rather than go on about the long conversation Chis and I had about what Caribbean Food and Drink is all about and what his partners (and friends) main goals are behind the website and magazine, here’s a teaser video they have for their upcoming DVD release:

A Taste of Antigua from Food&Drink Caribbean on Vimeo.

If you live, visit or plan on visiting Antigua, St Kitts and Nevis and /or Dominica (Not Dominican Republic) be sure to pick up a copy of the restaurant guide the people at Caribbean Food and Drink publish on a yearly basis. I believe it’s free on the islands and if you’re a foodie like me, you’ll get an insight into the respective island’s dining options. BTW, maybe I can convince one of you guys to grab me a copy while you’re down there?

Couple pics from our visit to Antigua (first one is Darkwood beach and the 2nd is from the top of Shirley Heights)

Please take a moment to check out the Caribbean Food and Drink website and mention that Chris from CaribbeanPot.com sent you.

Fry cabbage with leftover stew pork.

May 27, 2025October 22, 200917 Comments

Looking back at the difficult time we (brother and sisters) gave my mom due to the food she would prepare for us, I was overcome with a terrible sense of guilt. There were times we would refuse to eat even though she was making the most of what’s available, as well as trying to make stuff for us that were healthy. Full circle? We go through the same thing with our daughters, but we have influences like McDonalds, Taco Bell, Burger King and the other fast food joints all over this city that my mom didn’t have to compete with.

Cabbage was of those things which I would refuse to eat when I was younger (there are a few I’ve already mentioned on this blog), unless it was in chow mein. But I find myself drawn to it the past few years. Here’s a dish that was passed down to me by my grandmother who recently celebrated her 94th birthday. Instead of using pork, she would use left over stew chicken or salted cod to flavour it, since I don’t think she’s ever had pork in her life.

You’ll Need…

1/2 of a medium cabbage shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion sliced
2 cloves garlic sliced thin
1/4 habanero pepper sliced thin (pepper is optional, but adds a great flavour – feel free to use any hot pepper you like)
leftover stew pork
2 tablespoons olive oil

Note: if you don’t eat pork , you can always use leftover stew beef or chicken and salted cod is also a very tasty alternative. You can also check out the recipe I posted before for cabbage with corned beef. If you’d like to have the recipe with the salted cod, leave me a comment and I’ll post it for you. Vegetarians, you can leave out meat completely from this dish and it’s still excellent.

Start by slicing the onion, garlic and hot peppers very thin. Then in a large saucepan, heat the oil and add the onion, garlic and pepper. Allow this cook for a few minutes while you prepare the cabbage.

Allow the onions etc to cook for about 5 minutes on medium to low heat. The idea is to soften it to release it’s sugars and flavours. The next step is to add the shredded cabbage (I think it was about 5 cups or so) and stir gently. The pot will seem crowded and stirring will be a bit difficult, but it will reduce as it cooks. DON’T cover the pot or risk having a lot of liquid forming and making the dish soggy.

Allow this to cook for about 15-20 minutes (medium to low heat) or until the cabbage is cooked though to the texture you like. Then add in the pieces of stew pork (chicken or beef) and stir. Allow this to cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the pork is heated through if you had it in the fridge.

You won’t believe how tasty this cabbage dish is until you’ve tried it. I was fortunate to have some roti to eat this with, but it’s just as good with rice, ground provision, in a sandwich or as an everyday side dish.

TIP! Since I’ve confessed before that I can’t make roti, when my mom is in town we get her to make up a batch for us (buss up shut) and I freeze them in individual portions in zip lock freezer bags. Now don’t get me wrong, nothing beats fresh made roti, but when you reheat these it’s very close to the fresh stuff. So the next time you have someone over who can make roti, have them make you a batch and freeze them for times like this or go to your local Caribbean restaurant and get a batch to freeze. The only other tip I can give you is when heating in the microwave, don’t set the time for too long. Give it a 45 second blast, allow it to stop.. then hit it again for another 45 seconds. For some reason it it goes continuous, it ends up being a bit soggy. If you’re heating sada roti, I would recommend that you wrap it in paper towels or a tea cloth when reheating to avoid it going sorry.

Did you know that you can also freeze and reheat doubles? YUP! The closest joint that sells doubles in 1 hr away in Toronto. So when we drive down to visit my sister or go shopping we usually get several batches that we freeze.

