I have a weakness for plantain, which means I can’t walk by the display at the grocery store and not put some in the shopping cart. A lot of times they go bad on the counter and I know this… but I just can’t help myself.  Yet again I had some on the counter in the kitchen calling out to me (or was that Caron saying “are you going to use these or let them go bad again?”) so rather than fry them as I would normally, I decided to be a bit creative.

With the addition of the spices and sugar this could easily be considered a dessert, or used as a topping for some good coconut ice cream, but I much prefer it as a side to my rice dishes and the leftover I made sandwiches with. Toasted bread with a thin layer of butter and a few slices of this wonderful cinnamon plantain slices.

You’ll Need…

3 medium ripe plantains
2 tablespoon golden brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch grated nutmeg
pinch salt
2 tablespoon olive oil (for brushing)

Recipe Edit Notes. In the video I posted below I failed to mention a few things. The plantains I used would have been better if they were a bit riper and I think it would be much tastier if you gave them a good brushing of melted butter. The butter would allow the brown sugar to caramelize and form a lovely coating on the finished slices of plantain.

Start by trimming off the ends of the ripe plantains and discard. Then cut in half length-wise and peel off the skin (see the video below to see how I did it).  You will now have two pieces of peeled plantain… slice off (lengthwise) a piece about 1/4 inch. Now use this sliced surface to sit on your cutting board to make slicing the rest of the plantain easier. Slice 1/4 inch pieces and set aside.

Mix together the cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg, salt and brown sugar until it’s completely blended.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (makes clean-up easier) and brush it with oil to coat the surface. Now place the slices of ripe plantain on top, brush with the olive oil and sprinkle (generously) the spice mixture we just made, evenly on each piece of plantain. (See my note above about using butter)

Place in the middle rack of a preheated 400 F oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. After 30 minutes check to see how it’s doing.. if you find that it’s golden and a nice caramel coat has formed, you may want to remove it from the oven early. I say this because I know that no 2 oven are the same when it comes to controlled temperatures.

The lovely scent of cinnamon and nutmeg should be present in your kitchen and you’ll be tempted to eat a slice or two as soon as it comes out of the oven… be careful as it will be very hot.

Before you go I invite you to leave me your comments below.. even if it just to say hello. It’s always appreciated. And don’t forget to join us on facebook and do check out the cooking videos.

When our daughters were younger I remember that whenever anyone was coming to visit from Trinidad and Tobago they always had a few bottles of Sorrel Shandy in their suitcase for them. Especially Tehya, who felt grown-up drinking from a bottle which looked similar to a beer bottle. My memories of sorrel (the drink and not the salad greens) is one of much joy, especially since it’s a drink most people from the Caribbean associate with the holiday season around Christmas.

My mom and dad would always plant sorrel between their corn and pigeon peas in the garden and come the later part of the year is when the flowers would be in full bloom and ready for harvesting. The flowers of the plant is what’s used for making the sorrel drink. In the recipe below I’ll be using dried sorrel which is commonly available in most West Indian and some Asian markets as I couldn’t source fresh sorrel petals. This will also serve to prove that sorrel does not have to be a drink enjoyed around Christmas time as the dried sorrel works just as great as the fresh stuff and is available all year long.

Before we get to the recipe I must mention that if you use less water and no sugar (as mentioned in the recipe) you can make a concentrated syrup, which you can bottle and keep in the fridge for quite a while. Then all you do when you’re ready for a refreshing glass of sorrel on a hot day, is to pour some out, add sugar and water and you’re good to go.

You’ll Need…

2 cups dried sorrel
8 cups water
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 stick cinnamon
1 cup sugar (see note below)
4 cloves

Note: I started off with 1 cup of sugar, but ended up using 2 cups. I only mentioned 1 in the recipe since your tolerance for sugar will be a bit different than mine. This way we have a starting point to which you can use as a gauge to add more (to your liking).

This is a very simple recipe, which does need a bit of time and patience since the sorrel must steep to release all it’s wonderful flavors.

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, then add all the ingredients to the pot. Bring back to a boil and reduce the heat to a rolling boil. Allow this to boil for about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover the pot and allow this to steep for at least 4 hours (overnight would be best).

Next up, strain the contents into a juice jug and add more sugar as needed (see note above). You can store this in the fridge for about a week… if you don’t finish it before then.

* You can certainly add more cinnamon and cloves if you want to give it a more ‘spiced’ flavor and if memory serves me correctly, I believe my dad would also put some dried orange peel when boiling. I add my sugar when the water is hot so it dissolves faster… just my way of doing things. If you want a grown-up version you can always add a shot or two of dark rum or vodka to your glass.

Here’s the video I did when I put this sorrel recipe together:

Before you go I invite you to leave me your comments below.. even if it just to say hello. It’s always appreciated. And don’t forget to join us on facebook and do check out the cooking videos.

For those of you familiar with the blog know that the only time I stray from posting actual recipes is when I feel it necessary to  acknowledge the work others are doing to promote the rich and diverse culinary heritage which comes out of the Caribbean. Though today’s featured work is not necessarily a cook book as I’ve done in t he past, the author is not only a published author, she’s a best seller on Amazon.com as well. You may best know Ramin Ganeshram from her hugely successful ‘“Sweet Hands – Island Cooking From Trinidad And Tobago”” which I gave away on the post I did on making dhalpuri roti (see the bottom of the page) a few weeks back.

Ramin sent me a copy of her latest work “Stir It Up”  back in late spring of this year and if you look closely at the image above you’ll notice that I got one of the copies before the final editing (says not for sale). Besides getting free stuff in the mail, I also appreciate it when others acknowledge my passion for food and everything Caribbean with small tokens like this. I finally got around to reading it about a month ago and I thought it should be something I should share with you guys. And though “Stir It Up” is a novel with teenage readers in mind, I found it to be inspiring, especially since it dealt with the struggles of immigrant families when their traditions and values are threatened by those of their new homeland.

“Stir It Up” is the inspirational story of Anjali, the teenage daughter of a hard-working  immigrant family from Trinidad and Tobago who lives in Queens NY, who’s dream is to one day have her own television show on the Food Network. Her real struggle begins when she gets accepted as a challenger on a reality show on the Food Network to determine their next teen star, but the main audition is the same day as the entrance exam to one of the most prestigious academic schools in NY. Without giving away too much… the story shows the inner struggle not to disappoint her parents, but at the same time follow her dreams.

Though “Stir It Up” was meant for teenage readers I found it quite captivating, since I could identify with the characters in the book. Ramin portrays the true mentality of the average immigrant from the Caribbean who sees everything other than academics as hobbies and our hardworking nature which we use to make a “life” in the new country we call home. I especially like the way actual  recipes are blended seamlessly into a novel as I’ve never seen it done before. Recipes you can easily duplicate in your kitchen with the step by step instructions.

You can certainly tell that you’re reading the work of someone from the Caribbean, but when you come across words like “hockey puck” and “softball” in describing situations, you can tell that the author is also trying to accommodate all readers with words they can identify with. Tracing the route Anjali would take from school to her dad’s roti shop in Queens, was like listening to my mom and dad speak after they go visit my brother who live sin New York. The street names, the buses and subway… it’s as if I’ve been there before.

A wonderful piece of literature which could easily double as a mini recipe book with it’s inclusion of tasty recipes. Hard work, determination and creativity is certainly the recipe for success and the story of Anjali highlights this.

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— Winner Wanted!—

It’s that time again – with the kind consideration of Ramin Ganeshram we’re giving away two copies of “Stir It Up” That’s right, two lucky readers will have a chance to win a copy of this fantastic novel.A ll you have to do is leave a comment below saying what part food played during your childhood. Maybe it can be a favorite memory or  a dish you’d look froward to.

There are two bonus ways you can have your name entered in the contest, giving you 3 chances at winning. Along with leaving a comment below, go to the Facebook fan page and/or the Youtube cooking channel and leave a comment  there. I don’t care what your comment is, but it would be nice if you could tell me what you like about Caribbean food and if the recipes I share are helpful.

Here are the rules pertaining to winning the copy of “Stir It Up”…

- contest is open to everyone globally

- there are 3 ways to enter your name (see above)

- 2 winners will be chosen at random (if you left 3 comments, your name will be entered 3 times)

- contest is open from October 28 – to midnight November 15.

- winners will be announced within 1 week of the official close date.

- the winners will have 1 week to contact us with mailing address

- we will cover all shipping expenses (standard mail)

I hope you take a moment to enter your name as I’d really like to mail this book out to you. It’s simple, free and would make for a great Christmas gift to a teenager in your house or someone you may know. If you’re like me, you’ll even find it interesting.

Good Luck!

Fry channa is one of those spicy snacks that’s sold by street vendors in either a cone shaped paper package or in reused bottles (like rum) all over the country. However my connection to fry channa is going to my moms cousin’s home for Divali and she would have a huge bowl  for us to snack on while the many vegetarian culinary delights were making it’s way to the table. Though Ivy is no longer with us, I have fond memories of her and the way she always had time for a chat and her talents in the kitchen were unsurpassed.

By controlling the amount of pepper you add, this can be a treat enjoyed by everyone… but if its for you and your friends while enjoying some ‘beverages” don’t hold back on the heat. Let’s see how much heat they can handle!

Channa (Indian influence) is just another word for chickpeas or garbanzo beans.

The traditional way of making this is to fry in a couple cups of vegetable oil, then season. But in trying to give you a healthier option, we’ll roast these in the oven and you won’t be able to taste the difference, except they’ll be a bit healthier for you.

You’ll Need…

2 cups dried chick peas (channa)
4 cups water
1.5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 habanero pepper (no seeds to control the heat)
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon chopped shado beni
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Notes: You can certainly use any sort of hot pepper you like and add as much as you can tolerate. If you don’t have fresh hot peppers you can certainly use pepper sauce or cayenne powder, which would also give it a lovely kick. If you can’t source shado beni you can use cilantro or parsley. If using parsley, I would only use 1 tablespoon of it (it has that sort of bitter after-taste) When I did this recipe I used 3 tablespoon of olive oil (see the video), but I learned that I would have achieved the same results by cutting that by half.

