Similar to the original curry baigan and aloo recipe I shared with you guys back in 2009 (time really flies), this one is very flexible and can work as a vegetarian meal or you can add left over stewed meats or pieces of salted cod and take it to another level. With the strong East Indian influence in our culinary traditions, you’ll find than many of the vegetables and ways of cooking is directly related to that connection. This is why you’ll see from time to time I mention names of things you won’t necessarily be familiar with, but I do try to clear things up on such occasions. Baigan is just another word for eggplant and aloo is basically potato. So don’t be surprised to see this dish refereed to as baigan and aloo in some Trinbago restaurants.

You’ll Need…
1 lb Japanese eggplant (or your fav)
2-3 cloves garlic sliced or crushed
1/4 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper (any hot pepper you like)
1/2 large onion diced
1 large potato cubed -chunky
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil (or vegetable)
dash black pepper
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt

* As with the ingredients listed above, this is a vegetarian dish but I had some left over stewed chicken which I added the last 5 minutes of cooking to enhance the flavor a bit (this is optional). The stewed chicken recipe can be found at: Ultimate Trinbagonian Stew Chicken.

We’ll start by prepping all the ingredients. Peel and dice the onion, slice the pepper and crush or slice very thin the garlic. I decided to leave the skin on a couple of the eggplant for a bit of texture and to get some of that unique sweetness that Japanese eggplant seems to have. The other two I peeled. I then cut off the stems and cut each eggplant into three sections (length) to which I then cut strips, similar to if I were making fries. Finally I peeled, washed and cubed (in chunks) the potato. I used a Yukon Gold variety as I just love the sort of creamy texture of it. But you’re free to use any variety of potato you may have.

On a medium/high heat I heat the olive oil in a saucepan, then add the pieces of sliced (or crushed) garlic and allow that to cook for a couple minutes. You should start getting that wonderful garlic scent and the edges should start going golden. Now add the pieces of eggplant, then top with the onion, pepper, salt, black pepper and potato. Give it a good stir, then add the water. Bring it up to a boil, then lower te heat to a gentle simmer and allow to cook for about 25 minutes with the saucepan covered. Be sure to stir every 7 minutes or so.

You will find that it will start to melt away and turn into a sort of mushy texture… this is exactly what we’re looking for. After 25 minutes, the eggplant and potato should be tender and this is a good time to add any leftover meats you may want to add. If you plan on adding salted cod to this dish, I would add it after adding the garlic and allow it to cook for a couple minutes before adding everything else. If you’re keeping this dish strictly vegetarian, after 25 minutes if you have a lot of liquid left in the pan, turn up the heat and cook it off. You should not se any clear liquid in the finished dish.

If you did add pieces of left over stewed chicken as I did, turn up the heat after adding and cook until any liquid burns off.. usually about 3-5 minutes. Taste for salt as I’m sure your taste is  different than mine. Add accordingly.

This goes well with Sada Roti and should be enough for 4-5 people as a side. I was at my sisters restaurant a while back and was quite surprised at how many people came in especially for this… but without any meat and curried as I shared in the previous recipe.

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

————0———–

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.

I wasn’t a huge fan of cassava growing up and even today it’s a last resort type of ground provision for me (when I can’t source dasheen, yam and/or eddoes). I find it a bit overly bland, so when I do cook it I try to infuse some added flavour with salted cod bits and other ingredients. This recipe I’ll be using frozen cassava that one can get in the frozen food section at most grocery stores. However it works just as well with fresh cassava (providing you know how to peel and cook it). If you’re a vegetarian ( I got a lot of talk the last time I suggested that vegetarians eat fish) you can leave out the pieces of salted cod.

You’ll Need…

1 package of frozen cassava (about 1 lb)
1 shallot sliced (or onion)
1 scallion
1/2 hot pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/4 green pepper (sweet) – diced
1/4 red, yellow or orange sweet pepper – diced (optional)
about 1/4 cup shredded pieces of salted cod
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
fresh cracked black pepper

* salt for cooking the cassava (see package)

Start by dicing and slicing the peppers, shallot, scallion and garlic. Then using the cooking instructions on the package of the frozen cassava… cook. In my case it called for me to bring 4 cups of water to a boil, then add the cassava, salt and allow to cook until tender (about 20 minutes).

The next step is to soften and remove some of the salt from the salted cod. Do so by placing it (I used boneless salted cod) in a fairly deep bowl and pour some boiling water over it (cover with water) and allow to soak until the water is cool. There are 3 options for buying salted cod, 1. bone in 2. boneless and 3 salted cod bits. The choice is all yours. After the water is cooled, drain and rinse with water and drain again. Then using your fingers or a fork, shred the fish into bits. Squeeze all the water out of it as best as you can.

By now the cassava should be fully cooked, so it’s time to drain the liquid out and set aside. In a saucepan add the oil and butter and heat. Then add the salted cod and cook on medium heat for about 4-5 minutes. After which you’ll add the shallots and garlic. Allow this to cook for a further 3 minutes or so (stir often). Now add the diced peppers and scallions and cook for about 3-5 minutes on medium heat.

It’s now time to add the cooked cassava and stir around so everything gets coated with the wonderful flavours of the salted cod, shallots, garlic and peppers. Cook for about 3-5 minutes and you’re done.

Let’s quickly go through the recipe one more time.

1. prepare peppers etc.

2. cook (boil as you would potatoes) the cassava

3. prepare the salted cod (if you get the salted cods bits, it would mean less work for you)

4. cook the salted cod and peppers

5. drain and add the cassava to the pot..cook for a few minutes and you’re done.

Don’t forget to leave me your comments and questions in the space provided below, as I would love to hear from you. Additionally, I invite you to join our fast-growing group on Facebook (click on facebook image below).

happy cooking

chris…

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

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

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

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

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

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