Sauces & Condiments Archives | Page 4 of 7

After getting a request for a new “Mother-In-Law” recipe via a YouTube comment , the spicy condiment we use on the side of many curry dishes in Trinidad and Tobago, I decided to do things a little different and do my interpretation of a Canadian version. I believe the name comes from the ‘spicy’ nature of one’s mother in law, mixed with different textures and flavors (complexity). Do keep in mind that you can control the amount of heat of this condiment by the number and type of hot peppers you use.

You’ll Need…

2 limes (juice)
1 lemon (juice)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 medium red onion
2 scallions
1 pear
2 nectarines
2 sticks celery
1 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
2 cloves garlic
4 HOT peppers
1 green apple (granny smith)
1 red apple (your choice)

Note! Feel free to use as much spicy hot peppers as you like.. do keep in mind that this is a SPICY condiment! I used a combination of Habanero, Scotch Bonnet and another pepper (don’t recall the name at the moment) from my garden. Here’s the original Caribbean version of Mother In Law I shared a while back.

The goal here is to dice everything the same size (except the garlic and peppers which I like very fine), so it’s uniform in texture when it’s served. I diced everything, but you can certainly use a food processor or grater if you like.

Make sure you wash the fruits etc very good, since we’ll be using the skin for additional color (presentation) and texture. Remember to wear gloves when handling the hot peppers and be sure to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. Additionally, don’t include the seeds and white membrane around the seeds if you’re concerned about the raw heat.

I usually squeeze the lime and lemon juice in the bowl I’ll be mixing everything in, so as I dice and place it there, it will help prevent discoloration of the fruits.

Basically all you have to do is dice (grate or food processor) everything and combine together. I used a bit of celery and green apple to give it a bit more texture and slight tartness. Usually green mangoes are used to achieve this. You may also grate in a carrot and the addition of a cucumber is always refreshing.

Taste for salt after you’ve mixed it all and adjust.

If you find that you don’t have enough liquid from the juices to coat/cover everything, add a bit more lemon juice or vinegar. You may store this in a glass container (sealed) in the fridge for up to 5 days or so. Please allow this to marinate for about 2 hours before serving for best results. This time will be used to bring all those spicy (and sweet) flavors together.

Are you married? How spicy is your mother in law? Did you know there’s also a Daughter-in-Law? More to come.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments

Insanely Good Guava Peppersauce (hot-sauce).

May 28, 2025September 8, 20174 Comments

While I don’t have immediate access to many of the fruits I grew up eating as a young fella on the islands, with many local groceries servicing the vibrant immigrant population in Ontario, there are times when I luck out. This time I came across ripe guavas (mind you they were not the best quality) at my favorite Asian market. Usually I’d make guava jam or guava cheese, but the amount of fruit required for those two recipes.. let’s just say my budget didn’t allow for it. So a fruity peppersauce came to mind.

You’ll Need…

10-15 hot peppers
2 cloves garlic (smashed)
6-8 guavas (ripe, seeded)
2 cups white vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
2 tablespoon honey
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 lime (juice)
2 slices ginger
1 teaspoon salt

* add brown sugar for a more sweet undertone

IMPORTANT! PLEASE wear gloves when handling these hot peppers and wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

For more heat add more hot peppers and for a more fruity/guava flavor, I’d recommend using more ripe guavas in the mix.

I kept the seeds of the peppers (I used a combination of extremely hot peppers) as I wanted the raw heat. Discard the seeds if you’d like it a bit more tame. Wash, remove the stems and rough-chop the peppers. Then cut the tips off the guavas, cut into 1/4’s and remove/discard the seeds (if there are any blemishes on the skin of the guava, cut off and discard). Add both to a saucepan, along with the vinegar, raisins, salt, ginger slices and molasses. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a very gentle simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes with the pan covered (slightly ajar). I’d recommend turning the fan on over your stove or open the windows in your kitchen.

Turn off the stove and allow it to cool. Then remove the ginger slices and discard… place in a blender and puree until relatively smooth (you can personalize it by leaving it a texture you like).

Return back to the saucepan, add the honey and lime juice, stir well and bring back to a simmer. Cook for 5-7 mins on a low heat.

Store in a clean glass container with a lid (if you use plastic the scent/taste will remain permanently) and store in the fridge. Yes it can stay outside the fridge for about a week or two, however in the fridge it will last a couple months easily.

