Frozen Caribbean Watermelon Treat.

March 5, 2012July 26, 201122 Comments

When we were kids and home for the ‘August” (summer) holidays from school, I recall my mom making this frozen treat for us. Except she would use Kool Aid or any type of fruit juice we may have at the time. If memory serves me correct, I think she would even use the custard mixture for home made ice cream as well, before my dad broke the bank and brought our first ice cream pail (maker). Speaking about frozen treats, as kids in primary school I recall buying “ice blocks” from the vendor who lived next to the school. Basically all he did was put fruit juice (super sweet) into ice trays and freeze them. Then we would shell out our 5 cents to get one… so good on a hot day. Hated the sticky feeling in your hands after though. Got into a lot of trouble with my mom when the red juice from the melted ice blocks would get onto our kaki shorts (school uniform).. still remember trying to wash it off as soon as it happened. Only to walk around school for the next hour with a huge wet spot in the front of my pants.

Speaking about Kool Aid… we were at the grocery store many moons ago, when I mentioned to Caron that we should get some Kool Aid. She then asked “what flavor do you like?” Without hesitation I said “red”! Yea, for me red is a flavor.. how many of you agree?

This recipe is very simple, refreshing and you can get your kids or grand-kids involved. But…. there’s a simple “big people” version as well.

You’ll Need..

1 seedless watermelon (about 4 lbs… gives about 4 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
couple dash angostura bitters (optional – but a nice addition)
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice

Start by cubing the watermelon to make it easier for the food processor or blender.

The next step is to add everything into a food processor or blender and puree. You may have do do it in batches as it may not all fit at the same time. Pulse and try not to blend too long, or it will go a bit frothy.

Pour the slush mixture into a baking dish. Metal works best, but all I had big enough was a ceramic one.. just takes a bit longer to freeze. Now place it in the freezer and let is firm up for about 1 hour. Then remove it from the freezer and give it a good stir. Break up any chunks which may have formed. Then place it back into the freezer and let it sit for 2-3 hours.. until it firms up. Now using a fork, with a sort of flaking action.. create the flaky/slush texture we’re looking for.

Serve immediately or risk 2 things happening. It will melt or if you place it back into the freezer for too long it will freeze solid. Scoup out and serve in martini glasses for the kids.. it will make them feel they’re sipping cocktails! Or if mommy or daddy want a grown-up version, add some rum or vodka.. yea that’s what I did last night while sitting on the patio being eaten by mosquitoes. Hope they made it home.. teach them to ‘drink” and fly!

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.

Happy Cooking

Chris….

Q & A With The Rhymin Chef, Philman George.

May 28, 2025July 23, 20116 Comments

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 @ https://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! https://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!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lcpEGnl7CI
https://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 https://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!

Spreading The Culinary Culture Of The Caribbean – Judi-Krogh.

May 28, 2025July 22, 20119 Comments

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 [email protected] – 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 [email protected]. 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.

A Tantalizing Tamarind Sauce.

May 28, 2025July 12, 201142 Comments

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 https://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.

Sweet Spicy Sour Tambran Balls.

May 28, 2025July 6, 201133 Comments

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.

Cuisinart Pure Indulgence Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, and Ice Cream Maker – Gadget Of The Week.

March 5, 2012June 18, 20113 Comments

What seems like a winter that would not end, is finally giving way to some beautiful weather here in Southern Ontario. Today it’s about 32 Celsius, but with the humidity if feels more like 38 Celsius, so this usually means it’s time to break out the trusty old ice cream maker we got a couple years back, for some frozen delights. If you recall the coconut ice cream recipe I shared with you last summer “A Vintage Trinbagonian Coconut Ice Cream Recipe” you’ll know that we’ve got one of those “pail” type ice cream makers, with the small motor on top which moves the container with the liquid, surrounded by chunks of ice. To finally freeze the custard-like liquid inside.

Now don’t get me wrong, some would argue that these types of ice cream makers are the best, but it’s not as convenient as some of the more modern ones. My dad would say that the best one for him would be those wooden pail ones, that you had to hand-crank. Like the one in the picture to the left (White Mountain Ice Cream Maker). By the way, if you’re old school like my dad or looking for some exercise, you can click on the picture to buy one. I’m sure many of you would have some good childhood memories of this type of vintage ice cream maker, like I do.