FINAL TIP! When putting the roti or doubles into freezer bags to freeze, try your best to squeeze out any excess air from the bag as you seal it. If you have one of those “seal a meal” gadgets, take full advantage of it.

Leave me your comments below and…

Happy Cooking!

Finger licking BBQ chicken recipe.

May 27, 2025October 21, 200929 Comments

Couple weeks back when we were on vacation in Trinidad we took the drive “down south” (San Fernando, the second largest city in Trinidad and Tobago) to enjoy some BBQ. Last February when we went down for Carnival I had mentioned to my sister that I felt like eating some good island BBQ so she took us down to Cipero in San Fernando to eat at a BBQ joint run by some Muslims. I’ve now been there 2 times and I’m still to remember the name… the food is so good you tend to blank everything else out!

This BBQ recipe for chicken is not like the one we enjoyed while we were there, however it’s very tasty as it’s infused with many of the typical seasonings we use when cooking meat on the islands. BTW, if you know the BBQ joint I’m speaking about, do leave me a comment below so I can tell others the name.

* You have 2 options when making this BBQ chicken. You can precook it as I’ve done, or you can let it marinate for a couple hours (be sure to make some cuts in the thickest part of the chicken) and grill directly on a medium heat grill. I would even recommend that you grill it a bit on indirect heat to avoid flare-ups. Remember if you don’t precook the chicken it will take much longer to cook on the grill.

Note: If you’re feeding the average Trinbagonian BBQ chicken (any BBQ meat) it’s important to note that we don’t want to see any “red” or “pink”. It’s an immediate turn-off and we probably won’t eat it. However over the years I’ve learned to appreciate a medium done steak.. still trying to convince my dad that it’s good tasting like that.

You’ll Need…

7 chicken legs with back attached. (or about 3-5 lbs chicken pieces)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon thyme
1 scallion chopped
2-3 tablespoon shado beni (or chopped cilantro)
1-2 leaves of Spanish thyme minced
1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes (or fresh sliced scotch bonnet/habanero pepper)
dash of black pepper
1 table spoon ketchup
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 pimento pepper
1 medium onion rough chopped
1 tomato diced
2 cloves galic.
1 lime

* You’ll need about 1 cup of your favourite BBQ sauce.

Note: I didn’t have the items in “bold” above, so I used a tablespoon of the prepared green seasoning paste I have handy in my fridge. it’s made up of basically the same thing.

Start by trimming off any excess fat or skin from the chicken and wash with the juice of the lime (or lemon) and water (drain). Then place in a fairly large pot and toss in all the ingredients mentioned above. On medium to low heat, cover and allow to simmer (gentle) for about 30 minutes. Please ensure it’s a very low simmer as we don’t want to over-boil the chicken pieces. Stir every 10 minutes or so.

You will notice that there will be a lot of liquid formed during simmering. Remove the chicken pieces (dump out the remainign liquid from the pot) and get the grill ready for the final step (the chicken will not look all at that appealing at this point). Try to get the BBQ at about 300 degrees and start grilling the chicken. Since the chicken is already cooked, this point is just to get the meat firm, add some colour and flavour from the BBQ sauce.

In the pic above you’ll notice that I have the pan with my BBQ sauce and brush sitting on the BBQ. This allows the sauce to heat up so I don’t brush cold sauce onto the chicken pieces. Within 10-15 minutes your chicken will be ready. Just remember to flip a few times and brush with BBQ sauce to give it all that wonderful sticky BBQ goodness.

Back to that BBQ joint on Cipero Street in San Fernando… I would recommend that you stick with the chicken (comes with fries and salad) as I’ve found that the beef and lamb is very tough. And do be careful with the hot sauce that’s provided. If you can’t tolerate much heat, don’t try to follow the locals and pour in a ton of hot sauce. You’re just asking for pain then 🙂 And do try the sort of garlic mayo they have as well.

Happy Cooking

Chris…

Seasoned breakfast potato wedges.