This Guava hot sauce is excellent on grilled meats and vegetables, on your morning eggs and just about anywhere you’d normally add a spicy condiment. If you’re wondering how this would taste.. fiery, with a sort of bbq sauce undertone and overall fruitiness from the guava and sugar elements.

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Sauces & Condiments

How To Make Coconut Oil At Home.

May 28, 2025June 9, 20172 Comments

As a kid growing up on the islands coconut oil was a norm. Not just for cooking, but it was our choice of skin lotion / moisturizer and it was also part of our daily hair treatment. If memory servers me correct I think my my sisters also used it in making their version of cocoa butter and different types of fragrant soaps. During my most recent trip to the islands dad shared his technique for making coconut oil as it was passed on to him from my great grand parents.

* In a future post I’ll show you a more modern way to make this, but for now let’s look at the traditional way. Please follow along by watching the video below.

We had about 12-15 dried coconuts with the husk. Using a machete dad removed the outer husk, then cracked the dried coconut in half. He didn’t remove the hard outer shell as the device he would be using to remove the ‘meat (white coconut kernel) didn’t require the removal of the hard shell.

Basically all he did was grate the dried coconut meat into shreds.

This is how it would be traditionally grated. Remove the hard outer shell so all you have are pieces of dried coconut ‘meat’ and grate on a box or homemade grate (as in the pic below).

With all the coconuts grated it’s now time to separate the milk from the grated coconut.

Place the grated coconut in a large bucket and pour in about 8-10 cups of water. Massage with your hands. Then grab a handful and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Place the grated coconut that you’ve already squeezed out in another bucket.. we’ll do the same process again.

After you’ve squeezed out all the liquid, strain and set aside. Add back about 5 cups of water to the grated coconut for a second round of separation. Then strain again and mix with the first batch of coconut milk. BTW, you just made coconut milk.

Typically you’d now leave the coconut milk in the bowls overnight to develop the cream. Instead we placed the bowls with the coconut milk in the fridge as it speeds up the process. Basically the ‘fat’ will rise to the top and be easy to separate from the water.

IMPORTANT.. you can add this liquid immediately to a pot over a high flame and cook down. However it will take too much time and energy.

After a couple hrs in the fridge, it’s now time to skim off the coconut fat or cream. The time in the fridge means the liquid would have settled and the fat would have come to the surface. Using a large spoon, remove the tick top layer (try to not get too much water) and place in a heavy pot. You can then discard that water/liquid that’s left back.

Put the pot with the coconut fat/cream on a med/him flame and all we have to do now is burn off all the liquid/water until we start seeing the oil.

It will take between 1.5 and 2 hours.. depending on the yield of fat you got and amount of water you used. Keep the heat at about med/high and stir often. The goal it to remove all the water or the finished coconut oil will go rancid fast (have a short shelf life). You will end up with a bit of residue (I don’t recall the name my dad called it, but he gave me some on crackers to eat.. quite sweet and tasty). To ensure he got all the water out, he removed the oil from the residue and placed it in another pot on a medium flame for about 10 minutes. The longer you cook it the darker the oil can potentially go.

Basically all you have to do now is allow the oil to cool for a couple hours, then strain into sterilized bottles.

Should my instructions be confusing, please refer to the video below. Special thanks to my dad for the knowledge. The homemade coconut oil can last for months as long as you burned off all the water and used a sterilized bottle/container to store it. No need to place this in the fridge.

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Sauces & Condiments

Simple Haitian Epis (Zepis) Recipe.

May 28, 2025February 25, 20173 Comments

In the Southern Caribbean we have “Green Seasoning“, the Spanish speaking Caribbean gave us Sofrito and our Haitian cousins use Epis as the base for many of their delicious offerings. Traditionally made with a mortar and pestle (Munsh Pilon), it’s a blend of herbs, garlic and various peppers. In this recipe I’ll be using a food processor and will be personalizing it a bit to my own taste. So you’ll see that I won’t add any salt, bullion cubes nor onion (explained in the video).

You’ll Need…

Bell Peppers (various colors / med)
3 scallions
10 sprigs thyme
1 scotch bonnet pepper
3/4 – 1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup chopped parsley
5 shallots
2 stalks celery

Note: Optionally you can add a large onion, cloves, bouillon cube, salt and the juice of a lemon. You can always use vinegar instead of the olive oil or or use a combination of both if you want.

Wash and prep the ingredients (rough chop), then place everything in your blender or food processor.