If it’s convenience and versatility you’re looking for, then you may want to get your hands on the Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Frozen Yogurt-Sorbet & Ice Cream Maker ICE-30BC that I asked for this Father’s Day! Lets hope someone was listening! Here’s why I made this the gadget of the week for June. Yea, I realize that I should title it gadget of the month.. Oh well!

Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Frozen Yogurt-Sorbet & Ice Cream Maker ICE-30BC

Looks sexy eh! Attractively styled and simple to use, Cuisinart’s ICE-30BC efficiently yields up to 2 quarts of frozen yogurt, sorbet, or soft-serve ice cream in as little as 25 minutes.

The 9-inch square brushed stainless-steel base houses the heavy-duty motor, bottom cord storage, and the black and chrome on/off dial. The 2-quart capacity freezer bowl has a smooth metallic silver-toned inner cavity and a deep gray hard plastic exterior with an outer diameter of 7.5 inches. Complete assembly of the unit takes only minutes, but fully freezing the cooling liquid within the freeing bowl’s double insulated walls can take from 6 to 28 hours prior to use, depending on your freezer temperature. Thoroughly freezing the canister is the key to successful results. We suggest storing the bowl in your freezer to ensure quick and easy use of your ice cream maker.

Once frozen, the bowl seats perfectly into a cylindrical opening in the base. A gray plastic mixing arm fits into the bowl and a transparent lid locks into place with an easy twist. Once assembled, a simple half turn of the dial starts the motor and the frozen bowl begins to turn. A 3-foot cord conveniently allows flexibility in positioning the base on your table or counter and a 3-inch top opening in the lid serves as a spout for adding your pre-mixed recipe ingredients.

The churning motor “hums” audibly–but not excessively–during use and features an automatic safety shutoff to prevent overheating. The clear lid allows easy viewing and monitoring of the mixing process. Soft-serve mixtures are deliciously ready in minutes and firmer consistency is easily accomplished with a few hours in your freezer. Numerous recipes are included.

I can only imagine making up a batch or two of rum and raisin (my fave) or how about some mango pineapple ice cream this summer. But wait, for you frozen sorbet lovers like Tehya and Indy, you won’t be left out. Yes, this bad boy makes Sorbet and frozen yogurt as well. I’ll just have to find some recipes or make some concoction of my own.

To own one of these Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Frozen Yogurt-Sorbet & Ice Cream Maker ICE-30BC, click on the link below. They’re reasonably priced and comes with a 3 year limited warranty. Convenient, durable, and actually a lot of fun, the Cuisinart’s ICE-30BC churns out homemade ice cream, sorbet and frozen yogurt you, your family and friends will enjoy during those beautiful days of summer.

CLICK HERE >> Get your very own Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Frozen Yogurt-Sorbet & Ice Cream Maker ICE-30BC

If you already own one of these ice cream makers, I’d love to get your feedback on it. What you like, dislike and overall performance (if you don’t mind). Leave me a comment below in the area provided. I will do the same once I get mine on Father’s Day morning and have time to put it to use… lets hope they were listening!

Happy Cooking!

Chris….

p.s. This makes a great gift as well!

Sancoche, Memories Of A Bush Cook.

May 27, 2025June 14, 201129 Comments

Sancoche, is one of those soups we make in the Caribbean which can be identified by various other names from island to island. Basically is a thick soup with everything but the kitchen sink in it. Loaded with ground provisions (yam, dasheen, cassava, eddoes, sweet potato.. etc), split peas, flour dumplings, coconut milk and some sort of salt meat or smoked bones for additional flavoring, it’s one of those meals where the ethnic fatigue kicks in after a bowl or two.

As a young fella growing up on the islands one of my favorite things to do, was go with friends when they were making “bush” cook. I grew up in the country and that usually meant most of our weekend off from school was spent in the outdoors. I recall swimming for hours in the river while this pot of soup would be bubbling away on three rocks made to support the pot while allowing room for fire wood beneath it. Usually set under the confines of the shade from a bamboo patch. With the cool temperature of the spring fed water as it makes it’s way down the mountain to the spot where we’d swim, a hot bowl of soup would definitely hit the spot. When it wasn’t sancoche, it would be fish broth, some sort of “wild” meat with provision or if times were hard for us to source ingredients it would be dasheen bush cooked in coconut milk and served with some massive flour/cassava dumplings.

Note: This pot of soup is enough to feed a small army. So you may want to cut back the ingredients list by half and it will serve 5-7 people as a main course. I usually freeze the leftovers, but for some reason the ground provisions does not reheat well after freezing.