March 5, 2012October 18, 200926 Comments

Caron’s been asking me to make this for her quite some time now and when I finally got around to making it, I realized that she had come from working nights and would be sleeping in. So like any responsible adult I devoured it with other breakfast fixings so it didn’t go to waste. I must have been about 7 years old when I first had these seasoned fries. I was sleeping over at my Uncle’s place and my cousin (he was older) decided that since we didn’t have chicken to fry we would season the fries and pretend we were eating chicken. Now there’s no substitute for delicious fried chicken, but these fries were amazing. The liking for these fries stayed with me right into my adult life. Funny thing is I don’t ever recall making it for our girls, but Tehya did have some and she too is now hooked.

I made these into chunky wedges, but you can cut the potato to any size or shape you like and follow the recipe for wonderful seasoned fresh cut fries.

* Here is the recipe for the green seasoning we’ll be using.

You’ll Need…

4 medium/large potatoes (I like Yukon Gold)
Salt to taste
Dash of black pepper
1/4 teaspoon green seasoning mix.
Oil for deep frying

Peel and cut the potatoes into chunky wedges, rinse with water to remove some of the starchy residue off them and pat dry with a paper towel. Then in a bowl add the potato wedges, a dash of salt and black pepper and mix in the green seasoning. Allow this to marinate for about 10-15 minutes.

Now it’s time to deep fry as you normally would. I used a faily deep frying pan with about 4-5 cups of vegetable oil over medium to high heat. Once hot I slowly placed the potato wedges (I did mine in 2 batches) into the hot oil. Beware of hot oil splattering onto you. Allow this cook until you get to the desired golden brown colour you like. Can take about 8-12 minutes depending on how big your chunks of potato are and the temperature of your oil.

Remove, drain on paper towels to absorb some of the excess oil and toss with a bit of salt (to taste). Serve as part of your breakfast or on it’s own.

Maybe you have a different way of making seasoned fries you’d like to share? Leave me you comments below.

Happy Cooking

Chris…

Pong-up yam with saltfish!

March 5, 2012October 15, 200915 Comments

For those of you not familiar with the Trinbagonian accent… “pong” simply refers to “pound”. So basically we’ll be pounding or mashing the yam in cooked salted cod and other ingredients to bring out the true essence of this wonderful “country” dish. This dish may have different names such as “yam choka” or “yam talkari”, but to me it’s pong up yam with saltfish. Besides using saltfish to flavour this recipe, I recall my mom also using left over stew pork as well. Usually this is a dish we would enjoy the day after we’ve had ground provisions. My mom would take the leftover pieces of yam, along with the saltfish or stew pork that was part of the original meal and cook it together for us to eat sada roti or fry bake with. Since I’m a novice at making roti (just waiting to get a good food processor that will help me make the dough), I make it into an entire meal and enjoy with a couple slices of zaboca (avocado).

Note: The yam I’m using in this recipe is NOT the type of sweet yams you get and use around Thanksgiving time in North America and will not come in a can. This yam is the real deal and makes up what we call ground provisions in the Caribbean. Also note that there are many varieties of this yam, including “Finger”, “Kush Kush” and “Juba” to name a few. All of which is rather soft when cooked and is fairly white in colour. However I’ve been to the local Caribbean grocers and have come across some varieties that comes from Jamaica (sort of a yellow yam) that very hard when cooked. I personally think that variety will not work with this recipe, as it it will be to hard when boiled.

Final yam note… this yam my dad purchased at an Asian store in Toronto for me, but I don’t know if it’s actually Asian in nature or actually African. I do know that unlike most yams from the Caribbean, this one cooks (gets soft when boiled) very fast and has a wonderful texture when cooked.

You’ll Need…

1-2 lbs of yam (not the yams you have for Thanksgiving in North America)
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion sliced
dash of black pepper
4-6 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 hot pepper (habanero or scotch bonnet) optional
1/8 of a green bell pepper diced small (sweet pepper)
4 oz salted fish (cod is great for this recipe)

Place the salted cod in a fairly deep bowl and cover with boiling water to remove the extra salt it was cured in. Allow this to soak for a few minutes until it’s cool enough for you to work with. In the meantime, peel the yam (see video below) and cut into pieces. Try to ensure that all the pieces are the same size so they all finish cooking at the same time. Rinse off the pieces of yam under cool water and place in a deep pot. The pot must be deep enough for water to cover the pieces of yam when boiling. Now place the pot over med-high heat and bring to a boil. When it starts boiling add the salt and turn down to the heat to a steady simmer/boil.