I like my Epis (same as when I’m making Green Seasoning or Sofrito) with a bit of texture so I pulse it until I get the desired consistency, but feel free to puree to your liking.

Place the now complete Epis seasoning in a container with a lid and store in the fridge for months. Optionally you can freeze it in an ice cube tray, then pop out when frozen and store in the freezer in a zipper bag. This will allow you to use one cube every time you’re doing a recipe which calls for this amazing gluten free seasoning.

Epis can be used as a marinade for meats, fish/seafood, added to soups and stews and can be added to your favorite vegan and vegetarian dishes for additional flavor.

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Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments

Cider Maple Habanero Peppersauce (hot sauce) Recipe.

May 28, 2025February 16, 2017Leave a Comment

This past Fall I decided to do a peppersauce tribute to my home for the last 20 something years.. Canada. With a bumper crop of Habanero peppers (works great with scotch bonnets as well) in my small kitchen garden at the back of my house, the creative juices were flowing. Habaneros are some of my favorite spicy peppers, with the natural fruity undertones along with the fiery heat they possess. With a dose of fresh made apple cider (not vinegar) and some organic maple syrup, this pepper sauce was truly heavenly.

You’ll Need…

8-10 Habanero Peppers
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 lime (juice)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

* You may need to add a bit more apple cider if it gets too thick.

*Important : If doing this recipe gluten free, kindly go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Wash the peppers and give them a rough chop. Remember to wear gloves and to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. Include the seeds of the peppers for a more pronounced kick of heat!

Add everything (except the lime juice) to a sauce pan, then place the pan over a medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Stir and reduce the liquid by about half and the peppers are a bit tender. (about 10-15 mins)

Turn off the heat and allow it to cool a bit before placing in your blender or food processor. When it cools, add the lime juice and blitz until smooth.

This is a great condiment to use wherever you’d normal use hot sauces. I roasted off some chicken wings in the oven and gave them a slight coating of this marvelous peppersauce while they were still warm. Please store in the fridge – last in excess of 2 months easily.

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Sauces & Condiments

Fruity Passion Fruit Pepper Sauce.

May 28, 2025January 14, 20171 Comment

With my love for peppersauce (hot sauce) I’m always challenging myself to find different flavors to compliment the scorching heat of our beloved Scotch Bonnet Peppers, to add balance, depth and a unique finish. While this peppersauce is fiery, the fruity undertones of the passion fruit makes it very tasty and bearable for those of you who are not into pure heat! My mom like many from her generation, will argue that when making a ‘good’ peppersauce there’s no room for fruit. However with the success I’ve had with the 10 + fruity pepper sauces I’ve shared on here, that mindset can be challenged.

You’ll Need…

1 cup passion fruit puree
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
12-14 scotch bonnet

* feel free to add a couple cloves of garlic and some chopped cilantro if you’d like to play around with the flavors a bit. Some fresh lime or lemon juice would be ideal as well.

Wash the peppers and remove the stems, then give them a rough chop to help your blender or food processor make this easy work. IMPORTANT! Be sure to wear gloves and wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. I used the seeds of the pepper, but if you’d like to tame the heat down a bit you can remove and discard them.

If you’re wondering, you can get the passion fruit puree in the frozen section of West Indian, Asian and Latino grocery stores. I found the batch I used at a local Asian supermarket.

Basically all you have to do now is place all the ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth.

You can always tailor this pepper sauce to your own liking, by leaving it chunky or by adding other fruits you like (mango, berries etc) and if you need, you can also add a bit more vinegar should you need it (if it’s too thick).

I wanted to maintain both the heat level and fresh fruity undertones of the passion fruit so I left it raw. However you can always cook it for 10 minutes on a low simmer, then bottle. As is, it can last about a month of your kitchen counter, but for a much longer shelf life, store in the fridge. Just give it a shake before using. Definitely not my mom’s peppersauce, but it’s SO good! If you cannot source Scotch Bonnet peppers, an excellent replacement would be Habanero peppers.

Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments

Fiery Bajan (Barbados) Pepper Sauce.

May 28, 2025December 3, 20161 Comment

After a week of enjoying some of the best (probably debatable) peppersauce while tasting Barbados, I thought I’d share my take on this classic Caribbean hot sauce. We were in Barbados for the annual Food and Rum Festival and like the rest of the Caribbean, there were an assortment of pepper sauces to accompany every dish we had. Bajans (Barbadians) are VERY passionate about their pepper sauces and while this recipe is not as “traditional”, it could rival any we enjoyed while in Barbados.