You’ll Need…
1 1/2 cups split peas
2 lbs. pigtail (see notes below)
2 cups. pumpkin, peeled and chopped
1 lb. eddoes
1 lb. dasheen
1 lb. yam
1 sweet potato (abt 1lb)
4 medium potatoes (I used Yukon Gold)
6 cooking bananas (green fig)
12-16 small ochroes (see notes below)
1 carrot, chopped
1 bundle spinach (see note below)
5 leaves chadon beni
4 cloves garlic
1 onion
4 sprigs thyme (fine leaf)
3 scallions
1 tablespoon salt (see notes below)
1 hot pepper (I used a scotch bonnet)
1 can coconut milk (14 fl oz | 400 ml)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
16 cups water
2 packs Grace cock soup (spicy) See Notes below

Notes:

Pigtail – I used salted pigtails and wish I had some salted beef to add as well. You can also use regular beef cubed, smoked bones or any sort of soup bones. I guess you could also make this with chicken as well or leave meat entirely out of it and have it vegetarian style. You’ll have to adjust the salt if you’re not using salted meats.

Spinach : The traditional thing to use would be young dasheen leaves, but since I couldn’t source any, I opted for regular spinach.

Ochroes: I used about 16 small ochroes (about 3 inches long), but all I could get was the dark green variety. Avoid those if you can and look for a lighter green variety. I find that they stand up better to the slow cooking process and the texture is a bit different than the dark green ones.

Salt : Since I used salted pigtial in this soup, I only needed about 1 tablespoon. I would suggest that you not add any salt, but taste about 15 minutes from the end and add according to your preference.

Grace Cock Soup : If you can’t get Grace Cock soup, feel free to use a couple cubes of Maggi chicken bouillon or as a matter of fact, any chicken stock/bouillon cube should work well. I use the Grace cock soup as I love the extra level of flavour it adds with it’s unique spiciness.

It looks like a lot of ingredients but as I mentioned, I’m cooking a huge pot..

The fisrt thing to do is to prepare the salted pig tails. Using a large chef knife or cleaver (or ask your butcher to cut it for you), cut into 2 inch pieces. Rinse off under cool water, then place in a deep saucepan and cover with water (not the water mentioned in the ingredients list above). Bring that up to a boil and keep it at a rolling boil for about 25 minutes. This will take some of the brine and salt the pigtails were preserved in. After the 25 minutes, drain, rinse and set aside.

In a large soup pot, heat the vegetable oil and then start adding the chopped onion, garlic, thyme, chandon beni (alternative – use 3-4 tablespoon of chopped cilantro) and scallion and cook for a few minutes on med/low heat. Then add the pieces of salted pig tail, the split peas (wash before adding) and top with about 8 cups of water. Bring this to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for about 45 minutes with the pot covered. This will allow the split peas and pig tail to get tender before adding the other ingredients.

While this cooks, lets get the ground provision, carrot, green banana and potatoes peeled and cut into chunks. You’ll notice that I tried my best to keep the size of each piece uniform. This will allow it to cook evenly. I cut the pieces of pumpkin a bit smaller, as I like for it to dissolve a bit while cooking so it helps to add a wonderful overall color as well as it gives it some body.

Remember to wear gloves (latex or rubber) when peeling/working with ground provisions, especially the eddoes and green bananas. Or rub some vegetable oil over your hands. This will prevent the sort of staining and avoid your hands going itchy.

After the soup base has been cooking for about 45 minutes, it’s time to add everything else. Add the ground provisions, salt, cock soup and scotch bonnet pepper (keep whole if you want the flavor and not the heat). Then trim off the stems off the ochroes and cut in 1/2 before adding to the pot. You’ll need to add a further 8 cups of water as well as the coconut milk at this point. Just make sure everything is pretty much covered by liquid.

The final step is to rinse off the spinach and give it a rough chop before adding to the pot. It will look like a lot, but it will wilt down as it cooks. Bring everything back up to a boil, cover the pot and reduce to a gentle simmer. Allow this to cook for another 45 minutes or so. Stir occasionally and don’t fret if you find that the ground provision starts to dissolve. We want this soup to be thick, like a North American beef stew.

You will notice that some stuff will start building up at the top while this boils… skim it off with a spoon and discard. Remember to taste for salt the last 15 minutes or so and adjust accordingly. For extra heat, burst the pepper near the end as well, and at this point you can remove the sprigs from the thyme.