The night before measure out the chickpeas into a large bowl and cover with 4 cups of water. Allow this to soak overnight. Remeber to use a large bowl as it will double in size as it soaks.

The next day you’ll notice a few things…. 1. Most of the water was absorbed by the chickpeas. 2. They’ve doubled in size. and 3. The color changed to a lighter shade. Drain whatever water was left back, rinse and place in a colander to drain off. We’re trying to get this as dry as possible for seasoning.

While this air-dries, lets prepare the seasoning. Chop as fine as you can, the garlic, shando beni (remember you can also use cilantro or parsley as well) and habanero pepper. Then in a small bowl, pour the olive oil (one and a half teaspoon) and add all pepper, garlic, shado beni and black pepper.

Pour the pre-soaked chickpeas into a large bowl and using a paper towel or kitchen towel, dry to get as much moisture as you can off the chickpeas. Now give the seasoned oil a good stir, then add it to the bowl with the chickpeas. Sprinkle the salt and give the entire batch a good stir. The idea is to pick up all the seasoning and have it coat each chickpea.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and get ready to roast. I learned my lesson from the jerk chicken wings recipe and this time I lined my baking tray with aluminum foil to make clean-up a breeze after. The cookie sheet should be big enough so there’s one layer of seasoned chickpeas, to allow for even roasting. My tray was a bit small, so midway through roasting I had to give them a toss to make sure they all get roasted perfectly.

With the oven at 350 degrees, I placed them on the middle rack and allowed them to roast for 50 minutes (which should have been perfect), but since they were not single layered on the sheet they didn’t have the ‘crunch’ I desired. So back in the oven for another 15 minutes and they were not only perfectly golden in colour, they had that wonderful crunch good fry channa  is supposed to have.

These can be enjoyed warm out of the oven or days and weeks after. However it’s important that you store them in an airtight container (thus the bottles mentioned above) to keep it’s freshness. Though this is not the traditional way of making this, I find that by roasting with the seasoning… the wonderful taste of the garlic, shado beni and pepper, combined with the olive oil is just spectacular.

You can always dust with salt when they come out of the oven for that unique salted texture that fry channa usually have (but then depends on how much salt you like, as they should already be seasoned perfectly).

Before you go I invite you to leave me your comments below.. even if it just to say hello. It’s always appreciated. And don’t forget to join us on facebook and do check out the cooking videos.

In memory of Aunty Veeya!

Tehya just walked into my office as I was about to do this piece on the outstanding work Jaine Conley and Gulliver Johnson are doing down in Antigua and Barbuda to spread the culinary culture of the Caribbean, with their latest project “TableManners: A Culinary Review Of Hospitality in Antigua and Barbuda”. On opening the book, I could hear her mumble in a low voice “very festive”. Not sure where she was coming from until she said that the beautiful (bright) colors in the pictures are very festive and reminded her about when we docked in St John’s a few years ago. If you’ve had the pleasure of arriving in Antigua via the port at St John’s you’d know what she means… the brightly colored buildings that accentuate the true vibe of the Caribbean. Not to mention the artwork on display in shops, the crafts and brightly dressed tourists and locals.

I was first introduced to Janie about a year ago and over that time I’ve been lucky enough to get familiar with the work they’re doing to help promote the wonderful culture of the Caribbean and I’ve also been fortunate to receive not only a copy of their latest work, but some of the DVDs they’ve created as well. You can certainly check out more about what they’re doing at www.facebook.com/FoodandDrink.Antigua also www.facebook.com/FoodandDrink.Dominica as I’d like to concentrate on their latest publication a bit.

Early in the summer we met up with The Rhyming Chef (Philman George) fresh from his winter escape in Barbuda and at that time he gave me a copy of “TableManners: A Culinary Review Of Hospitality in Antigua and Barbuda”. Janie and Gulliver had sent a copy for me as they’re familiar with my passion for everything Caribbean and food… not in any particular order.

I’ll refer to the book as TableManners during this post as to shorten the name a bit (kinda long). After meeting with the Rhyming Chef back in the summer I recall Caron hurriedly opening the book out of it’s plastic protective casing and flipping through the pages, as we drove to get some doubles in Mississauga. Here’s the thing.. forgetting that I’m driving at 110km/hr and on one of the busiest highways in Canada, she kept trying to get my attention to view the amazing pictures.. every time she came across one that stood out (which means all) she would say.. check this. Not so good when you’re trying to focus on driving.

The Force Behind Table Manners!

During that 20 minute drive she was already captivated by quite a few recipes in TableManners… I even overheard her say “I could make this” and “I’ll have to try this”. Yes, TableManners is one of those books that’s not just a cookbook but a captivating force which convinces people who normally don’t cook (fear she will screw up) that they “can”. We have a huge collection of cookbooks in our library and besides the one with Christmas cookies, I’ve never heard Caron react the same to any of them.

TableManners is a comprehensive look at the culinary industry in Antigua and Barbuda, with contributions from many of the islands top chefs and good coverage of the local “food” scene… from farm to table and festivals in-between. I especially like the sort of fusion recipes which shows a lot of creativity from some of the Caribbean’s leading chefs… a signal that Caribbean food is here! As a budding food writer I know how difficult it is to make our food look ‘pretty’ and with the job Janie and Gulliver did with TableManners, you’ll have to be prepared for the the food literally jumping out at you as you browse the pages.

I can only imagine how much work, effort and planning went into the development and publication of TableManners as it’s quality is reflected in it’s design, layout and content. A beautiful hard cover book which weighs about five pounds (no joke) and certainly a conversation piece when you have people over and they see it on your coffee table. The recipes are very simple to make and with the accompanying instructions and pictures of what the finished dish should look like, you won’t be intimidated. For those who love wine (still not my thing) you’ll love the recommended pairings. Something you don’t see too often with Caribbean publications.

Beyond the recipes, outstanding pictures and even the wine pairings, you get the feeling that you’re cooking a “friend’s” recipe when you use TableManners. You get to know a bit of the background of the chefs featured and it’s as if you know where the inspiration comes from for the recipe they present.So it feels like you’re cooking with a friend.

When I asked Janie and Gulliver where the inspiration and drive comes from, here’s what they had to say…

In terms of our backgrounds, we’re not from culinary backgrounds, but have a passion and love of the Caribbean and besides the sun and sea – Food & Drink comes pretty high up the list! We were both born in the UK to parents of mixed Caribbean heritage. We are both graduates. Gulliver Johnson came from a publishing, sales and recruitment work environment and I came from a design and archival environment. We saw a niche gap in the market here in Antigua & Barbuda almost eight years ago, where the hospitality industry was not really celebrated so we decided to make it shine. This year two new editions of our Food & Drink Guides will be published. One at the end of October for Dominica and the other in November for Antigua & Barbuda.

Enough of me raving what a gem Table Manners is and NO I’m not about to part with the most prized book I have in library.  However I can tell you how you too can be captivated by what is probably the best culinary publication to come out of the Caribbean:

Copies of TableManners can be found in bookshops and hotel gift shops in Antigua. They may also be ordered from us via email info@foodanddrink-caribbean.com or by Paypal on our website. We have copies in Europe and North America so can ship anywhere worldwide. Shipping cost is $20USD. Details at this URL: http://www.foodanddrink-caribbean.com/orderguide.asp

BTW I won’t say much more, but you have to check out the recipes dedicated to “beverages”…  the concoctions are out of this world. Think Caribbean vibe and colors captured in a fancy cocktail glass.

I’d like to personally thank Janie and Gulliver for such a dazzling look into the rich culinary culture of not only Antigua and Barbuda, but a true representation of the Caribbean. Caribbean cuisine can no longer be ignored and it’s about time that we’re known for much more that out outgoing personalities, stunning beaches and enchanting rums.

With all the requests I’ve been getting via the facebook fan page and comments on the youtube channel, I finally decided that it was time to make good on my promise and post the recipe for saltfish accra. The fact that I had a craving for some salt fish accras had absolutely nothing to do with it – that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Many of you may know this as being cod fish fritters, saltfish fritters and/or fish cake, as it’s common for our food to have different names according to the island you call home. Basically the same ingredients, but we may have our own way of personalizing the overall recipe.

After posting the video for this saltfish accra on Youtube, a viewer mentioned that she usually use milk instead of water when making the batter for frying. I have to agree that  this would be an excellent addition to an already wonderful recipe. Thanks to user “NadSSmith21″ for the suggestion… I will try that next rongs.

You’ll Need…

1/2 lb boneless salt fish (dry salted cod)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 small onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced (use a garlic press if you have one)
2 shado beni leaves (or 1 tablespoon cilantro) chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
1/4 teaspoon chopped thyme (I like using fresh, but if all you have is dried, use 1/2 the amount)
1 teaspoon minced hot pepper, red pepper flakes or pepper sauce
1 egg
dash fresh ground black pepper
¼ to 1/2 cup water
pinch of sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon parsley chopped – optional

Vegetable oil for frying (about 3 cups)

We’ll stat by preparing the salted fish for use. In a large pot, cover the fish with water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. TIP : leave your kitchen window open or have the fan above your stove on to ventilate the scent. The scent of boiling salted fish is not for everyone.

While the salt fish boils (to remove the excess salt it was cured in and to rehydrate it), we’ll prep the herbs, garlic, pepper and onion.

After 20 minutes of simmering, drain the salted fish and rinse under cool water a couple times. Now squeeze out all the excess water and shred. You can certainly shred with your fingers, but it may be a bit chunky. The other option is to use a food processor or as I did… I placed the chunky piece mortar and with aid of the pestle, I gave it a good pounding. You can see the difference in the pictures below. Even though we used boneless salted fish, do keep an eye out for any bones which may have sneaked in.

Up next it’s time to make the batter. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic, onion, pepper and all the herds we diced earlier. Give that a good stir, then add the shredded saltfish and give that another stir. Now add the egg and stir again. Finally… tart adding water and stirring. The goal is to get a thick batter. I ended up using close to 1/2 cup water. Remember the suggestion we got via Youtube about using milk instead.