* Depending on the variety of yam you used and when that yam was harvested (if it’s harvested too early it will affect the cooking time) the time it takes to cook will vary. With the yam I used, it was cooked in under 15 minutes, but with normal Caribbean yam it won’t be done for at least 20 minutes +. Here’s how to test the yam to know if it’s fully cooked. Run a sharp knife through the pieces and if there’s no resistance, it means it’s done.

After you’ve tested that the yam is cooked (it will be soft, but firm) drain the water out and set it aside as we get ready for the next step. By now the hot water we poured over the salted fish should be cool. Drain that water, rinse with a new batch of cool water and squeeze off any excess water. The next step is to rip the fish into small pieces. I don’t think I mentioned it above, but I purchased the boneless type of salted fish.

In the same bowl you have the pieces of slated fish, add the sliced onion, hot pepper, black pepper and bell pepper.

Then in a fairly large saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot add the fish and all the other ingredients and allow it to cook for about 6 minutes. Remember to stir occasionally.

The final step is to pour in the cooked yam and crush it, then stir to allow all the ingredients to combine. I used a wooden “pounder” (pestle) that I have, but you can also use a potato masher as well. If you don’t have either, simply use the back of your cooking spoon to mash or crush the yam pieces. It’s important that you stir often and prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. Cook for a couple minutes (until everything is blended) and serve hot.

As mentioned above this is amazing as a side for roti or fry bake and just as great all on it’s own.

Do remember to leave me your comments and if you’re on Facebook feel free to add me as your friend: Connect With Chris On Facebook.

Here’s a video I did a while back showing you how to peel yams…

A Traditional “Trini” Thanksgiving Turkey?

May 27, 2025October 14, 200920 Comments

When in Rome! Yes, this past Monday was turkey day in Canada and as any good Canadian (I have the people passport) I prepared a turkey for dinner as we’ve done since our girls were born. This is part of their culinary culture and I/we try my best to give them a balanced education and experience as far as their multi-cultural heritage is concerned. My experience with turkeys as a child was the “big chicken” that moved around our yard that me and my brother were warned not to pelt with stones (we tested our mom). If I recall correctly, one of my dad’s friends gave him 3 turkeys and from that we had about 8 running around the yard for a few years. Still don’t remember what happened to them, since I don’t ever recall eating turkey until I came to North America. BTW one of the best animal fights I’ve ever witnessed was two male turkeys at war! Must have been over one of the females in the yard.

I’m no expert at roasting turkey and I don’t get into the whole “make it a production” as most North Americans do when it’s Thanksgiving. However, I do get compliments even though I cheat when it comes to the stuffing. But I do add a little twist that makes the boxed stuffing delightful.

Though I don’t recall roasted (bake) turkey being among the common dishes enjoyed on the islands, it’s enjoyed in our home so I thought I’d share my recipe with you. BTW, my mom makes a deadly stew (like our stew chicken, beef, pork etc) with turkey wings and drumsticks which I’ll share in the months to come.

You’ll Need..

1 Turkey (the one I used was about 6 kilos – about13 lbs)
2 cups diced celery
1 large onion chopped in large pieces
2 carrots chopped in larger pieces
8-10 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 cups of chicken broth (low sodium)
Salt (depending on the size of the bird) ..I used about 1/2 teaspoon.
Black pepper – fresh ground works best (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 stick butter (soft)

For the stuffing (we’ll cheat)
1 box Paxo (Pepperidge Farms) – 227 g or 8 oz
300g pure pork sausage (just over 1/2 pound)
1 stalk celery (sliced thin)
dash of fresh black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley.

Before we begin I must mention that cooking a turkey is very simple and it should not scare you. The key is to have some patience and allow it to cook slowly in the oven. You will notice that there are many (probably hundreds) of recipes for roasting a turkey, but don’t get confused by all the different options. Find a recipe where the instructions are clear, the ingredients used are those you like (no sense making one with stuff you hate) and where you can add your own personal touch.

Let’s prepare the stuffing first. You’ll notice that I cheated and used a pre-packaged stuffing. I’m sure the made-from-scratch stuff is excellent, but we’ve found this brand to be tops in our books. Plus I add a few things which makes it a bit more than just a package stuffing mix.

