I believe it’s time to clear the air a bit when it comes to callaloo in respect to Jamaican Callaloo and callaloo from the other islands which make up the Caribbean. In Trinidad and Tobago and many of the other Caribbean islands, callaloo is a lovely rich soup made from tender dasheen bush leaves (or spinach) which is flavored with coconut milk and crab (or salted meats). This callaloo soup is part of a hearty traditional Sunday lunch on the islands and like it’s cousin from Jamaica, it’s very nutritious.

Jamaican callaloo on the other hand is more the name of a plant (amaranth) which is used in making the popular Jamaican dish, by the same name. In Trinidad and Tobago, the same callaloo plant (amaranth) is known as chorai bhaji or in some cases spinach and cooked in pretty much the same way as it’s done in Jamaica. So remember when speaking to a “Trini” or “Jamaican” about callaloo, that they’re two different dishes and we’re as passionate about each.

BTW, did you know that the same callaloo plant (amaranth) is known as pig weed in North America and there are close to 60 species? Enough of the school-like lesson, lets cook..

You’ll Need…

1 bundle of Callaloo (about 2lbs)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon thyme (couple sprigs)
1/4 lb boneless salted fish (see note below)
2 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 tomato
1 onion

Notes: You’ll notice that I didn’t include any salt in this recipe as the salted fish adds enough salt to the dish. However you can check near the end of cooking and adjust accordingly. When shopping for callaloo for this type of dish visit a West Indian supermarket and ask for Jamaican callaloo. I like using boneless/skinless salted fish and my choice is usually Cod or Pollock. Makes for much easier work than having to remove the tiny bones and soaking overnight. When using any hot pepper remember that the majority of the heat is in the seeds and the white membrane surrounding the seeds. Don’t include those if you’re concerned about ‘real’ heat.

* To make this dish fully vegetarian (very tasty) simply leave out the saltfish and I would personally add some crushed garlic for that extra level of flavor. Add the garlic when cooking the onion at the start. Same cooking time applies.

Let’s start by prepping the saltfish as we need to try and remove most of the salt and rehydrate the fish itself. Now I’ve been scolded in the past that I don’t soak my saltfish overnight as it’s traditionally done in the Caribbean. Here is the thing, the saltfish I use is always boneless and skinless (pretty much a fillet) and I find that it’s not as salty or dry as the variety you find in the Caribbean. So if you’re using the whole fish (type we get in the Caribbean) you can soak overnight in cool water, discard that water and boil in fresh water as you’ll see me do below. Or simply boil in two batches of water and you should be good to go.

In a deep pot I put enough water to go about 1-2 inches above the fish and I bring that to a boil. I then allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes, then I drain and rinse with cool water (squeeze dry). The next step is to shred the fish (should be soft and flaky at this point) and set aside. You can use your fingers or a fork.

Then prep the onion, tomato, hot pepper and thyme. Simply dice/chop.

Now it’s time to work with the star of the show (please see the video below to follow along). Give the callaloo a good wash under running water, then get ready to trim and cut. Remove all the leaves from the stems and get rid of any leaves that are discolored. You can now use the tender stems (they may look thick, but the majority will be tender). Using a pairing knife or potato peeler, peel the thin skin on the outside of the stems (see the video below), The idea is to remove the sort sort of waxy exterior so it cooks down to be tender.

Give the leaves and cleaned stems a good rinse in water and shake dry. The final step in preparing is to create small bundles and chop about 1/2 inch shreds. You can give that another rise under cool water (I put mine in a drainer) and you’re set to cook.

Heat the oil on a medium heat in a fairly deep sauce pan, then add the onion and cook for a couple minutes. Just long enough to soften the onion and flavor the oil. Now add the thyme, black pepper and slices of scotch bonnet pepper and cook for another couple minutes. Have your kitchen window open or the fan above the stove on, if you have one as the hot oil and hot pepper will cause you to possibly cough.