Now that the batter is ready, it’s time to heat the vegetable oil on a medium/high heat. As this comes to temperature for frying… start adding heaping teaspoon full amounts to the pan. Since I don’t have an oil thermometer I can’t tell you exactly what temperate the heat should be at (sorry). Try not to crowd the pan with too many accras. It should take a couple minutes on each side and you’ll notice they will start to float as they cook. I flipped mine a couple times each side to achieve the perfect golden brown color accras should be.

Be sure to have a draining station set up (paper towels) to allow all the excess oil to saturate. If you find that it’s getting dark quickly it may mean you have to turn the heat down a bit or risk having accras that are raw in the middle.

I believe this batch of batter made about 12 accras… could be a couple more but I was busy eating as they were coming out of the oil, so I don’t have an accurate count on the paper towels.

This is an excellent party finger food or snack and it goes well with a spicy tamarind dipping sauce. Please don’t do as I did and eat fresh out of the fryer (though it’s best served warm/hot) as your mouth/tongue will pay the price.

Before you go I invite you to leave me your comments below.. even if it just to say hello. It’s always appreciated. And don’t forget to join us on facebook and do check out the cooking videos.

Yes it’s a bread, but we call it a bake. Just as the fry bake recipe I shared with you a while back, which isn’t really baked… we try our best to confuse the heck out of people with our food names. Walking into the house after school or on those days when in the rainy season it was customary to spend our evening playing football (soccer) in the muddy savanna down the road (I’m still a ball-hoe), and you would be hit with that lovely aroma of action taking place in the oven… immediate hunger would set in (even if you just raided someone’s mango tree).

If it was after football, you had to make sure and bathe before setting foot in the house and don’t ever let you mom see dry nashy skin.. so you had to grease down with baby oil or lotion… it’s amazing how fast we would go from pig to Sunday morning church clean. That fresh baked bread smell had a way of getting the best out of us. When it was coconut bake, it also meant timing it so as soon as it came out of the oven, you could have a piece with butter and/or cheese. I also recall our mom cooking a fry-dry curry shrimp to make sandwiches with the coconut bake. Good times!

Wanted to mention that though I can get dried coconut here if I look hard enough, I just didn’t feel like searching then grating etc, so I used dessicated coconut I found pre-packaged (Desiccated coconut is coconut meat which has been shredded or flaked and then dried to remove as much moisture as possible) at the grocery store. I would recommend (though I didn’t  this time) soaking it in the coconut milk to add back some life to it.

This recipe is a bit different than my mom’s or grandmother .. who BTW used a coal pot to make her’s, but you’ll find great pleasure as you rip through a steaming hot piece of this coconut bake.

You’ll Need…

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour or bread flour
1/4 cup butter or shortening (i used shortening)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon quick acting yeast
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup freshly grated coconut (I used dessicated coconut)

If you’re using freshly grated coconut , start by prepping that or as in my case I started with the dough. This would be the first time using our new food processor for making dough, but feel free to use your hands if you not as lazy as I am. In the food processor (or bowl) place the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and the butter or shortening and work till you get a sort of crumbs texture. I gave the food processor a few pulses and it was ready for the next step.

I then added the grated coconut and gave it another pulse, then I started to add the coconut milk and make the actual dough. You may notice that you’ll need some additional liquid, if that is the case add some water. You’re looking for a smooth and firm dough. Since I used the food processor (about 3-5 minutes), I then removed it onto a floured surface and worked the dough until it was firm and smooth as I wanted.

The next step is to cut it evenly into two pieces and and work it into the shape of the ‘bake’. You’ll need to have a flour dusted surface and a rolling pin ready. I believe I got mine about 1 inch thick and about 10-12 inches in diameter. I then used a fork to prick the surface a bit (always saw my mom do that), placed it onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Which I covered with plastic wrap and allowed to rest for about 2 0 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 400F, then add the bakes (remove plastic wrap) on the cookie sheet and on the middle shelf for about 25-30 minutes or until they’re golden brown. You can always stick a toothpick in the center and if it comes our dry, it means the inside is fully cooked.

I forgot to mention that you should warm the coconut milk a bit before adding to the flour to make the dough. Day two would see us have slices of this with guava jam and tea for breakfast, before heading off to school… you felt as if you could take on the world when your belly was jam-packed with this lovey coconut bake.

Oye! before you go… Remember you can watch the cooking videos on the recipe channel and we’d love to interact with you on our Facebook fan page. There’s a few thousand of us already causing commesse on there… so do check it out.

A few weeks back I mentioned to you guys that I was meeting with The Rhyming Chef for coffee and after that meeting I was excited when I announced to you guys on FaceBook that the chef agreed to answer any kitchen related questions you guys may have. This was an amazing opportunity to get tips and advice and many of you submitted your challenges. I’ll first introduce you to Philman George who is the Rhyming Chef and then we’ll get to the questions…

“Life is rhythm! Just put your hand on the left side of your chest and tell me if I’m wrong!”  For The Rhyming Chef a kitchen without rhythm is a kitchen without life.   “I’m sure at some point we have all whistled, hummed, or even sang a few lyrics while cooking food,” explains The Rhyming Chef.  “This is the absolute minimum. What I do is take rhythm and food to the extreme!”

Philman George, aka The Rhyming Chef who is of Barbudan heritage, is proud to have grown up in the inner city of Toronto Canada.  The passion for cooking started at a very young age. Philman would accompany his mother to the grocery store and watch closely as she selected the ingredients for her culinary creations.  “I never saw my mother read a recipe book.  She cooked from the soul, using a bit of this and a bit of that.”  Philman started experimenting in the kitchen as soon as he could reach the stove, and at the age of 16 he landed his first job in an English style pub as a dishwasher.  A few years later he would enroll in Culinary Management at George Brown College in Toronto Canada.

“As a young cook I always dreamed of being an Executive Chef, but the road to the top was full of obstacles. When I was frustrated with the industry I would pick up a pen and write a song.”  Eventually Philman would start writing lyrics that were centered around his cuisine.  “My food is a reflection of my surroundings and experience.  I was trained in classical French, but living in a multi-cultural city like Toronto and by traveling overseas, I have expanded my repertoire.   I love Italian, Caribbean, Asian and East Indian cuisine and I pull from all of these resources to create food that is approachable and flavourful.  Every now and then I like to show off, but I believe that “fine food” does not have to consist of ingredients that are expensive and extremely rare.”  Once his skills in the kitchen were at par with his skills on the mic, The Rhyming Chef was born!

Read the full bio @ http://www.therhymingchef.com/bio

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The Questions….

I’ve got a super simple question but it is very relevant to me. I do not use a rice cooker to cook rice and normally I boil the rice and strain off the liquid when it’s done. I saw once a chef boiled rice and did not have to strain it, it was done just right in the pot with no sogginess, no extra liquid to drain. My question is : How do I go about boiling rice like that?

You have been cooking rice using the pasta method.  What you want to learn is the absorption method.  All rice can be cooked using both methods, however certain types of rice do exceptionally well using the absorption method.  These are Parboiled, Basmati, Jasmine & Sushi rice.  I would recommend that while you are still learning to use parboiled rice, as it is the most affordable.

Equipment is always key.  You will need a heavy bottom saucepot, with a lid that has an air hole.  Heavy bottom will ensure that the heat distributes evenly, so the rice doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom.  The perfect saucepot for cooking rice for a small family should be 6inches in diameter.

Cooking rice in a pot this size requires you to use a minimum of 3 cups of rice.   Add the rice to the pot and then add in 4.5 cups of cold water.  Basically for every cup of rice you need a cup and a half of water.  Another way to measure the water is to place your middle finger at the top of the rice – the water should come just below the first joint line of your middle finger.

Bring the rice to a boil, stirring once or twice to make sure no grains are sticking to the bottom.  Never bring to a boil on maximum heat.  If using an electric stove and max heat is 10 – try bringing it to a boil on 8.5.  If using gas bring the flame to just below the bottom of the pot.

After the rice has come to a boil turn down the heat to about medium high.  There is no need to stir anymore.  Wait for a few minutes until you can start seeing tunnel effect in the rice.  These tunnels are caused by the boiling water evaporating/escaping through the rice.  There should still be a thin layer of water on top of the rice at this point.  Turn the heat to a low setting (2-3 on electric), and cover the pot.  Do not remove the lid for at least 10minutes.  Glass lids with a air hole work best, so you can see the rice as it is steaming.  The air hole will prevent any spill over.  I can’t stress the importance of not removing the lid, and making sure the heat is low.  Let the steam do its job and make your rice fluffy and soft!  Good luck!

What’s your favorite island meal chef?

Fried fish (in particular Parrot Fish) with a simple side of roasted dumplin’s and some sautéed callaloo and I’m in heaven.

What’s the one cooking utensil you can’t live without?

Zester

Rhyming Chef- I’m a great cook (not to toot my own horn lol)but I can’t handle flour recipes ah tall! Bread comes out heavy and uncooked in the middle, fry bake come out heavy and hard like rocks, even dumplings come out looking like flour paridge! Any tips to fix my handicap?

Heavy breads / uncooked usually means that your leavening agent was insufficient.  Try increasing the amount of baking powder/yeast by 25%.  A lot of the time, bread/dumpling recipes rely heavily on the flour.  Most recipe books do not take into consideration the type of flour you have in your region.  I find most flours in the Caribbean to be very dense.  Increase the leavening agent and hopefully this helps.  Also try sifting your dry ingredients!

I would love to know how to make a savory pumpkin soup. I had it at a restaurant on Beef Island about 30 years ago……Can you help?

WOW YOU HAD IT 30 YEARS AGO AND YOU STILL REMEMBER…… THIS IS THE POWER OF GOOD FOOD!

Caribbean Pumpkin & Ginger Fish Soup:

4lbs Caribbean Pumpkin
2oz (1/4 cup) Ginger
3.5 oz Onion Chopped
4 cloves Garlic
6oz Carrot Chopped ( 1 cup)
5 seasoning peppers
Thyme
Cinammon
Fresh nutmeg
12 cups fish stock

Round off with honey

This is a simple recipe that you can play with.  Seasoning peppers can be found at your local West Indian grocer, as well as the pumpkin.   Try also adding a bit of bay leaf and curry leaves to the soup as it is cooking.  If you know what your doing this should be enough info for you.  If not, please wait until the fall, as I often prepare this recipe in the fall season.  I’ll take you through it step by step at that point!