Traditionally you’d find flour dumplings in this soup, but I simply ran out of room in my pot… yea I could hear some of you saying “where’s the dumpling Chris”. Another way to add extra flavor and some additional body to this soup, is to add a couple packs of chicken noodle soup instead of the chicken bullion or stock powder. And if you have some Goldenray butter, feel free to toss in a tablespoon or 2.

If you guys join the chat on the Facebook fan page, you’ll notice that Anthony K, made a very good observation… “you either have to try to make it or know a trini who will make it for you, (the only problem is you can’t make a small amount)…it’s great and I don’t really care for soup”. Which so true, I’ve never seen a small pot of this cooking.

Before you go, why not take a couple minutes and leave me your comments below. Even if it’s just to say hello… it’s always appreciated. And don’t forget to check out the Caribbean Cooking Videos.

Happy Cooking

Chris…

The Ultimate Jerk Pork Recipe.

May 27, 2025June 13, 2011179 Comments

Today we’ll induct yet another dish into the series “The Ultimate” (keyword search ‘ultimate’ in the search box – top right of this page for more recipes in the series). This time we’re doing one of those classic Jamaican dishes… Jerk Pork. The first time I made this dish was about 5 years ago when our friends were getting married and they were having the stag / doe and asked for us to bring along a dish. Since then, we’ve only heard good things from the many guests who were there that night. This weekend being Tehya’s birthday and knowing that my mom is a fan of jerk pork, I thought it would be perfect for the bbq we were having.

If you read the piece I did titled Jamaica One Plate At A Time, you’ll know that I went in hunt of the perfect jerk while we were in Jamaica and found (more like stumbled.. stretch our legs and use the bathroom) a spot called “Supreme Jerk Center” on our way to Negril from Montego Bay. The fella doing the jerk had some skills. Not only was the pork perfectly cooked over the open coals, but we could tell that he allowed the meat to marinate for quite some time. As the pork was infused with that authentic jerk flavor and the smoky taste from the pimento wood was divine. Though I don’t have the use of the open coals, I’m positive that my jerk pork could easily rival his.

For this recipe you’ll need to refer to the jerk marinade recipe I shared with you a few months ago or see below for quick instructions. If you don’t feel like making your own marinade, check out the selection of Jamaican Jerk Marinade and BBQ Sauces you can purchase.

You’ll Need…

Jerk Marinade

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

* Basically all you have to do is give everything a rough chop and place in a food processor or blender as I did and pulse until you get a smooth consistency.

Then you’ll need…

1 boneless pork loin (about 7-8lbs)
2 cups of the jerk marinade

Let’s get started. Give the pork loin a good rinse under cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Then place the pork in a large dish/pan and using a pairing knife, make some stabs into the meat (about 1 inch deep). This will help in the marinating process. This step will get a bit messy, so using gloves may come in handy. Remember we used scotch bonnet peppers in the marinade so you may find that your bare hands may catch on fire! Pour 1 cup of the jerk marinade over the pork loin, then using your hands, massage and work it well. You can certainly bush the marinade on, but I much prefer to work this with my hands. Now cover and leave to marinate for at least 5 hours in the fridge.

Take the pork out of the fridge about 25 minutes before you start to grill, to allow it to come back to room temperature. I’m using a gas grill to cook this but if you have a wood or coal burning grill, do your thing. Basically you want to bring the temperature of the grill to about 300 degrees and brush the grate with some vegetable oil. All you do is take tongs, grab a piece of paper towel and dip it into a bowl with vegetable oil an brush the grill.

The goal is to slow cook this so you have 2 options. Grill on the top level grill or sort of warming rack (as I did) or grill with indirect heat. The flame would be on one corner of the grill surface and the meat on the other. This way you don’t get direct contact with the meat and flame/heat.

Basically all you’re doing for the next 2.5 to 3 hours is basting every 20 minutes and turning over when you do, so the meat cook evenly. When you removed the pork loin from marinating, do save the left over marinade and add a further cup, to use for basting during the cooking process.

When I purchased my pork loin I looked for a piece with a thin layer of fat. This allows the meat to basically self-baste while cooking… so you don’t get an overly dry finished dish as the loin is usually very lean. Remember to try to maintain the 300 degrees, keep the lid on the grill closed and brush on marinade every 20 minutes or so. You will notice that it will start going dark and have a sort of burned look, but this natural. It’s just all the sugars doing it’s caramelizing thing. Good jerk is supposed to have that sort of colour… but remember – no direct heat or it will become burnt!