By this time the shredded callaloo should have drained properly, so start adding it to the pot. It will pile up, but rest assured it wilt down quickly. Give it a good stir, add the water and bring it up to a boil. Now lower the heat to a very gentle simmer, cover the pot and allow to cook for about 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, it’s time to add the tomato and pieces of salted fish to the pot. Then give it a good stir, cover the pot and allow to cook for another 10-15 minutes. Keep stirring. If you find that you don’t have any liquid it means your heat is too high. Add a bit of water and continue cooking. After 10 minutes the callaloo should be fully cooked. It will not be as bright green as when you first started off, but don’t be fooled.. it will taste amazing.

If you find (you should) that there’s still liquid at the bottom of the pan, remove the lid, turn up the heat and cook for another 4-5 minutes until all that liquid dries off.

You now have a classic Jamaican callaloo dish that’s ready to serve.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Though it’s been a very hot and humid summer, the little kitchen garden we have at the back of our home is in full production. Must be all the watering I’ve been doing  and the special relationship I have with my plants   If you’ve been part of our discussion group on facebook (see Caribbean Pot On Facebook) you would have seen the pics I shared when these chorai (Jamaican Callaloo) bhaji were just a week old and how small they were. Well, the plants are now over 5 feet tall and that’s after I’ve already cut them back a couple times. No-joke, the leaves are almost as big as tobacco leaves. I’m sure I’ll be able to reap a couple more times before the season ends. If you’re looking for a vegetarian version of this recipe or you just don’t want to deal with the swine, check out : Chorai Bhaji Recipe.

You’ll Need…

1 bunch of Chorai bhaji (about 2 lbs) (same as Jamaican callaloo)
1 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 medium onion sliced
1/4 hot pepper (whatever you like using.. I used habanero) * remember to avoid using the seeds if you want to avoid most of the heat.
salt  – see notes below since we’re using salted pigtail.
1 lb salted pig tails cut into 2 inch pieces
1 cup coconut milk

* Click here for a  >>> Trinbago Callaloo Recipe

It’s recommended that you try to get your butcher to cut your pigtails for you, as it can do some serious damage to your knives if you try this at home. The middle bone can be very tough, so I opted to use my heavy Chinese clever that I have. Then I rinse and place in a pot with enough water to cover  by at least 3 inches. Place the pot on a high flame and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for about 40 minutes. This will do two things. It will help it get tender since the cooking time of the bhaji will not be long enough to fully tenderize this. And it will help remove most of the salt the pig tails were cured in.

If your chorai is not already trimmed, remove all the leaves from the thick stalk (discard thick stalk), but if thin ones are tender, you can include some as they will cook-down nicely. Then full your sink or  alarge bowl with water and give this a good wash. Rinse again under running water, since you really want to remove any dirt or sand from between the leaves. Then drain and make little bundles (roll) and give a rough chop. The rough chop is optional if your leaves are small, since some people like seeing the fully cooked leaves.

Slice the pepper, onion and garlic and get ready for cooking after the pig tail have cooked for the 40 minutes or so. In a large pot, heat the oil and cook half of the onions under medium heat for about 3 minutes. You can now starting adding the chopped chorai to the pot. It will look like a lot, but it will wilt and cook down. Top with the remaining onion, garlic and hot pepper when there’s room in the pot. Drain the cooked salted pigtail pieces and add to the pot as well. Feel free to add the coconut milk so everything can cook in this rich milky goodness.

Stir well, cover and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes. It will spring up a lot of it’s own juices, so after 15 minutes of cooking turn up the heat and cook-off all the remaining liquid. Watch it closely and stir to avoid sticking and burning. Should take about 5 minutes on high heat to cook down the liquid. Taste for salt, since we didn’t add any as it’s hard to determine if the remaining salt in the pigtail would be enough for the dish. I had to add a slight dusting of salt to mine.

Like all the recipes on here, it’s very simple to make and if you’re not turned off by the salted pigtails… it’s very tasty! Be sure to leave your comments below (always appreciated) and connect with via our Face Book fan page (click on image below). BTW, if you looking for other bhaji recipes, you can also check out: Pak Choi | Baby Spinach | Swiss Chard