How can I get sweet potato fries crispy (without frying)?

Hummm. Can’t help you out here.  I don’t know any other way to cook fries other than to fry.  Cutting them into strips and then baking them would be my next guess!

I make my own burgers but they always come out dry. How can my burgers be moist and juicy?

Do not add breadcrumbs or eggs to your recipe.  Add a touch of BBQ sauce, or maybe some Lea Perkins.  Follow the techniques that I’ve laid out in my Carib burger recipe and you should be fine.  Moist burgers every time! http://www.therhymingchef.com/carib-burger

How can I make a good pull pork Thanks awaiting your reply.

Sorry, for personal reasons I gave up eating pork over 12 years ago.  I don’t really have much advise on this subject. NOTE from Chris… I’m working on a good pulled pork recipe with a Caribbean twist which I’ll be sharing soon. Stay tuned.

My knife skills are not bad. How can I improve them?

I have a few videos on youtube that are essential to watch to help you with your knife skillz!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lcpEGnl7CI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3C4L-pK-Cw

If you make rice n’ peas…how do I get it to not come out soft and mushy?

Use less water and make sure you are using the right rice and the right techniques.  Chris maybe you could share my response to your question with this person.

Should fresh parsley only be used as a garnish or can it be added to a dish in progress?

Parsley is a great herb to use as a part of your cooking process. Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai who is a master of French cuisine often used parsley in his winning dishes and he has a kitchen stadium record of 70-15-1. Parsley has a very delicate, gentle flavour and gives a garden fresh taste to a dish.  I use chopped parsley as a finishing touch to a pasta dish or I combine it with other herbs and olive oil as a marinade for meats.

Friends we can show our appreciation to Philman aka The Rhyming Chef by leaving a comment below to say thanks and I encourage you to visit his website at http://www.therhymingchef.com where you’ll not only get to know the chef much better, but you’ll benefit from the loads of content he provide… including some of the best produced videos I’ve seen online. While there, be sure to check out his Facebook fan page and leave him a message on the wall saying that Chris sent you over! Maybe you guys can convince him to share his secret jerk marinade recipe. Check this – my guy even perfected one that’s gluten free!

Thanks Chef – mucho appreciated!

My exposure to non-traditional Caribbean food didn’t take foot until I left the shores of beautiful Trinidad and Tobago about two decades ago. Local ingredients, prepared as my grandmother and her grandmother before her would… passed onto my mom and dad (he wasn’t allowed much in the kitchen as it was just a mess waiting to happen.. though he has some skills) was the norm. The odd time we would eat out would mean either buying “chicken and chips”, locally influenced Chinese food from trucks around “Library Corner” in San Fernando or one of the many Chinese restaurants run by descendants of the Chinese immigrants who came from Macao, Penang and Canton to boost the labor force dating back to 1806.

For the average Tribagonian, the closest we came to enjoying dishes not heavily influenced by Caribbean traditions was the cooking show hosted by Silvia Hunt on TTT, which I must confess played a part in what I do today. I still remember seeing her make Shepard’s Pie and wanting to give that a try. There were some restaurants with an international flair, but not as much as there are today. Whenever we go back for a visit we try our best to hit the “Avenue” and with a sort of envy I look at all the dining options available on the islands now. I’m sure the same can be said about all the islands which make up the Caribbean. Today I see a huge shift in both the foods we enjoy at home as well as in the restaurants, where it’s now quite common to see huge lines outside international restaurants. Not only do we have an assortment of global flavors to enjoy, there’s also a fusion of foods happening with great success and I’ve also noticed a new appreciation for our local and traditional dishes. All sharing the same popularity in an industry that’s going though a sort of revolution (more on that another time).

About 6 months ago I was introduced to the work and life story of Judi Krogh via a feature the Trinidad Guardian (newspaper) ran and looking back now, I believe I may have stumbled onto the article in their archives since the article was published in May 2008. I then got in contact with her daughter Dallison (yea, Facebook does serve a purpose), who was very approachable and willing to help me understand the inspiration behind her moms work.

Browsing though “Easy Cooking In The Caribbean A Collection Of Traditional Recipes With A Caribbean Flavour“  which became a sort of family effort near the end, I then realize that there were many Trinbagonians enjoying dishes which would not be considered “traditional” on their dinner tables. So whenever I post a recipe and I get people telling me that “this is not Caribbean” I’ll have to ask them to describe what a Caribbean dish is. Is it not dishes we enjoy in the Caribbean?

Before I touch on the content of the book and my overall thoughts, I’ll get Judi’s son Jonathan Krogh to tell us a bit about his mom and her masterpiece…

Easy Cooking in the Caribbean, by Judi Krogh, was published in 2007 after a lifetime of preparation.  This selection of traditional Caribbean home recipes represents a cross section of Judi’s decades of collecting and refining her gourmet home cooking.  They were chosen as recipes that use commonly available ingredients, are easy to follow, and taste great.  They appeal both to experienced and new cooks, both within the Caribbean region and far beyond.

Since her teenaged years, much to her family’s delight, Judi relentlessly worked to perfect every recipe that she ever became interested in, often declaring that she would someday write the ultimate home cookbook.  As the decades passed by, her family, still delighted by ongoing refinements, teased that she would never get around to writing her book.

It was unfortunate circumstances that brought about a change, as Judi was diagnosed in 2006 with kidney cancer.  After being bedridden for some time, she decided to look on the bright side that she finally had time on her hands to make her lifelong dream a reality.  Then began the process of sorting through her many folders of handwritten notes, choosing recipes, test cooking various versions of each, and transcribing them into a final manuscript.  Much help was needed, and her daughters Dallison and Gylla, and her sister Margaret Rodriguez were recruited to carry out these tasks and arrange publishing and marketing of the finished product.

Sadly Judi succumbed to her illness in 2010, but there is great pride, joy and satisfaction in her family’s achievement of helping to making her cookbook a reality, making her dream come true, and continuing to share with the world her culinary delights. – Jonathan Krogh.

The beauty about this book is that the legacy of Judi will live on not only in the people who’s lives she’s touch along the way, but now others will get to know her on a different level… the kitchen. A place where there’s much love, laughter and overall good times. Where else can you find a recipe for Aloo Pies and and Artichoke Dip on the same page? Easy Cooking In The Caribbean is truly the reflection of years of accumulating and perfecting recipes which not only echo the essence of the Caribbean, but you’re also taken on a culinary tour of the world. There’s Liver Pate and Humus within the “starters’ section, followed closely by Trinidad Fruit Cake and Rum Cake within the section dedicated to “Teas and Parties”.

The book itself is well produced, with a beautiful hard cover that’s very sturdy and held together by a sort of ring binding. The inner pages are also of good stock paper and I get the feeling that if you were to make a spill while cooking, it would be very easy to clean. I’m not about to spill anything on my copy to prove my theory correct though. I just love the way the book is divided with tabs which are color coordinated and broken up by sections… Desserts, Salads, Seafood… etc. The recipes themselves are very easy to follow and another thing which is apparent.. Judi included recipes where the ingredients are easy to come by and you’re not set on a treasure hunt for them. Looking at her Fanciful Chicken Pelau, Moroccan Chicken or Poulet Basquaise and I can say that I currently have all the ingredients in my kitchen if I want to give one of these recipes a test drive. If you’re wondering what a Fanciful Pelau is, you’ll have to get your own copy of the book! Just kidding… it’s Judi’s take on one of the most traditional of dishes in Trinbago, with the addition of raisins and stuffed olives.

With the wide selection of recipes, the fact that they use ingredients which are easy to source and the creative way Judi instructs you how to prepare them without sounding technical or something you’ll fail at, I highly recommend you grab a copy of Easy Cooking In The Caribbean. I’m sure you can get region specific cookbooks, but these are the same recipes you’ll find in those books, expect these recipes all have a sort of imaginative Caribbean twist to them. Just looking at the Seafood Thermidor and you’ll see how Judi includes the use of pimentos (a flavor pepper we Trinibagonias would argue to be the one ingredient which gives our food that unique fragrance) in a classic French dish.

At $150 TT, this book is a definite steal and can be purchased at the following locations…

Trinidad:
Pop-In, Ellerslie Plaza
Rainy Days, Ellerslie Plaza
Nigel R Khan Book Stores
RIK Book Stores
Ishmael M Khan Book Stores
Paper Based @ Normandie Hotel
Horizons Framing and Decor Ltd
Bambu @ westmall
Metropolitan Books
Con Brio, Kavanagh Street
William H Scott, Movietowne
The Readers Bookshop, St James
Living Water Community, 109 Frederick Street

Tobago:
-Shore Things Cafe & Crafts, 25 Milford Rd, Lambeau
-Colours Restaurant

Barbados:
-Biway Books and Music

ALSO AVAILABLE FOR DELIVERY WITHIN NORTH AMERICA:
Contact Pat Gonsalves at vicpatgon@aol.com  – At a special price of US$20.00 (not inclusive of delivery charges)

Should you have any questions you can certainly contact me or you can get in contact with Dallison Krogh at easycookingcaribbean@gmail.com. You can also check out their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=19645144856 remember to post on the wall that Chris at CaribbeanPot.com sent you over.

Special mention and kudos to everyone involved in the production of Easy Cooking In The Caribbean as I thoroughly enjoy using this book and like the many others who own a copy, I’m truly appreciative of your efforts.

After posting the tambran (tamarind) ball recipe a couple days ago (sweet spicy sour tambran balls) , I realize that I still had some tamarind left back so I decided to share this recipe with you guys. Originally when I told my mom I purchased some tamarind in a box at the Asian store, she jokingly said “buh son, dais not the real thing” (gosh trinbago accent sweet eh!). So she got my dad to go out and get some of the ‘real thing” for me and sent it down with my sister (they live in Toronto and I’m in Hamilton). Sure enough it was the “tart” or sour type of tamarind we’re accustomed too in the Caribbean, but already out of the hard shell-like exterior.

This tamarind sauce is used primarily as a condiment or topping  for such things as saheena, aloo pie, pholourie and doubles. But I also recall (back to my school days again) a thicker version, with a sort of amchar massala undertone that was a hit with the kids at my primary school. Maybe I’ll post that recipe the next time I get some of the ‘real’ tamarind.