Slice the stalk of celery in thin slices and chop about 1 tablespoon of flat leaf parsley which you’ll add to a bowl. Then dump in the stuffing mixture (usually bread crumbs and herbs like sage etc). Now follow the directions on the package. Except in my case I didn’t add the butter they suggested for a richer stuffing. Instead I added the pork sausage (meat), as well as a dash of fresh ground black pepper. You’re basically following the directions on the package, except you’re adding the extra ingredients I mentioned above. You won’t believe what a nice flavour and texture the sausage adds to the stuffing.. gives it some “body”.

Let’s get to the bird now…

Be sure that the turkey is at room temperature (you may have to thaw it overnight in the fridge, if you purchased a frozen bird) as you begin to prep it. Remove the giblets and neck (see inside the cavity or under the skin in the neck region), then rinse the bird under cool water and pat dry with a paper towel. It’s important that you pat it as dry as you can.

If the legs were secured when you first purchased it, detach it (usually held together with the skin from the tail or bottom area) so it’s easier to stuff. Be sure to drain out any water from the cavity area by holding over the sink, then using the stuffing we made earlier… stuff that sucka!

You’ll notice that I’ve gone back and secured the legs to keep it together as it roasts. I’ve also tucked the wings under the back to help give it a flat area so ti can rest evenly in the roasting pan. Here is a close up picture of how I tucked the wings under the back.

The next step is to (using your fingers) put pieces of the soft butter all over the turkey (with the turkey’s breast facing up, so it’s sitting on it’s back), then massage the butter all over all exposed skin, especially the breast area. this will help you achieve that golden brown colour when it’s all done cooking. A bit more work, but you can also work your fingers between the skin (breast area) and the meat and work some butter into that area. I didn’t do that method this time, but by placing the butter there, it supposedly gives you a more moist turkey. After you’ve worked the butter all over the bird, sprinkle on the salt and fresh ground black pepper. The butter will help it stick to the turkey.

Let’s get the roasting pan ready…. pre-heat the oven to 325. (remove all the upper racks from the oven, since you’ll be using the lowest rack)

Rough chop the celery, onion and carrots, then place on the bottom of the roasting pan along with the fresh thyme. This will form a bed for the turkey to rest on while roasting.Place the stuffed turkey on top of the cut vegetables then gently pour in the 2 cups of chicken broth. Feel free to toss in the neck into the pan if you have room (providing you like the neck).

Tip: To avoid the legs and breast going too dark (early) you can rip some aluminum foil and place it over those areas. Then remove it the final 30 minutes of cooking.

Tip: If you don’t have a roasting pan with a lid like I used, use an open roasting pan but be sure to tent it with aluminum foil. This will aviod the bird getting burnt during the long baking period (also helps self baste it) Remove the tent the final 30 minutes of so to help it achieve that golden brown colour. If you find that it’s taking a long time to get to the desired colour you like, do what I did and turn up the heat in the oven. But be sure to keep a close eye on things, as it can become very dark quickly.

I’ve read that there’s never been any real proof that basting the turkey helps with keeping the final product moist, but it’s the way I learned to do it so I try to follow that technique. If you choose to baste, using a baster or spoon every 30 minutes pour some of the broth from the bottom of the pan over the turkey.

If you purchased a packaged turkey there should be cooking times posted on the packaging. You can also roast 18 minutes for every pound. As you can see you’ll need at least 3 hours for a fully cooked, golden brown and succulent turkey. I’ve also noticed (and used) the turkeys that come from the grocery store with a thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the breast. When it reaches the desired temperature it pops out to let you know that the turkey is fully cooked. Cheating? Not really, just being smart!

When the turkey is done please don’t rush to carve it. give it some time to cool and rest a bit. Then scoop out the remaining juices at the bottom of the pan (strain off the vegeables) and make into a rich gravy.

Remember to scoop out the stuffing! Leave me your comments and/or suggestions in the area provided below.

Happy Cooking

Chris…

A sensational pepper choka for the grown.

May 28, 2025October 10, 20096 Comments

I recall my mom making something similar as a young fella and being warned that I/we should not touch it due to the high pepper content. Like everything your parents didn’t want you to do.. you did. The overwhelming heat was simply unbearable as a youth and I did learn my lesson, however that was the start of my love affair with extremely hot peppers and sauces made from such peppers.

Note: This is not like other chokas you’ll find on here that’s part of a meal. This pepper choka is more of a pepper sauce which is added on the side (in very small quantities) to add a bit of flair to any dish as you would normally use hot sauce. I just love this as a side when I’m enjoying a steaming hot plate of chicken pelau.