You’ll Need…

16 Scotch Bonnet Peppers
3/4 cup white vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chopped turmeric
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
3/4 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used Sea Salt)

Note: While this recipe falls under the gluten free category I ask you to go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Also note that this is a “PepperSauce” so it’s meant to be VERY spicy, however you can leave out the seeds of the peppers to tame things down slightly. Wear gloves and wash your hands with spaod and water immediately after handling such hot peppers.

Wash and remove the stems from the Scotch Bonnet peppers (works well with Habanero peppers as well), then give them a rough chop. Smash the garlic and also give the cilantro a rough chop. If you’re in the Caribbean and have access to shado beni, you can use a couple leaves of that instead of the cilantro. Peel or scrape the skin off the turmeric and give it a rough chop as well. Please note that the turmeric may stain your fingers a brilliant yellow/orange color.

Then it’s just a matter of placing all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and working until it’s smooth (or you can pulse it if you want the peppersuace a bit chunky).

While speaking to people in Barbados, there seemed to be as many people who agree on cooking this sauce as there were people who said to leave it raw. I left it raw as I find that cooking takes away some of the heat of the sauce and since I used fresh turmeric, I wanted to maintain most of it’s health benefits. I must mention that the use of turmeric in not necessarily traditional to Bajan pepper sauce, but since I’m not a huge fan of mustard, I went this route (we found Bajan pepper sauces to have strong mustard undertones). If you prefer to cook this hot sauce, bring it to a boil and immediately reduce it to a gentle simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Since we used white vinegar as a base this will be fine in a bottle on your counter for a couple months or in the fridge for about 4 months. Also note that I’ve found that placing hot sauces in the fridge also tapers the heat level as time goes by.

Look for more recipes inspired by our trip to Barbados in the coming weeks. Are you following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram yet? Join in on the fun today!

Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments

Screaming Fruity Peppersauce (Hot Sauce)

May 28, 2025October 4, 20165 Comments

Every summer I try to plant many of the herbs, vegetables and peppers I use in the recipes I share, in the little garden I have at the back of our home. Nothing gives me pleasure than knowing what went into growing my food and there’s always a sense of accomplishment as well for me. Every year I try to plant a variety of HOT peppers, ranging from the insane stuff to mild and flavorful. This homemade pepper-sauce is not about the mild – unfortunately. We’re going for raw heat with the peppers I’ll be using, However with the addition of the frozen berries things will balance off naturally.

You’ll Need…

10-12 HOT peppers (your choice)
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 cups frozen berries
1 lime
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1-2 tablespoon brown sugar

* Berries included – strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and cherries AND I used an assortment of fiery peppers. IMPORTANT! Wear gloves when handling hot peppers and be SURE to wash your hands with soap and water IMMEDIATELY after.

Wash, drain/dry and trim off the stems off the peppers, then chop roughly. Smash the garlic and give the parsley a rough chop, before adding all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Be sure to open your kitchen windows or have the exhaust fan above your stove on, to vent the fumes of the peppers cooking.

You can use any frozen berries you have access to and if all you have is white vinegar, don’t worry – it will be fine.

As soon as it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to very gentle simmer and allow it to cook for about 25-30 minutes. Remember to vent the kitchen or cook outdoors.

Turn the stove off, then go in with an electric stick blender and puree to the consistency you like (I like it smooth). Taste for salt (adjust) and you’re free to add a bit more brown sugar if you want it a bit more sweet and the final thing is to go in with the juice of the lime. Bottle, cool and store in the fridge.

If you don’t have a stick blender you can use a traditional standing blender or food processor. I’d recommend allowing the cooked peppers to cool down a bit to avoid burning yourself while it blends.

Not your typical “Caribbean” peppersauce, but I assure you, you’ll be come a fan of it. BTW, not sure if I mentioned this to you before or not, but when traveling to the Caribbean don’t ask for hot sauce.. do like an islander and say, pass the peppa-sauce please!

Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Simple Tamarind Chutney Recipe.

May 28, 2025January 18, 20166 Comments

Here’s another one of those spicy condiments I grew up enjoying with many of the street food sold outside the gates of my secondary school in San Fernando, Trinidad at recess and lunch time. Usually used as a dipping sauce for Pholourie and Saheena… and as a topping for doubles and aloo pies. But I think we most enjoyed it on it’s own, as a thick savory sauce when our taste buds craved something exciting (especially when we didn’t have enough money for the pholourie). You’ll find that I did stray a bit from the traditional type recipes, however you’ll enjoy the subtle complex flavors.