You’ll Need…

200 grams tamarind  pulp (about 7 oz)
3 cloves garlic
1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper
1 1/2 – 2 tablespoon brown sugar
2-3 leaves shado beni
1 1/2 cup water

* add some salt and extra sugar if you find that the finished sauce is overly tart.

Before I go further I must let you know that there are 2 variations of this recipe. The first being the way I’ll show you below, where I’ll simmer the sauce on the stove for 10-15 minutes. The 2nd method you’ll use the same ingredients, except no cooking is involved. You simply add everything to a blender and give it a good pulse. I like to cooked version better as I find that the pungent ingredients like the shado bein and garlic is infused within the sauce and has a much milder after-taste.

The first step is to crush the pepper, garlic and shando beni into a sort of chunky paste. I give those things a rough chop and work it well in my mortar and pestle.

BTW, you’ll notice that my shado beni looks a bit starving… I’m just thankful I could get fresh shado beni here, so I’m not complaining. The next step is place the tamarind paste into a sauce pan with 1 1/2 cups water. Now using your fingers, (if you didn’t get seedless), work the pulp away from the seeds and try to crush the flesh between your fingers. It  will get a bit messy so you can wear disposable gloves if you wish.

Now remove the seeds and discard. Place the saucepan on medium heat, add the sugar (pinch of salt) and the crushed pepper/garlic/shado beni to the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Now turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and with the pot closed, allow to cook for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir every 2-3 minutes and if you find that it’s getting really thick, add a bit more water. You’re looking for a sort of thick tomato soup consistency (a little thinner than ketchup). Allow to cool before serving as the taste when it’s hot is totally different than when it’s cool. If when you taste it you find that it’s more tart (sour) than anything else, add a bit more sugar. It should be the perfect balance of tart, savory and spicy.

This tambran sauce rocks when you dip some saheena, aloo pie or pholourie into it!

Before you go I invite you to leave me your comments below.. even if it just to say hello. It’s always appreciated. And don’t forget to join us on facebook and do check out the cooking videos.

I almost forgot. I’m not sure how many of you saw the message I posted on Facebook, but I mentioned that if you’d like to post any cooking/food related questions to a certified chef, who’s traveled all over the world doing his culinary thing.. now is the time to do so. A couple weeks back we met with the Rhyming Chef (Philman George) for coffee and during that meeting he agreed to take time from his hectic schedule to answer any questions you guys may have. All you have to do is leave the questions in the comment section below and I’ll send them off to him. I’ll then post the answers on the website for everyone to participate in the discussion.

You can learn more about The Rhyming Chef at his site http://www.therhymingchef.com/ A super cool ‘soldier’ with a massive passion for the culinary culture and history of the Caribbean, especially his home island of Barbuda.

I urge you to post your questions below and do check out Philman’s website for some amazing tips and cooking videos.

So you’re confused if you’re not form the Caribbean, tambran is just the local way of saying tamarind. This was a favorite of mine as a kid in primary school on the islands. Today I still search them out whenever I make a trip back home or when I go shopping at the many Asian stores locally. The only difference with the ones that comes in a small plastic box at the Asian stores is that there’s no real kick to it and they’re really tiny in size. Probably the size of a small marble. But the ones I grew up eating every recess in primary school, where as big as ping pong balls. Back then I think we got 50 cents to buy treats at recess and lunch break and most of my money went to the vendor with the preserved fruits and tambran balls just outside the school compound. It was a tough choice to make when there were “penna cool” (freezies) on sale and the days were hot and sticky. The tough choices we had to make on our own as kids!

You’ll Need…

200 grams of tamarind (see note below) – a little less than 8 ozs
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (or any hot pepper you like)
2 cups golden brown sugar
3 tablespoon white sugar (granulated)
2 cloves garlic

Note: Usually the tamarind (tanbran) we get in the Caribbean are a lot bigger in length and thickness than the packaged ones I got from the local Asian store. If you want less work, you can always buy the tamarind paste that’s already free of seeds and the hard shell exterior. I left the seeds in my finished tambran balls as I find they hold a lot of flavor and as a kid I like spitting the seeds at the end. But if you do, remember not to sink your teeth into them or you’ll be making a visit to the dentist. or cussing Chris!..

Start by creating the spicy sort of paste we’ll need to give it that kick … to know that we’re eating tambran balls. In a bowl (as in my case) or a mortar and pestle place the hot pepper, garlic and about 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar and pound to smooth paste. I put the little bit of sugar to give it a bit of grit to achieve a smooth paste.

Set this aside and lets get the tambran ready. A s in my case (since I didn’t buy the pulp) remove the outer hard shell and pull the ‘meat’ or pulp out.. try to remove that sort of stringy fibers that may be holding them together. You have two options now, remove the seeds or not. I didn’t as I mentioned in the notes above. Break up the pulp into pieces and add it to the pepper/garlic paste we made.

The next step is to add the brown sugar and give it a good stir, then using your hands start forming the ping pong tennis ball size. If you find that it’s not holding well, add about 1 teaspoon of water to the bowl. Remember you’ll be playing with extremely hot peppers so you may want to wear gloves. If you find that the mixture is too soft/runny and not taking shape, add some more brown sugar. Additionally if the room is hot they may give you a hard time shaping as the heat from your hands and room temp will melt the sugar. Place the mixture in the fridge for a few minutes and try again.

I was in too much of a hurry to eat these so my ball did not shaped well. But I’m sure you’ll do a better job than I did. The final step is to spead the granualted sugar on a plate and roll the tambran balls to give it that extra finishing touch. You can always set them in the fridge to chill a bit and remain in it’s ball like shape.

Remember, though this is basically a sugar rush waiting to happen, it will be spicy from the raw garlic and scotch bonnet peppers.

Before you go I invite you to leave me your comments below.. even if it just to say hello. It’s always appreciated. And don’t forget to join us on facebook and do check out the cooking videos.

You’re probably wondering what the heck is wrong with Chris,  when you read both Amchar and talkari as the heading of this recipe. I didn’t know if this would be considered amchar, talkari or curry Pommecythere considering I didn’t use any curry in cooking it. All I know is that the few times I had this growing up, was the occasional time I would purchase some from the many street food vendors outside the gates at our high school. Are there still food vendors outside schools today in Trinidad and Tobago?

This is the first time I was making this dish and I must say that I’m quite proud of the results.

You’ll Need…

3 Pommecythere (green / fully developed)
2 tablespoon amchar massala
1 teaspoon salt
1 scotch bonnnet pepper (any hot pepper would work)
3 cloves garlic – crushed
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoon brown sugar (golden.. not dark)
1 1/4 cup water
1/2 medium onion sliced thin (optional)

Note: Depending on how sour or tart your Pommecytheres are, you may need to add a bit more salt. The idea is to get a sort of savory taste, with the richness of the brown sugar and amchar massala. So if at the end you find it to be a bit tart, add a bit more salt or sugar.

Some people tend to pre-boil the Pommecythere pieces before actually cooking it in the massala. By doing so you achieve two thing. 1. Speeds up the cooking time, as it will already be tender. And 2. The pre-boiling tends to remove some of the tartness from the Pommecythere. If you decide on pre-boiling, you’ll only need about 1/4 cup water as mentioned in the ingredients listed above and you’ll cook it only a few minutes after adding all the ingredients to the pot.

If you’re wondering what Pommecythere is…

From Wikipedia : Spondias dulcis or Ambarella, (and its alternative binomial, Spondias cytherea, Malay Apple), Golden apple, is an equatorial or tropical tree, with edible fruit containing a fibrous pit. It is known by many names in various regions, including Pomme cythere in Trinidad and Tobago, June plum in Jamaica, Juplon in Costa Rica, Jobo Indio in Venezuela, and Caja-manga in Brazil.

Give the Pommecythere a good rinse under running water, then using a cleaver or heavy knife, cut through them into wedges (see pic below). Give them a another rinse if you like. Then get the other ingredients ready. You’ll notice that I didn’t bother peeling the Pommecythere as I find that the skin adds to the overall texture at the end. And you will find that the center of the Pommecythere is somewhat spiny and tough.. this is why I used a heavy cleaver to cut through them.

Heat the vegetable oil in a fairly heavy/deep pan and add the onion and garlic. Allow that to cook for a few minutes, then add the slices of pepper. Remember (I learned the hard way today) that the fumes from the pepper meeting the heated oil will be strong and cause you to cough. Open your kitchen windows and turn on the vent fan if you have one over your stove.

Allow this to cook for about 3 minutes, then add the pieces of cut Pommecythere and give it a good stir. Next up..  add the amchar massala and stir again. Now add the sugar, salt and water and bring to a boil.

After it comes to a boil, reduce the flame to between a rolling boil and simmer.. place the lid on the pot and allow this to cook for about 25-30 minutes. Basically until it’s tender and becomes a thick sort of sauce. Remember what I mentioned in the note above and check to ensure it’s not to tart or sour as we would say on the islands.

This is used as a condiment for many curry dishes, spicy snack or as a side with roti in many instances. Before you go I invite you to leave me your comments below.. even if it just to say hello. It’s always appreciated. And don’t forget to join us on facebook and do check out the cooking videos.

It was a cold winter’s night back in December when while doing a “viewing” of a Thai restaurant that was up for sale, my friend turned to me and asked “will you be keeping the Thai menu?” To which I answered NO! The plan is to have a  Caribbean menu. It’s been my dream to add a little Caribbean sunshine to the culinary delights which our city seems to hunger for. Especially during those cold winter evenings when the temperature hit’s – 15 C. His response was not what I expected – “but what will you serve, you guys don’t have many dishes!” He (tried) explained… all you have is roti, curry goat/chicken, jerk and rice and peas. I kinda took offense to his remark, but I knew where he was coming from. The average Canadian exposure to Caribbean food, is the limited menu those take out Caribbean restaurants serve. Yes, some sort of curry with roti or jerk with rice and peas. Don’t get me wrong, I’m VERY proud of those dishes, but it’s pains me to know that our rich culinary heritage is not really showcased as so many other cultures in North America (Italian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Indian, Asian etc).

