Having stumbled onto trees laden with crab apples on a recent fishing expedition, I thought I’d add a new crab apple chow recipe to the growing list of chows I have on the website. This crab apple chow plays well into the more traditional way of using somewhat tart fruits, like green mango, to make this incredible sort of pickle.

As part of my In Season series, where I use local, in-season ingredients available to me, you would have also been exposed to my take on Peach Chow, Refreshing Watermelon Chow, Apple Chow, and my personal fave, Grapes Chow.

For those unfamiliar with chow, which is most popular in Trinidad and Tobago, it is a fresh, fiery, and tangy snack made by marinating tart fruits or vegetables in a heavy blend of garlic, fresh herbs, salt, and hot peppers. This crab apple chow brings all those flavours together while allowing the natural tartness and crunch of the crab apples to shine.

Ingredient Guide

Crab apples provide the tart, crisp base for this chow and hold up well during marinating.

Scotch bonnet pepper brings fruity heat and a distinctive Caribbean pepper flavour.

Black pepper adds another layer of peppery warmth.

Sweet/salt prunes provide a sweet and salty element that helps balance the tartness, citrus, and heat.

Chadon beni provides a fresh, herbal flavour that is an important part of the overall character of this chow.

Wiri wiri peppers add additional heat and can be enjoyed whole with the finished chow.

Shallot contributes a mild onion flavour with a touch of natural sweetness.

Garlic provides the bold savoury flavour that works so well with the citrus and peppers.

Salt seasons the chow and helps bring the other flavours together.

Lemons add bright acidity and fresh citrus flavour.

Limes provide another layer of sharp, tropical citrus acidity.

Water forms the liquid in which the crab apples marinate.

Shopping Made Easy

• Crab apples may be available at farmers’ markets, specialty produce shops, or when locally in season.

• Sweet/salt prunes can usually be found at Asian supermarkets and West Indian supermarkets.

• Chadon beni can be found at Caribbean markets and is also commonly labelled as culantro or bandanya.

• Wiri wiri peppers are available at many Caribbean markets, although availability can vary by season.

• Scotch bonnet peppers are available at Caribbean markets and many larger grocery stores.

Cooking Notes from the Kitchen

• Making cuts into the skin of the crab apples allows the spicy pickle liquid to penetrate the fruit and deliver the flavours of the garlic, citrus, hot peppers, and chadon beni beyond the skin.

• I kept the wiri wiri peppers whole so I could enjoy them with the finished chow.

• The sweet/salted preserved prunes help balance the flavours nicely, so there is no need to worry about adding more salt once everything has been mixed.

• Allowing the crab apple chow to marinate for at least 12 hours gives the flavours time to develop.

• Shake the container from time to time while the chow is marinating, as the ingredients may settle.