Do allow this to rest a bit before slicing, so some of the natural juices are allowed relax the jerked pork loin. We had over 25 people here and I still had enough to pack a doggie bag for my parents when they left. But we did have many others dishes as well. Conservatively, this is enough for about 10-15 people as a main meat side..

IMPORTANT: Be sure to use a gluten free soy sauce to meet with your gluten free dietary needs when doing this jerk pork recipe.

— Winner Wanted!—

It’s that time again – we’re giving away the following book (see below) to one lucky person for the month of June. All you have to do is leave me a comment in the comments section below (please say something about this recipe) and your name will be automatically entered to win this amazing book on organic gardening and cooking with herbs, vegetables and fruits.

Yea! Not your typical Caribbean book, but a wonderful way to learn about organic gardening and cooking. Focusing on plants that are easy to grow, Adam Caplin takes an illuminating new look at the delights and challenges of cultivating edibles, showing how they can be grown – on their own in beds and containers, in mixed borders, and decoratively with flowers – for their ornamental as well as their nutritional value. Celia Brooks Brown presents 35 mouthwatering vegetarian recipes – for soups and starters, main courses, salads and light dishes, salsas and chutneys, and sweet things. This book features glorious photography by Caroline Hughes and William Shaw.

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 “New Kitchen Garden”…

– contest is open to everyone globally

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

– 1 winner will be chosen at random (if you left 3 comments, your name will be entered 3 times)

– contest is open from June 13 – to midnight June 30.

– winner will be announced within 1 week of the official close date.

– the winner 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 a great way to experiment with some organic gardening and cooking. Good luck to everyone who enters.

—————————————————————————————->

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.

Pommecythere Amchar Talkari.

May 28, 2025June 1, 201142 Comments

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.

Coconut Drops With Your Tea.

March 5, 2012May 22, 201146 Comments

As kids would have to eat their cereal before heading off to school every morning in north America, we grew up (if we didn’t want actual food) drinking tea. Now here’s the thing about “tea”… basically this would mean just about any hot drink. So it could well be coffee, Milo, Ovaltine, chocolate tea, actual green tea.. the list is fairly long. Along with tea we usually had a slice of cake, sweet bread, crackers or coconut drops.

I must confess that I’ve not had coconut drops in quite some time, so when the scent of them baking in the oven blanketed the kitchen, it brought back a rush of childhood memories. I was one of those kids who loved school and looked forward to it, when most kids didn’t.

You’ll Need…

3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 stick butter (about 2 oz or 4 tablespoons)
1 large egg
3 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon Angostura Bitters
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup shredded coconut (see note below)
about 1/2 cup water

For the glaze

2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup water

Notes: Traditionally, fresh grated coconut is used for this recipe. But since I don’t have access to the fresh stuff, I had to settle for the packaged shredded coconut. I did end up using the sweetened variety, but if you have the unsweetened one, feel free to use that. Since my dough was a bit dry, I had to add some water. I ended up using about 1/2 cup as noted in the list of ingredients above, but this may vary for you. Use it as a guide. You’re looking for a dough which is somewhat firm and can keep it’s shape while baking.

Start by creaming the butter and sugar in a bowl. Make sure the butter is at room temperature to make this easier. I started off using a large spoon (use the back of it to work the butter/sugar combo against the walls of the bowl) but I ended up using an electric hand mixer. You’re looking for a smooth, creamy sort of texture with no feel (gritty) of sugar left back. I then added the egg, vanilla and bitters to the mixture and give it a good whisk.

Then in a large bowl, I put the flour, cinnamon and baking powder and gave it good whisk to make sure everything is blended well. Then I poured in the creamed butter mixture and created a dough. This will be a bit tough to work, so I add the water I mentioned in the notes above. I’m not sure how this would work in an electric mixer, but manually it takes a bit of muscle. I ended up using my hands at one point.

The final step of preparing the dough is to fold in the shredded coconut and raisins.

With your oven at 350 degrees, grease a cookie sheet, or as I did.. line it with parchment paper. Now spoon on the batter onto the cookie sheet and bake for about 25-30 minutes. It will start to go golden. I did two batches of 12.