So where am I going with this post?

When my friend Steve @ UncommonCaribbean.com sent me a copy of a cookbook he contributed to, I figured it was your typical cookbook and it sat on the far right corner on my desk for a couple weeks. It’s only after I saw Caron going through it (isn’t funny how we show interest in things only after someone else is using it) that I decided to see what Mr Bennett was up to…

St Croix Food And Wine Experience – A Culinary Guide To The Island Featuring More Than 100 recipes From Island and Celebrity Chefs.

Yes, there’s a recipe for roti with sweet potato and chickpea filling, but that’s where the typical Caribbean food begins and ends in this masterly crafted book. Masterly Crafted? Hear me out…

This is a comprehensive look at  not only a list of interesting recipes with instructions for you to follow and hopefully be successful at recreating, but you’re taken on historic trip of St Croix and I especially love the section dedicated to long tradition of rum making on the island. What can I say.. I’m an island boy who appreciates a good rum (hold the coke) ever so often.

The Recipes – On this blog I try to relive more of the traditional foods I grew up with on the islands and the feedback I get from the 1000′s of readers daily is always positive. But as a foodie I also enjoy trying new and exciting dishes, so maybe this is why I love the sort of fusion twist the recipes presented take. You have the “Lime and Coconut Ceviche, with ginger and fresh fish. Then there’s the Pig Foot Cake (yea not the most appealing when you read it out loud… but sounds very interesting when you go through the ingredients etc) with egg and fois gras torchon. If you know anything about Caribbean people you’d know that “wasting” is not an option, so pig feet or trotters are used in many delicious ways. So to see the humble pig feet paired with fois gras, was somewhat exciting for me. But I could not contain myself (will be trying it this weekend) when I saw the Mango rum Pulled Pork recipe. I’ll definitely share that one with you guys in the upcoming weeks.

Crucian Painkiller – wicked name for a drink and from the sound of things – seems like a must try! In the section of the book dedicated to ‘beverages” you’ll find a lovely mix of classic cocktails and an an assortment of drinks I’m sure you’ve never tried. Here’s your chance to be the star bartender at your BBQ this summer with drinks which will impress all your guests.

Speaking about rum and cocktails… I’m not a wine drinker and I’ve been known to say that wine drinkers are phonies. I guess that’s the typical comment when you don’t know much about something. We were in Trinidad and Tobago for carnival a couple years ago and my sister had friends visiting from Switzerland who were not only amazing at preparing ‘fancy’ meals, but they were very knowledgeable when it came to wines. They tried to give me a quick lesson, but my mind was on one thing at that point- Carnival. Wasted opportunity I guess!

If you’re anything like me and would like to learn more about wine, especially when it comes to Caribbean food, you’ll love the chapter dedicated to just this. “Wine In The Tropics” A Simple Guide To Pairing Wine With Caribbean Cuisine”. I’m no wine aficionado now, but I have a foundation to build on and I’m confident enough to hit the specialty wine section of the liquor store without being intimidated when the clerks comes around asking questions etc.

This treasure is broken down into several sections as do all cookbooks …Wine, Beverages, Appetizers, Soups and Stews, Entrees, Vegetarian (yup they though about everyone’s choice) and desserts. And there’s the “meet the chefs” section, where you get to know the chefs who contributed on a more personal level. So you get a sort of insight as to where the inspiration came from for the recipes they present.

Can you tell I love this book? Steve, if you’re reading this my friend THANKS for sending me the copy (next time can you hit me a little autograph?) You guys did the island of St Croix very proud by the way you captured the true essence of the Caribbean in words , pictures and with island vibe we all love.

How do I get a copy of  the St Croix Food and Wine Experience?

Click on the image below or click here to learn more about the book and to try and reserve a copy.

Before I go, I’d like to announce the winner (sorry for the delay in making this announcement) of the Italian cookbook giveaway for the month of April.

WINNER!

It’s with great pleasure we call on Anandi Beharrysingh to contact us with your mailing address! You’ve been chosen the official winner of the “Pasta Step By Step” cookbook. Please contact us with your details so we can rush this out to you. We’d like to thank everyone who participated and hope that you’ll take part in the new giveaway we’ll be doing early next week. Trust me! You’ll love the next prize we have up for grabs.  Shims, I almost forgot…  thanks to my sexy  assistant who helped with the draw!

Why is it when you return from vacation, you feel so drained that you could use another week or two just to get back into your groove? I’m not one to do the normal tourist thing, especially when I’m in the Caribbean, as I see every island as “home” And as I would do when I’m in Trinbago, I go exploring! Some places even the locals would think twice about venturing, but with my cocky self and curiosity to see how people really live, I do get a good glimpse at life of the everyday man.

Our visit to Jamaica was a last minute suggestion (“pack your back we’re going yard”) so I didn’t have time to do my usual planning as I would normally. But we lucked out as the friend we traveled with is originally from JA as well as the good friend we met while there. Basically we were with people who knew how to show us “local” life. If you ever get the chance to travel with someone who’s originally from your destination, I highly recommend it.

Our trip took us from Montego bay where we landed, to Ocho Rios for a couple days, then Kingston, back to Montego Bay where we were based the last couple days and a day trip to Negril. On the night we arrived we took the drive from MoBay to Ocho Rios where my friend spent the first 10 years or so of his life. That’s when the culinary experience started. In town (must have been after midnight) we immediately got some roasted nuts from the nuts man on patrol (see pic below). The nuts are a bit different than in Trinbago, as these ones were still in the shell/husk. (this pic was taken during the day in Mobay)

We then headed to the market area where there was a buzz of activity, including a wide assortment of “drum” chicken on sale. Basically oil drums cut in half to form a BBQ, where chicken is grilled over coals. I heard the chicken being called “jerk”, but it was more a of a grilled chicken, as there wasn’t any real “jerk” seasoning to it. I also found that the meat was severely overcooked and dry to the bone. The “drum” chicken I had in both Ocho Rios and Kingston didn’t really impress.

The last day of our stay in Ocho Rios we did hit the farmers market, but since it was not an official market day it was not as packed with vendors or shoppers. However the produce on sale were fresh and there was an ok assortment. The sales people were super friendly and always willing to share a smile and story. Here is where we picked up ingredients for dinner that night. I made a lovely spread for us as it with my friends birthday. Herb stuffed chicken roasted in the oven, fresh green salad and rice and peas. I’m not sure if it was the herbs grown in the wonderful Caribbean sun or the chicken that was probably raised on corn, but I was told that it was one of the best roasted chicken everyone had ever had. You could even smell it cooking three floors down at the pool area.

On our drive down from Ocho Rios to Kingston we stopped off at a roadside vendor for oranges, soup (a huge pot of goat head soup) and roasted yam. And a quick drive up a bumpy road, saw us visit the home of the famous Walker’s Wood Jerk Marinade (basically a house at the top of a hill with a beautiful views of the surrounding area). The oranges were very sweet and the people manning the stall were friendly and full of banter when we did chat a bit.

Kingston on some levels reminded me of Port of Spain, with a true loud Caribbean buzz of activity and crazy driving. But to be honest I didn’t expect to see so much garbage on the streets, especially since Jamaica is such a mecca for tourism in the Caribbean. However once you entered New Kingston, you felt as if you were in a typical North American city. Clean, modern and even the people seemed to be more professionally  dressed. My friend insisted we head over to Gloria’s in Port Royal (5 Queen Street; Port Royal, Kingston), for dinner. Gloria’s is one of those places where both locals and tourists head to for good seafood meals. A street setting, with tents on one side with tables and chairs and on the other side of the street is where the kitchen was situated. Overall a terrible experience for 3 of us in our party, but at least my friend got what he wanted and was very satisfied. He had the steam fish platter (see pic below)… we also ordered the spicy shrimp and curry shrimp platters. The curry fish was rather salty and combined with the terrible service, long wait (how does a seafood restaurant not have seafood?) and chicken being on the menu and not having any, it wasn’t what we hoped for.We did get a couple free side orders of bammy and festival, which were both delicious.

We were fortunate to have stayed at our friend’s place, so this meant home cooked “Jamaican” breakfast in the mornings by his mom…(I did get the recipes, which I will be sharing soon). Ackee and saltfish, dumplings, green bananas and how could I forget the hot Milo and that wonderful bread. I can’t believe that I actually enjoyed whole wheat bread.

Our last night in Kingston saw us head over to Portmore to a seaside sort of bar (like a rum shop in Trinbago) for what was supposed to be for a Guinness and cup of fish tea, but after the fish tea (which seemed to have heightened our hunger) we decided on dinner (yea this was about midnight). This was going to be my first experience having steamed fish with ochro, steamed vegetables and crackers. The pics below will show you a quick glimpse of the kitchen our meals were prepared in and the fact that you get to choose the fish you want, before it’s cooked. I opted for the red snapper as the parrot fish looked too pretty to eat. The joint had a good local vibe to it as you got the impression that the people who were there at the bar and tables just got off work and where here to have a good meal and watch the news which was on the tv up in the corner. I’m not sure how they could hear the broadcast as there was loud music being played on the outside of the bar.

BTW, we got a good taste of island fast food (?) when we had lunch at one of the malls in Kingston. We opted for food from “Island Grill” and I fell in love with pumpkin rice (really wanted to try the callaloo rice but the order got mixed up). I’ll definitely be making this dish for the site very soon.

It was then time to head back to Montego Bay where things were a bit more touristy.  It’s a beautiful drive from Kingston, through Ocho Rios though valleys, hills and some of the most lush vegetation I’ve ever seen and finally MoBay. We were on the lookout for Scotchies as we entered MoBay, but ended up at the “Ultimate Jerk Center” which turned out to be the 2nd best jerk I had on the island. In the pics below you’ll see the jerk chicken salad, jerk chicken with rice and peas, curry chicken with rice and peas which I had. The Ultimate Jerk Center is a wonderful spot to stop for lunch and it seems that most of the tour buses stops here. Beautiful grounds, clean bathrooms and excellent service tops the list for this place. There’s a well kept cricket pitch at the rear, which took me back to my days playing colts cricket, in whites.

