Choka.. a spicy condiment made from roasted vegetables and hot peppers (as hot as you can handle) is one of those delectable vegan dishes we enjoy in the Caribbean. While most chokas are meant to be as spicy as you can tolerate and very basic.. usually made with one vegetable (like eggplant or tomato) ,…
With another season of abundant peppers in my garden and with all the requests for more peppersauce (hot sauce) recipes, I thought I’d share one influenced by the amazing CoCoPine Sauce that my good friend (and chef) Barry B market in the Caribbean. Chef B’s is a bit more complex and it reflects in the…
Without a doubt, Tomato Choka (say .. tomatoes choka) is one of the most tasty ‘simple’ dishes you’ll ever enjoy. In this case, fire roasted (boiled, oven roasted or even microwaved) tomatoes are crushed along with salt, garlic and hot peppers, then thinly sliced onions are added, before heated oil is poured over it all…
While I’ve had souse (protein and vegetable pickle with a cold spicy broth) made from the less glamorous parts of the pig (ears, snout and trotters) and the odd time I’ve done it using chicken feet, this is my new favorite way to make this Classic Caribbean Pickle. Our culinary culture in the Caribbean is…
Puritans will tell you that you need smoke and fire from pimento wood to get that real authentic Jamaican flavor when doing “jerk” and I’d be crazy to disagree. However, with this recipe in particular… I humbly think you achieve “jerk” greatness on the stove-top. Plus I live in Canada where there’s no pimento wood…
After one taste of this mango chow I knew it would be something I’d be addicted to and making very often. On our last trip to the islands, my friend David introduced me to this version of the spicy mango pickle I grew up eating as a young fella on the islands. However, the Chinese…
As we kick off another edition of the annual July Month Of Grilling, let’s jump into a recipe which is heavily requested and it’s something that goes hand in hand with BBQ and Grilling on the islands. If you’re from the Caribbean or have traveled to the islands (maybe you have friends from the region), you’ll know that Garlic Sauce (a thin aioli) is one of the preferred condiments served with BBQ. While there are many variations of this iconic sauce, I grantee you that this is as spectacular as it gets.
This island boy luv me some dhal.. that rich thick soup packed with tropical flavors, but made with very simple and cheap ingredients. Great on it’s own (cup of dhal) or as a side to rice and curry dishes. Dhal is very comforting and so simple to make. Here’s my take on this iconic dish with added spinach and kale, instead of the traditional use of “poi bhagi’ aka Malabar Spinach. Basically I’m using ingredients which are readily available to me here in Canada.
In the Caribbean our dishes are famous for being cooked low and slow.. some may even argue that we over-cook some of our dishes. However, you really can’t argue once you taste our culinary delights. Such is the case for stewed pigeon peas. Typically if you were using freshly picked pigeon peas, you’d have this cook for 1.5 to 2 hours. The reality is, there are times we just don’t have time and we just want to enjoy something delicious and fulfilling. This pigeon peas recipe is the answer.
There’s a special place in my belly for jerk pork (no lie). While I much prefer it made over a coals fire so you get lovely smoked sort of finish, which really compliments the herbs and other ingredients in the classic Jamaican jerk marinade. The said… reality in Canada is it can get VERY cold during the winter months, so realistically I had to come up with a recipe with will duplicate those same flavors, but in an everyday kitchen oven. Here is such a recipe.
Here’s another classic recipe with a slightly different take. Traditional ‘Broff” is usually made with fish, but more-so fish heads (ocean fish). Unlike our thick and heavy Caribbean Soups, this broff (broth) is supposed to be lighter in consistency and textures, and meant to be a cure for hangovers. My uncle was exceptional at making fish broff, especially on a Monday after a weekend of too many adult beverages.I do credit him for my broff making skills and for always allowing me to be part of the prep and cooking.
This is a re-do of a recipe I shared a few years back, but with closer attention you’ll notice that the technique is a bit different. Somewhat a perfected recipe based on repetition and tweaking. Still trying to find that elusive way my mom (and I have watched her do it too) and her mom before her would prepare their curry shrimp with potato. In all honesty my grandma would over-cook the shrimp (typical Caribbean way of cooking), but the taste was supreme (as I remembered).