After about 25 minutes remove it from the oven and brush on the simple glaze. Basically it’s sugar dissolved in warm water and brushed onto the tops of the coconut drops. You can also sprinkle on some sugar on top of each, to add that extra touch. Place back in the oven for 2-3 minutes.

The true master at these drops as well as coconut sweet bread is my grandmother, but she’s turning 95 this year so baking is out of the question these days. Reminds me that the next time I head down to the islands I’ll have to make sure and get her recipe. Before you head to your kitchen to make up a batch of these coconut drops, do leave me your comments below and be sure to connect with us on Facebook. And don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos.

Lentils And Split Peas Dhal

May 26, 2025May 10, 201138 Comments

This recipe is pretty much a clone of the traditional dhal recipe I shared with you a while back, except this one we’ll be using lentils along with the yellow split peas. I still recall our grandmother making this when we were kids and eating it as we would soup. Last week I was going though the menu of a local Caribbean restaurant when I noticed they had dhal on their menu. Sold by the bowl-full (small $4.50 and large $9… imagine that). Right away I was taken back to those days when we lined up in my grandmother’s kitchen with bowl in hand, jostling with my cousins for the first serving. I just had to make some – the craving was on.

I didn’t follow my grandmother’s recipe, as she would use geera (cumin) somewhere along the line of cooking, but I’m not a huge fan of that spice so I tend to avoid it when I can.

You’ll Need…

1 cup yellow split peas
1 cup lentils
4 cloves of garlic diced (divided)
3/4 teaspoon salt * see note below
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 small onion sliced thin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 hot pepper (I used habanero – use whatever you like)
8 cups water * see note below
3 tablespoon vegetable oil (I like using olive oil for it’s sort of nutty taste)

Note:

– It’s easier to add more salt if necessary than remove excess salt. So at the end, do taste to see if there’s enough to your liking. It took me a few tries of making this before I got the salt just right. I added too much at the start and had to work with salty dhal. So take my advice and start with a little and add accordingly. BTW for some reason this goes a bit more salty when it cools down.

– I started with 8 cups of water, but if you find that it becomes overly thick, feel free to add more.

Sort out the split peas and lentils to ensure there’s no foreign particles between them (I’ve seen twigs and pebbles at times), then give it a good wash with cool water and drain. Also get the other ingredients ready.

In a large pot, put the water to heat and when it comes to a boil, add everything except 1/2 the garlic and the oil (including the split peas and lentils). Bring back up to a boil, then lower to the most gentle simmer you can get. Now place the lid on the pot slightly ajar and allow this to cook for about 80 minuets or until the split peas are tender and starts to dissolve. If you have a pressure cooker, this will only take about 15 minutes or so.

You will be required to stir occasionally and do remove any sort of build up which may float to the top of the pot.

After the 80 minutes both the lentils and split peas should be tender but still keeping it’s shape. We’ll now use a wire whisk or swizzle stick as you’ll see in the picture below and give it a good whisk. This will break down most of the peas and give the dhal and nice thick consistency. I’m sure you can use one of those electric submersion blender, but try not to overwork it r risk having a sort of frothy final dish (see note above regarding water)

Turn off the heat from the dhal and in a small frying pan heat the olive oil, then add the remaining sliced of garlic. Allow this to cook for a couple minutes, until you start seeing the edges of the garlic start to go a dark brown.

This final step you must show some caution as we’ll be adding that hot oil to the pot with the split peas and lentils that we cooked down. I usually use the lid of the pot as a shield when pouring in the heated oil/garlic mixture to the pot. So with one hand I have the lid protecting my body and the other, the frying pan with the oil. Pour and then give the entire pot a good stir. now check to see if there’s enough salt to your liking.

This will be enough for about 4 people if you’re drinking it as a soup, but if you’re having it with rice and something else (like curry chicken or tomato choka), you’ll have enough for about 6-8 people. I usually freeze portions in freezer containers and heat them up the next time I have a craving. So far I’ve had them last in excess of a month in the freezer. When it’s time to reheat, I free it from the container add a little water to a pot and put it on a very gentle heat to thaw. I guess you could also use the microwave.

Before you go I’d love for you to leave me a comment below… it’s appreciated (even if it’s just to say hello). Remember you can always connect with us on Facebook and watch the cooking videos on our Caribbean Cooking Channel.

Happy Cooking

Chris…

Spreading The Culinary Culture Of The Caribbean – St Croix Food and Wine Experience.

May 28, 2025May 6, 20115 Comments

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!