This would be the first time since landing in Jamaica that I got jerk packed with flavour, a rich smokey explosion and a bit of heat from what was surely scotch bonnet peppers. If you like spicy food, do ask for a side of the hot/jerk sauce… a chunky sauce, bursting with the heat from the locally grown peppers and enhanced with the essence of pimento berries. You must stop here for the food.

The culinary adventure then took us from Montego Bay to Negril. After an hour in the car we decided to stop at the next bar to stretch our legs, as five people in a compact car can only lead to a bit of discomfort. This landed us (by pure luck) at a road side  jerk restaurant called “Supreme Jerk Center”… the BEST jerk during our trip. We had small portions of the jerk chicken and pork and my mouth is still watering as I type. Perfectly grilled over coals, juicy (not overcooked like elsewhere) and just bursting with flavor. I can only assume that the meats were marinated overnight and basted while grilling. After the first batch, we ordered another.. it was hard to drive away from this spot without filling up and ruining our plans for lunch in Negril.

The resorts as you enter Negril are quite impressive (same for Montego Bay), especially for me who hails from Trinidad and Tobago where we don’t really cater to tourists as our cousins in the rest of the Caribbean do. That said, Negril is a tourist town, with Rick’s Cafe being one of the spots every tourist hits. Rick’s is well put together  (I can check that off my list)… but really not my thing. However I do plan on going back to jump off the cliff at a later date. That night in Negril we headed over to “Sweet Spice” restaurant, where once again we dined with quite a few locals. If this spot was a bit closer to the main town area in Negril it would be very hard to get a table. The service was typically Jamaican (friendly chat when you tried to complain about something) and the food was just superb. My camera was hindered by the low light, so I do apologize for the bad quality pics of the curry goat dinner and the fry chicken steak platter. Definitely a spot you must try if you go to Negril

The final morning we decide to head out for breakfast as everyone else in our party slept in. We had a full day left in Montego Bay and we wanted to make the most of it .. we got word that we would be returning to fresh snow when we got home. Absolutely the best dining experience when it comes to service can be expected at the “Pelican” restaurant in Mobay. With a great view of the ocean from our table, I had the Jamaican special.. fried plantian slices, green banana, yam, fried dumplings and some of the most tasty callaloo (chorai bahaji) and saltfish I’ve ever had. This was the first time in this trip I got a chance to enjoy a good cup of coffee.. oh how I missed my coffee. There was even some calypso and soca being played in the back ground. And to top it off our waiter even gave me some slices of fresh scotch bonnet peppers.

I was stuffed good and proper and the ethnic fatigue was about to set in, so we headed head out for a stroll up the street or risk me falling asleep at our table. Later on after trying frantically to get a flight to POS (was missing home bad at this point) we did head over to Margaritaville for lunch. I wans’t really hungry, but when I found out that they too had coffee on their menu I just had to have some. I did get a peculiar look from the waiter, seeing that it was a hot 30C sunny day and I was ordering coffee, while most people were drinking cold beverages and fancy cocktails. Here’ you’ll see the fajita combo we got as well as the banana strawberry smoothie at the end. I did snoop at the table beside us and they had the fish and chips platter.. looked amazing! Wish I could sneak a pic for you guys.

I left Canada thinking if it’s one thing I must do while in Jamaica was to dine at Scotchies, but that turned out to be my biggest disappointment. On our way to the airport we decided we would have dinner at Scotchies, so my excitement level was at code level red when we stopped off here. Once again we were greeted by dry, overcooked and meats with no real flavour. The only bright spot for me was the roasted breadfruit with butter, something I’ve always wanted to try. Next time I can source a breadfruit, guess what I’ll be doing? Scotchies is all hype and no substance, I could never recommendnd that spot to anyone. The bar area setting was nice, but everything else was a let down.. even the stray dog that came begging me for ah sample!

Final Thoughts.

Overall I wish I had enough time to explore more of the island and partake in more of the local cuisine, but that’s for another trip I guess. Food prices are somewhat equivalent to prices you would pay in North America (or even cheaper at times). But when you get your first bill and it reads $5,000 for dinner for 4, it’s shocking. BTW, with one Canadian dollar we got 84 Jamaican dollars, so that worked out to about $60 Canadian for that dinner. The curry dishes were uniquely Jamaican and I came to realize that every island cooks curry a bit different.. still love meh Trini curry though. Food options are plentiful and I recommendnd you keep away from the fajitas and other North American dishes when you dine out, to get a true feel for Jamaica. Be sure to try the local fruits that in season as well.

Jamaica for me was more about the people, food and lush vegetation. I’ve been up and down the Caribbean, so beaches and other touristy things don’t really stand out. I had the opportunity to not only visit Kingston, but Tivoli Gardens as well and it was quite the experience. We did a “Weddy Weddy Wednesday” with Stone Love, with Elephant Man and I think it was Bounty Killa in attendance, after which we headed over to “Lime” after party while in Kingston. Had the opportunity to hang out with Mad Cobra at a recoding studio, where we got a taste of his latest track being produced and drank a Guinness with Frankie Paul as well. Also hung out with some up and coming artists as we recorded some dub plates (friend we traveled with is big in the music industry), but I don’t recall their names off hand.

While in Montego Bay we did an after party at Pier One.. absolutely the best time we had as far as nightlife goes. We controlled the dance when the DJ dropped the soca (latest as well) and the pics we took could be incriminating. The Guinness flowed, the music boomed and we had an excellent time (hopefully the stains on my linen shirt comes off).

Drove by the “Office” (home of the Reggae Boys) and even played a bit of ball with Mad Cobra and his peeps at a late night session. I had the opportunity to visit my friends childhood home and village, where we even made time to visit his grandmothers grave. A person who took me in her home when I first moved to Canada, as one of her grand children. Wrestled a goat (don’t ask), picked coconut fresh coconut off the tree and cut them open with my skillful use of a cutlass (machete). Basically, this was like going home for me. BTW, is it me or are the women in Jamaica a lot more friendly and outgoing  than the men?

For more pics of my Jamaican trip including videos, check out : Jamaica 2011 (on the left side of the page you can click on either pictures or videos).

As a food enthusiast and blogger, I find myself browsing the Internet weird hours of the night in search of food sites and blogs, especially if they’re Caribbean related. One such night I came across a blog with some of the more appetizing pictures I’ve ever seen. My mouth was literally watering (no lie) as I quickly browsed through the site. I had stumbled onto the blog of Taymer Mason, a vegan foodie originally from Barbados and I couldn’t believe that vegan food had me this interested. You don’t grow up in the Caribbean and not have a specially appreciation for fresh vegetables and the many ways our cuisine is influenced by the variety of cultures that make up the Caribbean. Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, African and European influences can be appreciated as you work your way up the islands, staring from the mainland of Guyana. But vegan?

I’m not a vegan or vegetarian ( I don’t even know the difference and have been scolded in the past for it) and I respect people who can stick to such diets, as I know I couldn’t. If I were to be completely honest with you and for the non vegetarians who do visit the blog, I’m sure you’ll agree with me… when I think vegetarian (outside the Caribbean) I think bland food that’s probably not appetizing at all. But looking back at those pictures I saw the first night I visited Taymer’s Site Vegan In The Sun, I had to start rethinking my generalization.

About 2 weeks ago I got my hands on a copy of Taymer’s Caribbean Vegan: Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Authentic Island Cuisine for Every Occasion – special thanks to Taymer and her publisher “The Experiment”. For the wonderful work being done to promote the culinary culture of the Caribbean, I thought I’d share some insights on the book. PLUS one lucky person will receive a copy of this amazing cooking experience to add to their collection – see below for full details.

Rather than a long review (which I’m not really good at anyway), I’ll point out what really stood out the book…

You all know how much I love documenting and showing step by step instructions, so when I opened the book and saw a section in the middle dedicated to some of the most classic of Caribbean dishes done vegan, I was truly impressed. The colorful pics that are easy to follow along with descriptive text, is simply stunning. Different types of roti, doubles and even a wicked recipe for coconut turnovers… according to Rachael Ray Yum-O! I especially like the pictorial of making buss-up-shut!

“Island Tip” Little tidbits of info scattered throughout the book elaborates on the recipes themselves and offer great alternatives for putting the recipes together. Stuff like, how to reduce the fat content or storage tips!

Each recipe is well outlined and the fact that Taymer used ingredients that’s easily available no matter where in the world you’re based, shows that she tried to make it so everyone can enjoy these recipes. With the use of fresh and flavorful ingredients, you’re sure to make what I thought was bland cooking… exciting!

I urge you to check out Taymer Mason at her blog: Vegan In The Sun and be sure to let her know that Chris from CaribbeanPot.com sent you. You’ll love her take on vegan food which celebrates the rich and diverse culinary culture from the islands… truly island food at it’s best!

BTW, food that’s meat free, dairy free and egg free can be just as tasty or even better than the stuff you eat everyday (don’t tell the kids but it’s supposed to be much more healthy as well)! I know that now, thanks to the banana fritters that I tried the 2nd day after I received my copy of the cookbook in the mail. And I’m trying to source some bread fruit to give another recipe a test drive.

Win Your Own Copy! – Caribbean Vegan: Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Authentic Island Cuisine for Every Occasion.

One of you lucky readers will get a copy shipped out to you… here’s how:

You have 3 chances for your name to be entered into the draw. But before I get to the “how to enter”, lets discuss the simple rules.

1. Contest is open to everyone.

2. The winner will be chosen in a random draw.

3. There will be one winner. If after I announce the name of the winner, they don’t contact me within 15 days I will then choose another winner.

4. The contest is open from today Feb 7 and will close midnight Feb 28.

5. A couple days later a winner will be announced on the facebook fan page, as well as by email if we have the winner’s email address.

How to enter!

There are 3 ways you can enter your name and feel free to use all three methods to enhance your chances.

1. The most common way to enter – Leave a comment below. It could be a simple “enter my name” or you can chat a bit about what your favorite non-meat dish is.