You’ll Need…

12-14 green (but mature) habanero or scotch bonnet peppers.
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 medoum onion sliced thin
1/2 head of garlic (about 5 cloves)

* If you can’t source habanero or scotch bonet peppers or maybe the heat is too much for you, feel free to use any pepper with a bit of heat to them.

TIP: I highly recommend that you roast your peppers in an outdoor grill, since while roasting it will give out a very strong peppery scent that can overwhelm your home and even cause you to cough. If you’ve ever allowed water to run onto a plate with hotsauce, you’ll know what I mean when I say it will choke you and cause you to cough.

This is one of the simplest recipes you’ll find on here. Start by getting half a head of garlic and using a sharp knife, cut the end off (I’ll explain why later) Then using foil wrap, competely enclose the garlic (you’ll notice that I didn’t completely enclose mine in tin foil, but that was a mistake) and place it away from direct heat on the grill. Then place the peppers onto the grill on low to medium flame/heat.

Allow the peppers to roast/grill for about 15-20 minutes and be sure to turn them often so each side gets in contact with the grill and flames. You’re trying to char the skin as it gives the pepper a smoky flavour and somehow intensifies the heat of the pepper.

Allow the garlic to roast for about 25 minutes or so then remove. Remember how I asked you to cut the tips of the garlic (see pics above)? Now, with the cut tips facing a small bowl, gently squeeze the head of garlic (remember to allow it to cool a bit first), it should easily squirt our the lovely roasted flesh of the garlic. In the same bowl place the salt and roasted peppers. Remember to remove the stems from the pepper first. Then using a masher or in my case a “pounder” crush everything into a chunky paste. This is meant to be rustic, so don’t worry about crushing everything uniformly.

The next step is to place the thinly sliced onions on top of the now crushed peppers and garlic, then heat the oil on medium to high heat. When the oil starts to smoke, gently pour it over the onions and mix thoroughly. You’re done!

Tip! : Be sure to use a pair of disposable latex gloves (or any water proof gloves) when handling the hot peppers. The oil that’s released can and will irritate your skin.

Tip! : By roasting the garlic you’ll find that it gets a bit sweet and loses some of the true “garlicky” taste. If you looking for a more traditional pepper choka, don’t roast the garlic but only use about 2-3 crushed cloves.

Final Tip! Yes, you can use a food processor instead of pounding away as I did. But you’ll need to add a couple tablespoons of oil when processing the roasted peppers, garlic and salt. Then pour it into a bowl before adding the sliced onions and pouring the heated oil. Remember to keep you face/nose away from the container if you used a food processor. The smell will be VERY peppery.

Again, I must warn you that this is incredibly hot and should be used in moderation. This can be made and left out for a couple days, then store in a covered contained in the fridge. However there are 2 things you must know.. 1. When using from the fridge I recommend that you heat it in the microwave before serving to bring it back to it’s original state. 2. When stored in the fridge you will find that it will lose some of it’s heat. I’m not sure why this happens, but from experience I know it does.

So what do you think my mom said when I went against her wish and took some of the pepper choka she made? “Who doh hear does feel”! In typical Caribbean parenting way.

Curry Beef or Beef Curry?

February 2, 2021October 8, 200948 Comments

I do apologize for being an absent chef the past couple weeks. As mentioned in my last post we were off to Trinidad and Tobago for my sister’s wedding and for a short vacation. And though I had all intention to cook and blog while we were there, there was so much to see and do that I got side tracked. Plus, the MAC computer I had access to, didn’t allow for me to upload my pics via a card reader and I totally forgot to pack my firewire to connect the camera directly.

Curry beef is not something we grew up on, actually the first time I ever tasted curry beef was when I lived with my aunt after first moving to Canada. To date I can probably count the number of times I’ve had curry beef. Not as if I don’t like it, it’s just that I grew up with a taste for stew beef. Looks like I may have to cook this more often as both Indy and Tehya both enjoyed dinner tonight.