You’ll Need…

12-14 tamarinds
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper diced
1/2 onion diced
2 scallions diced
2 tablespoon chopped shado beni (or cilantro)
1/2 teaspoon salt (see note below)
2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cloves garlic (diced or crushed)
2 1/2 cups water + 1 cup
1/2 lime (juice)

Note – depending on how tart (sour) your tamarind is you may need a bit more salt and brown sugar. If tamarind pulp (solid block, not the liquid) is available in your grocery store, it will save you having to remove the shell/seeds (would have already been removed).

Important! If doing this recipe according to a gluten free diet, be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements.

Crack the shell of the tamarinds and remove the pulp. Discard the shell and stringy bits, and get ready to cook. It will be sticky on your fingers.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add the pulp, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool, so you can safely handle it.

As it simmers, prep you other ingredients (chop finely or puree).

With the boiled tamarind pulp cool, it’s now time to use your hand/fingers and remove the hard seeds on the inside (discard).

Place the pot back on a medium flame and add another cup of water – bring to a boil.

Now go in with all the other ingredients and after it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for another 20 minutes.

At this point all the flavors should have combined nicely, so it’s time to use a blender or stick blender to puree it into a sauce (with texture). Or you can add a bit more water and allow it to cook longer until everything breakdown into the sauce consistency you like. Be sure to taste for salt and sugar and adjust accordingly as some tamarind can be a bit more tart than others. Tamarind chutney is supposed to be the perfect balance between tart, sweet and spicy!

You can place it in a glass container and store in the fridge for at least 1 week.

Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

The Ultimate Pepper Choka Recipe.

May 28, 2025December 8, 20152 Comments

Not sure if it was the way I was dressed/looked or the washed-down accent I used in placing my order, but the doubles vendor inside West Bees supermarket in Diego Martin (Trinidad) took time from her busy lunchtime line of customers to warn me “son be careful eh, this rheel hot“. Pepper choka is one of the many SPICY condiments you’ll find at most street vendors throughout the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Scotch Bonnet (known locally as congo pepper) peppers, fire-roasted and made into a chunky sort of salsa.

WARNING! This is extremely hot.. but so GOOD! You’ll see me add some ingredients which takes the recipe away from being completely traditional. However, they were items fresh from my garden and I love changing things up a bit. If you click on Recipe Index above, you’ll find a more traditional recipe there.

You’ll Need…

4 scotch bonnet peppers
2 chocolate seven pot peppers (7 pod)
2 ghost peppers (bhut jolokia)
5 cloves garlic (1 tablespoon olive oil to grill)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small red onion
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
8-10 cherry tomatoes (optional)

Note: if you can get ‘green’ – mature but not ripe (red or yellow) scotch bonnets, you’ll find that the heat is a little less pronounced and the flavor is quite unique. I used a variety of hot peppers as I had them growing in my garden, but you’re free to use mainly scotch bonnets (habaneros work great as well) if that is all you can get access to.

Basically you want to flame roast these for maximum flavor, but you can also roast them off in your oven. If you do use the oven, be sure to open the windows in your home or you’ll choke with the scent of the roasted peppers. Place the garlic cloves in a piece of tin foil and drizzle with olive oil. Direct roast the peppers (I used my outdoor grill) and place the garlic cloves away from direct heat. Flip the peppers so they roast evenly on all sides. Takes between 4-6 minutes.

While my peppers roasted I harvested some cherry tomatoes and parsley from my garden. The tomatoes were SWEET, so I didn’t want to grill them (add a bit of sweetness and additional texture to the choka), but if you want you can use 2 large tomatoes and grill them as well.

In a heavy bowl place the salt and garlic and crush till smooth (I used a traditional ponger) but you can do this step in a mortar and pestle. Then go in with the peppers (minus the stems) and crush.. don’t make it smooth as you want some texture from this. Then top with the chopped tomatoes, parsley and thinly slice onion. If you have lemons, you can go in with a couple tablespoons for a much brighter flavor.

Heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil till it starts to smoke, then pour it over everything and mix well. This step is called chunkay!

This is wickedly HOT, but such a tasty and mothering condiment. I guess this could pass for being the English Caribbean version of salsa? Store in a container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Whenever you’re going to use some, heat it for about 20 seconds in the microwave to awaken the flavors.

Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Quickest Pholourie Recipe Ever.