2. Leave a comment on the “contest” comment on the facebook fan page << HERE!

3. Subscribe to the YouTube channel or leave a comment on one of the videos!

Let’s recap so everything is clear. One winner will be chosen in early March and a notification will be sent to that winner. The winner will then have to contact me with their full name and mailing address to have the book shipped out to them at no cost. The contest is open to everyone and you have 3 chances of winning as explained above (leave a comment below, facebook and youtube)

Again, special thanks to Ms Taymer Mason and the wonderful people at “The Experiment” for making this contest possible. Keep doing your thing Taymer, you’re a true ambassador of the Caribbean and we wish you continued success!

I just love the variety of exciting and scrumptious dishes you can find as you work your way up and down the islands that make up the Caribbean. To date I’ve not been to Jamaica, even though my friends who hails from there have  extended several invitations the past few years. Hopefully I can make the trip down the next time they plan a vacation and finally get to see “jerk” done the traditional way. Until then, I’ll keep making my homemade marinade/sauce and hopefully you’ll give it  a try. Beware! You won’t go back to the bottled stuff you get in the grocery store once you do though. You won’t believe how simple this is.

You’ll Need…

5 scallions (green onions)
5 sprigs of fresh thyme (about 1 tablespoon chopped)
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 scotch bonnet peppers
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 onion
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger

Notes: If you’re using dried thyme, use about 1/2 table spoon. This makes about 3 cups of marinade and it can be stored in the fridge for about 1 month.

Basically  all you’ll be doing is making a puree with all the ingredients I mentioned above. So you’ll need a blender or food processor.

Rough chop the scallions, peppers, garlic, onion and thyme and place in the food processor to make it easier to puree. Remember when working with these hot peppers to wear gloves (the natural oil is deadly). Also note that most of the heat is within the seeds and the membrane that surround the seeds. So to control the heat, discard those. However, for that true authentic Jamaican feel.. keep the entire peppers.

Now add all the other ingredients and pulse to start. Then run the puree speed for about 2-3 minutes until everything breaks down to a smooth consistency.

For best results use this sauce immediately, but marinate your pork, chicken or fish (haven’t tried beef yet) for at least 2 hours before grilling or roasting in the oven. The next recipe I post I’ll show you how simple it is to use this marinade/sauce to make the Ultimate Oven Jerk Chicken. Stay tuned.

In the coming months I’ll also show you a secret ingredient I use to give this a Canadian twist.. I can’t right now as I’m sending off a challenge to Bobby Flay (he’s taking entries for a new show he’s working on). Wish me luck.

Don’t forget to join us on Facebook and check out the cooking videos – see on the upper right side of the page for links to those. And before you go, do leave me your comments below – it’s appreciated.

BTW, as we “Trinis” do… you can always add our signature to this by adding a couple shots of rum (I would use a dark rum), a little shado beni and how could we forget a drop or two of Angostura bitters.

My first encounter with “Mother In Law” was about 7 years ago when we had some relatives here on vacation during that summer, from Trinidad. My aunt had a huge pot of pelau bubbling in the back yard (love cooking in the outdoors during the warm months) and my other aunt who was visiting, raved that we must try her “mother in law” as a condiment with the pelau. I learned that day that “mother in law” was the name given to a sort of crunchy salsa, that’s packed with flavour and heat from extremely hot peppers. We’ve perfected the art of eating spicy foods, peppers and hot sauces in the Caribbean and this is yet another example of how creative we can get with our cuisine and word association.  So where does the name come from? (don’t quote me on this) I believe it’s because like this hot sauce/salsa, a person’s mother in law is notorious for being heated, spicy and finds a way to leave an impression on you (negative or not) without much effort.

Once you adjust the heat level on this one, you’ll find that like me, this will be your favorite “hot” condiment. I learned on that summer’s day, with a steaming plate of pelau in hand,  that I could actually love my “mother in law”

You’ll Need…

1 large carrot (diced)
1 medium onion (minced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
4 hot peppers (I used habanero)
juice from 2 limes or lemons
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium green mango (diced)
1 caraili (bitter melon) -optional – I dislike this so I didn’t use it.
2 tablespoon white vinegar
4 leaves of shado beni (chopped fine)
fresh black pepper

Notes: I didn’t have fresh shado beni, so I opted for 3 table spoons of chopped cilantro. Normally caraili (bitter melon) is used for this recipe, but since I don’t like this vegetable I left it out. If you can’t get caraili or you’re like me and don’t like caraili, you can use a medium sized cucumber. I recommend leaving the skin on the cucumber if using this instead (for a bit of crunchy texture).

The key here is to dice/cube everything the same size and if you’re not using a food processor, it can be a bit time consuming. I love working with my hands so I used a sharp chef’s knife. Peel and wash the carrot, then cut it into 2 main pieces, then jullien and finally dice into very small cube like pieces (see pics below)

Wear gloves for this step – chop the hot peppers the same size as you did the carrot. For maximum heat I recommend keeping the seeds. But if you’re a wuss, do remove the seeds to control the heat.

Now peel the mango, give it a rinse under cool water and dice the same as you did with the hot peppers and carrot. When shopping for a “green” mango (one that’s not ripe), you’re looking for one without any blemishes, very firm (hard) and with be a bit shiny and dark green or a reddish green depending on the variety you get. A ‘green’ mango will be very tart in taste and crunchy in texture.

Add all these ingredients to a large bowl and get ready to assemble everything. I assume you’ve done the same to the onion and garlic (try to get the garlic a bit more fine). Don’t forget to chop the shado beni or cilantro as I did and dice the cucumber if you opted to use that.

In the bowl with the onion, garlic, carrot, shado beni… etc, add the salt, fresh ground black pepper, juice of the lime or lemon and vinegar. Give this a good stir, cover and allow it to marinate in the fridge for a couple hours. Obviously I’m greedy and started on mine seconds after making. The fresh scent of the lemon juice, coupled with the cilantro and hot peppers was just too alluring for me to show any sort of restraint.

This can last for a couple weeks in the fridge if you’re wondering (glass bottle), but the longer it stays in the fridge it will have the tendency to get less spicy.

I have to ask… do you know why it’s called mother in law? Was my explanation close? BTW, I was told there’s one that’s even more spicy… guess what it’s called – Daughter In Law!

You’re invited to join our group on Facebook by clicking on the Facebook image on the upper right side of this page. you may also see in the same area, a link to all the cooking videos I’ve shared so far. While I have your attention I’d like to ask that you leave me a comment below – even if it’s just to say hello. It’s appreciated.

In this post I’ll attempt to explain what “Ground Provisions” are, the part it plays in Caribbean cuisine and a simple recipe for preparing everyday ground provisions. In previous recipes I’ve shared, I’ve commented on using ground provisions and over time I’ve come to realize that I had left my readers a bit confused when I did. It’s one of those things where you assume everyone knows what you’re speaking about and don’t give it much thought.

Ground Provision, Provision, Blue Food, Dry Food, Food For The Back, Country Food… yes, I just had to add some more confusion to the mix. These are just some of the other names people use when the refer to ground provision in the Caribbean (BTW if you have a different name for ground provision, do share with us in the comments below). And though it’s called “Ground” not all the items are directly from the ground. Ground provision or provision is one of the main staples I grew up on living in Trinidad and Tobago. That rice and flour made up a major part of our diet. I guess it can be compared to the way potato is used globally.

So what is considered provisions? Yam, Sweet potato, eddoes, dasheen, taro, tania, cassava, breadfruit, plantain, moko and green fig (banana). And for the most part, the most common way of preparing the majority of items, is by boiling. Like in the recipe I’m about to share below…

You’ll Need…

4 medium eddoes
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 taro (about 2lbs)
1 teaspoon salt

* I went looking for dasheen in the grocery store and saw what I thought was dasheen, but they had it labeled as Taro.
* Tip - When working with ground provisions, it’s best if you rub some cooking oil all over your hands or use a pair of latex gloves, as you may find that your hands may itch from handling them when peeling.

Peel the eddoes, sweet potato and taro and cut into chunky pieces, but make sure they’re about the same size (I usually just cut the sweet potato and eddoes in halves) so they cook uniformly. If you’re peeling them in advance of cooking, be sure to place them in a deep bowl and cover with cool water to prevent them from going discoloured.

I’ve seen where people put  a pot of water to boil, then add the provisions, but I much prefer to place the peeled provisions into a deep pot, cover with water and then bring to a boil on a high heat. When it comes to a boil, you then add the salt and turn the heat down to a simmer.

As it boils you’ll notice some stuff start to settle at the top, that’s mainly starch and other impurities that you can spoon off and discard.

Allow this to boil for about 20 minutes or until you can pierce through a piece with a sharp knife without any resistance. While cooking this taro I noticed that it did cook faster than the sweet potato and eddoes, so I would suggest you either remove the taro after 15 minutes or so, or add them to the pot after the other provisions have been cooking for about 5 minutes. I much prefer removing, as if you add it during the cooking process it will lower the heat within the pot and you’ll have to adjust the heat.

The next step is to drain as you would if you were boiling potatoes and then enjoy. The options now are endless as you can re-fry these as I did in the “yam recipe” and the “cassava” recipe or eat them with stewed meats, make a pie as I saw being made in Tobago with bread fruit or simply top with some butter and/or cheese and enjoy. Two classic combinations for ground provisions are provision with tomato and salt fish and provision with saltfish buljol. And if you like eddoes, be sure to check out the eddoes talkari recipe I shared a while back.

With the provision I cooked above I had it with stewed pork – see pic below:

One of the things the majority of us from the Caribbean miss when we leave the shores of our beautiful islands is definitely the abundance and ease of getting fresh ground provisions. Whenever I get homesick I rush out to the many ethnic grocery stores to find some yam, dasheen, eddoes, green bananas or cassava (as a last resort only) and if I’m lucky I can score a breadfruit. A classic “oil down“  using breadfruit simmered in stewed pork and coconut milk is the ultimate in comfort food for me. Not only is it packed with many layers of flavours, but it takes me back to my childhood when my dad and his friends would be up all night playing “all fours” and the menu for the night was oil down.

Yes, provisions makes up a huge part of everyday Caribbean culture and cuisine… what would Saturday soup be without provision?

During world war 2 when everything imported was rationed, my dad told me that provision was “king”, as there wasn’t much rice and flour entering the islands. And those who once frowned on what was considered “poor or country people” food, had no choice to to resort to eating it.

Leave me your comments below or join us on facebook for the lively discussions.