You’ll Need…

1 1/2 lbs cubed beef
3/4 teaspoon salt
dash of black pepper
1/4 teaspoon roasted Geera (powder)
2 table spoon curry powder (madras)
1 onion separated (1/2s) – diced
2-3 cloves of garlic – crushed/chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
2 cups water
1 tomato diced
1 tablespoon green seasoning
2 leaves of shado beni (shandon beni)
1 teaspoon ketchup
1/4 hot pepper (I use habanero) Don’t include seeds if you’re afraid of some heat.
1 lime or lemon (juice) to wash the cubed beef before seasoning

Tip: If you don’t have the green seasoning, simply use 1 scallion chopped, a pimento pepper if you have access to one, 1 table spoon thyme, 1 table spoon celery chopped fine, 2 tablespoons cilantro. NOTE: If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to read the label of the curry powder you plan on using to ensure it meets with your specific gluten free diet. Some curry powder contains flour as a filler.

Start by cutting the beef into 1 inch cubes and then pour the lime or lemon juice over it and rinse with running water. Squeeze off all excess water then season with the… tomato, salt, black pepper, green seasoning, 1/2 of the onion, ketchup, shando beni and roasted geera. Stir well and allow to marinate for about 1 hour.

In a heavy pot, heat the oil on medium to high heat (in the pic I’m using the new iron pot I purchased on my trip.. notice how shiny it is?), then add the remaining onion, garlic and pieces of hot pepper. Allow this to cook for a couple minutes. In the meantime, in a small bowl put the curry powder and add 2 table spoons of water. Stir to form a paste. Then add this paste to the semi cooked onion / garlic and allow this to cook for a few minutes.

Now that the curry is cooked a bit, start adding the seasoned pieces of beef and give it a good stir. Bring it to a boil, then cover and turn down the heat to low. You will notice that a lot of natural liquid will form. That’s ok, we’ll use those wonderful juices in the first step of cooking. After you’ve emptied the bowl with the seasoned beef, pour in the 2 cups of water into it and try to pick up all the remaining bits of seasoning… we’ll use this later on.

Allow this to cook for about 25 minutes covered, then remove the cover and turn the heat back up to high. we want to burn off all the liquid that was released. Stir so it doesn’t burn and when you can see the pot’s bottom dry, add the 2 cups of water we prepared earlier in the bowl that had the seasoned beef. Stir, bring to a boil and reduce the heat back to low. I like my curry beef very tender, so I usually allow it to cook for about another 40 minutes or so.

After the 40 minutes or so feel free to check for salt (you may need to add more if you like a lot of salt) and bring the gravy to a thickness you like. if you find that it’s still a bit runny, turn up the heat to allow it to thicken. TIP. If you’d like you can add a couple cubed potatoes the final 25 minutes, but you may need to add a little more salt. Makes for a great curry potato and beef, the kind you’d find when you purchase a beef roti.

There you go, a simple and tasty curry beef that’s great on rice or as a side for roti… or to enjoyed as you please. Remember to leave me your comments below.

Red Mango – Spicy Preserved Fruits of Trinidad and Tobago.

May 28, 2025October 6, 200918 Comments

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of taking the drive over the Northern Range to the most popular beach in Trinidad, there’s no way you could miss the lookout stop where everyone stops for pictures and to enjoy some of the preserved treats that are sold by local vendors. If you’re lucky (we’ve not seen him the past couple times we were there) you may even encounter a fella with a guitar who serenades visitors with his guitar and calypso music.

Last week we took the drive a couple times as we tried to make the most of our vacation and enjoy the amazing weather, since we knew we were coming back to almost winter-like weather in Canada. Here’s a short video clip showing some of the preserved fruits that are sold at the look-out stop. I believe this way of preserving is influenced by the Chinese part of our heritage. It’s a combination of boiling or drying the fruit, then cooking it briefly in some sort of red food dye and a combination of spices and hot pepper.

As a boy I remember buying such preserves, but the options were limited to mango, plum and cherries. I was quite amazed to see the many other fruits that are now preserved.. even ones not found in the Caribbean, like peaches and olives.

BTW, the vendors also carry a wide selection of packages snacks (cookies, corn chips etc), as well as other island favourites like, tamarind ball, toolum, sugar cake, mango chow and “chinee” prunes.

In case you’re wondering what the name of the beach is, it’s called Maracas Bay and it’s a great place to cool off on the weekends. But be warned that the beach is a favourite with locals on the weekend, so expect crowds. We went 2 times during the week and we pretty much had the beach just to ourselves. And though it was not busy, the life guards were still on duty.