May 28, 2025November 21, 20151 Comment

Pholouire is one of those popular vegetarian street foods you’ll find being sold throughout Trinidad and Tobago, alongside “Doubles” and Aloo Pies. Usually served hot out of the fryer, with a side of spicy chutney (Mango | Mango chutney, Tamarind sauce, Coconut or Cucumber) and relatively cheap. This recipe is a sort of hack version (save you time), showing how you can use a pre-packaged mix with great results. If you’re looking for a ‘from scratch’ recipe for making pholouire, click on Recipe Index at the top of this page.

You’ll Need…

1 package of pholourie mix
1 scallion (green parts only)
1 tablespoon shado beni (culantro) or cilantro will work
1/2 small scotch bonnet pepper (optional) no seeds.

* 2-3 cups veg oil for frying.

* I like using a green scotch bonnet pepper (not fully developed) as you get a lovely flavor and a milder heat level.

Click here >> Tamarind Sauce for the demo video showing how to make the Tamarind Sauce to serve this with.

Basically all you’re doing is following the method according to the package instructions. To enhance things I added the other ingredients mentioned in the list above (finely chopped). You can leave out the scotch bonnet pepper if you wish as the Tamarind sauce will have a bit of heat to it.

In my case I believe the package asked that I allow it to rest for a couple minutes before frying, so during this time I heated my veg oil in a deep pan on a med/high heat. You have two options when it comes to forming the small dough balls for frying. 1 – you can use a teaspoon to scoop out and add to the heated oil or 2 – you can use your fingers to pinch off bits and add to the hot oil. I oiled my fingers (so the dough would not stick to it) and pinched off a teaspoon size bit and added it to my hot oil. There is a traditional way of placing the dough in your hands and squeezing the right amount between your fingers – sadly I don’t make pholouire often so I never perfected that technique.

Fry for about 4-5 minutes until they puff -up and go golden in colour. Set on paper towels to soak up the extra oil and serve warm.

I know there will be questions about which “mix” to use.. since I don’t get any sort of backing by these companies I’ll prefer not to endorse any. However if you go to your fav Caribbean / West Indian store there should be a couple options for you to choose from. Just personalize it a bit as we did and follow the instructions on the package and you should be fine. The funny thing is I got this mix at a Chinese grocery store.

Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Ultimate Caribbean Salsa Topping For Tacos, Hotdogs & Burgers.

May 28, 2025October 13, 20151 Comment

When some of your youngest fans get their mom to contact you “mom can you contact Chris to see if he can do a Caribbean taco recipe for us?” you know you have to jump into action. So the first thing I cranked out was the topping for said taco. During the summer months this also works as a great topping for grilled burgers and hot dogs. And when those cold wintry weekends kicks in and I want to brighten up my mood… I put a side of this with my eggs at breakfast! Versatile indeed!

You’ll Need…

2 cups diced pineapple
1 1/2 cups diced mango
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 lime (juice)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3/4 cup diced tomato

* optionally you can add diced cucumber, scallions and for more of a kick you can add a bit more scotch bonnet pepper. If doing this recipe gluten free be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Prep all the ingredients. Remember when handling scotch bonnet peppers to wear gloves and wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. You can leave out the scotch bonnet pepper or opt for a milder pepper if you wish. Do not use any seeds or the white membrane surrounding the seeds as that’s where the ‘raw’ heat will be. Basically you’re dicing all the ingredients somewhat the same size.

Then place it all in a large bowl and mix well. Place in the fridge to chill and marinate for about 30 minutes so all the flavors come together.

Hoping to have the taco recipe done in the coming days as I’m sure my little friends are eagerly waiting. It still amazes me that there are kids as young as 1 and 2 years old who watch me on Youtube on the regular and find me entertaining. Brings a joy to my heart to know that I’m helping to preserve and curate my/our culinary culture. Thank you to mom, dad and all the elders who are allowing the young ones to tune in (I’ll keep that in mind when I’m recording to keep the content family friendly). BTW, you can store this in the fridge for about 1 week before it starts to fall apart on you and loose it’s texture and zing.

Sauces & Condiments

Insanely Spicy Canadian Mother In Law.

Insanely Good Guava Peppersauce (hot-sauce).

How To Make Coconut Oil At Home.

Simple Haitian Epis (Zepis) Recipe.

Cider Maple Habanero Peppersauce (hot sauce) Recipe.

Fruity Passion Fruit Pepper Sauce.

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