Categorized | Salads, Vegetarian

An uncomplicated salad with some “bite”.

Posted on 22 May 2009
Tags: , , , , , , ,

spicy-caribbean-salad-recipeDo you ever wonder how things get their name? I remember my mom had a kitchen garden at the back of our house, where she’d grow things that usually ended up on our plate..  Things like herbs, peppers, tomato, eggplant, ground provisions etc. One of the peppers she grew was called “bird” pepper, which is known as Thai chili or Tabasco peppers here in north America. Why “bird”? not sure, but as a kid I do remember when the trees were laden with those bright red peppers, we’d see birds coming to feed on them. You’d also find these pepper trees in the most out-of-place spots. Simply because the birds would feed, digest and then wherever their dropping fell.. there was the chance that a tree would grow there.

Here’s a salad I started making a few years back to satisfy my taste for something fresh and spicy!

You’ll need…

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste
2 medium ripe tomatoes (cut in wedges)
1/4 red onion (sliced thin)
1 leaf of shadow beni (optional) (sliced thin)
1/2 seedless (English)cucumber (about 6 inches) Sliced thin with skin on.
dash of black pepper (fresh cracked is best)
3-5 chili peppers (Thai, Tabasco or bird)

To control the heat of the pepper, you can cut them down the center, then using a spoon scrape off the seeds. I love the heat so all I do is slice the peppers, including the seeds. Wash and slice the tomatoes into wedges. If you have an English cucumber, wash and slice.. if you have a common cucumber all you have to do is cut it down the center and using a spoon, scrape the seeds out. Slice the red onion into very thin slices.

chilli-salada

bird-pepper

caribbean-tomato

caribbean-spicy-salad

In a bowl, combine the pepper, vegetables, olive oil, black pepper. I don’t add salt to my version of this salad, but that’s because I don’t eat a lot of salt and your taste may be different. Add accordingly. If you do have shadow beni or cilantro you can add it at this point as well. I also have to say that I’ve seen people add red wine or balsamic vinegar, but like salt I don’t care for vinegar.

hot-salad-recipe

Do show some respect for the bird peppers, as they will have a bite to them!

Similar Recipes:

  1. Shredded salad with or without leftover chicken.
«
»

18 Responses to “An uncomplicated salad with some “bite”.”

  1. Cynthia says:
    August 6, 2009 at 11:02 pm

    I love how you showcase of food is such a simple and delightfully tasty manner!
    .-= Cynthia´s last blog ..Eating at the Table =-.

    Reply
  2. Sheri R. says:
    December 30, 2009 at 1:06 pm

    Do you have the receipe for coconut drops w/cherry on top and plantain salad and breadfruit salad?

    Reply
  3. Grace Benjamin says:
    January 15, 2010 at 5:19 pm

    I will try that salad

    Reply
  4. Vids says:
    January 26, 2010 at 11:54 am

    Thanks for the receipe for the salad it came out great. I look forward for some more Salad receipe … trying to eat on the healthy side these days .

    Reply
    • admin says:
      January 31, 2010 at 3:37 pm

      Vids, we all are or at least we should all be trying to!

      Thanks for leaving your comment.

      happy cooking

      chris…

      Reply
    • cheryl says:
      June 17, 2011 at 7:07 pm

      Hi Chris am looking forward for some more vegetable and salad recipe . I need to lose 15lbs my friend and i is doing a weight lost competition starting from June 20th to labor day weekend

      Reply
  5. Wendy says:
    February 1, 2010 at 5:59 pm

    Looks really delicious! The bird peppers are quite common and are useful. Yes, the birds love them, so you don’t always get the ripe ones. Thanks, Chris

    Reply
    • admin says:
      February 3, 2010 at 6:21 pm

      Wendy, as a boy my parents had a kitchen garden at the back of our home and I used to love it when the pepper trees were covered with the ting ripe red peppers. I’ve now seen similar plants sold as “ornamental” plants here in North America. Not sure if there’s any heat to them though.

      happy cooking

      chris..

      Reply
  6. Brittany says:
    March 10, 2010 at 10:27 pm

    I love all your recipes! My boyfriend is Jamaican and he eats rice and peas with almost everything..do you have recipe for this? Thanks!

    Reply
  7. Brittany says:
    March 23, 2010 at 1:28 pm

    Thank you so much! I can’t wait to try it.

    Reply
  8. Cassie says:
    April 11, 2010 at 9:43 am

    i love this!!!!

    Reply
  9. Alf G says:
    March 22, 2011 at 4:18 am

    I will try that salad also. Looks very delicious. Thanks Chris.

    Reply
  10. Lena St. Omer says:
    April 30, 2011 at 7:14 pm

    Chris, in St. Lucia we make our cucumber salads with a squeeze of lime juice and lots of fresh garlic, plus the ingredients you mentioned. One can smell it a mile away. We use scotch bonnett peppers, which are very hot.
    I enjoy all your recipes. Thanks.
    Lena St. Omer
    St. Lucia

    Reply
  11. Peggy says:
    August 8, 2011 at 8:41 am

    Thanks for another great sounding recipe Chris, I can't wait to try it. Have a great day. Peg

    Reply
  12. Charlene Ramsey says:
    August 11, 2011 at 8:10 pm

    You done it again, I actually made this tonight and added some slices of mango to it and had it with a bit of steamed salmon. Man it was good…

    Reply
  13. Jennifer says:
    May 8, 2012 at 8:26 pm

    Thanks for the wonderful recipe…we grow it all here in Las Vegas! Very light & healthy….we also loved the mango chutney…..can't grow mangos here……sad to say. Keep up the great site!

    Reply

Trackbacks/Pingbacks


Leave a Reply

  • Tags
  • Popular
  • Latest
  • Comments
  • Subscribe

Pages