This recipe is a combination of many things. It’s a take on a recipe my mom would make but instead of using canned salmon as I did, she would normally use pieces of salted cod. Then about a year ago I saw Levis Roots of “Reggae Reggae Sauce” sauce fame cook up a batch of this with the help of some kids… if you’re from the UK and watch the Dragon’s Den you’ll know who I mean. I think he also calls himself the “Dragon Slayer”! But he used fresh caught mackerel in his dish.

Knowing that I had green fig (bananas) in the fridge, I had a severe craving for this sort of “country” dish about 8 pm last night. With no salted fish in the fridge, nor mackerel… the wheels of creativity went spinning and I decided on using the canned salmon that peeked at me from behind the can of corned beef in the cupboard (Mr. Salmon learned not to play hide and seek with a grown man). There’s no better motivation in the kitchen than a craving and hunger!

You’ll Need…

5-7 green bananas (known as green fig or cooking bananas in the Caribbean)
1/2 teaspoon salt (for boiling the green bananas)

1 medium tomato
1 medium onion
1 scallion (green onion / spring onion)
1 clove garlic
1/4 habanero pepper (scotch bonnet or any hot pepper you like)
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil (any cooking oil you like)
1 sprig thyme (dash dried thyme)
Salt – optional (add as needed)
1 can pink salmon

Note: If you’re shopping for green bananas in North America, they will be called cooking bananas. If you can’t find them in your grocery store, do ask a clerk and don’t buy ordinary bananas that are not ripe yet. You’re looking for ones that are really firm, brilliant green in color and no blemishes. If you’re peeling these as I did before boiling, do wear gloves or coat your hands with cooking oil to prevent the sort of ‘milk’ to cause your hands to be sticky and possibly itch. Don’t get that ‘milk’ (sap) onto your clothes.

Since the green fig will require the most time to cook, go ahead and peel, scrape and rinse them. You can also cook them in the skin and peel after they’ve been boiled. In a deep pot put enough water to cover the bananas and bring to a boil. Then add the bananas and salt.. bring back to a rolling boil and allow to cook for about 20 minutes.

While this cooks, lets prepare the other ingredients. Wash and chop the tomato, scallion, habanero pepper, thyme.. don’t forget the garlic and onion as well.

With the bananas fully cooked, drain and allow to cool while we get things really started. In a large saucepan put the olive oil to heat on a medium heat, then add the onion, garlic and thyme. Let them cook on the medium/low heat for about 3-5 minutes. We’re trying to get the onion translucent and release the rich flavors of the garlic and thyme. Next add the green onion, pepper, tomato and black pepper. Let that cook for about 3 minutes.

The next step is to add the can of salmon, including the water it was packaged in and ketchup. Break it up into flaky chunks, give it a good stir and allow to come back up to a gentle simmer… cook for another couple minutes.

While this cooks, the bananas should be cool enough to touch. Cut them into bite-sized pieces and get ready to toss them into the pot.

The final step is to toss in the cut pieces of cooked bananas into the pot, give it a good stir and allow it to heat through with all the other ingredients in the pot (about -35 minutes) and you’re done.

Since the canned salmon is usually packaged with a ton of sodium I don’t feel the need to add any salt, but do taste ad add accordingly as I’m sure your tolerance for salt will be different than mine.

This is one of those versatile dishes that works for any time of the day (or night as in my case)… even breakfast. Growing up on the islands you know we love our BIG breakfast, so though you may find this a bit heavy to start the day.. a Caribbean man would appreciate this (hint ladies). BTW, there’s enough here for 3-4 people if you have some coconut bake or toast on the side or a complete meal for two people.

To make this dish fully vegetarian, you can omit the canned fish, but add a little butter when cooking the onion and garlic at the start.

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…

Seafood

How To Make Saltfish Accras.

May 28, 2025October 5, 201190 Comments

With all the requests I’ve been getting via the facebook fan page and comments on the youtube channel, I finally decided that it was time to make good on my promise and post the recipe for saltfish accra. The fact that I had a craving for some salt fish accras had absolutely nothing to do with it – that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Many of you may know this as being cod fish fritters, saltfish fritters and/or fish cake, as it’s common for our food to have different names according to the island you call home. Basically the same ingredients, but we may have our own way of personalizing the overall recipe.

After posting the video for this saltfish accra on Youtube, a viewer mentioned that she usually use milk instead of water when making the batter for frying. I have to agree that this would be an excellent addition to an already wonderful recipe. Thanks to user “NadSSmith21” for the suggestion… I will try that next rongs.

You’ll Need…

1/2 lb boneless salt fish (dry salted cod)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 small onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced (use a garlic press if you have one)
2 shado beni leaves (or 1 tablespoon cilantro) chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
1/4 teaspoon chopped thyme (I like using fresh, but if all you have is dried, use 1/2 the amount)
1 teaspoon minced hot pepper, red pepper flakes or pepper sauce
1 egg
dash fresh ground black pepper
¼ to 1/2 cup water
pinch of sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon parsley chopped – optional

Vegetable oil for frying (about 3 cups)

We’ll stat by preparing the salted fish for use. In a large pot, cover the fish with water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. TIP : leave your kitchen window open or have the fan above your stove on to ventilate the scent. The scent of boiling salted fish is not for everyone.

While the salt fish boils (to remove the excess salt it was cured in and to rehydrate it), we’ll prep the herbs, garlic, pepper and onion.

After 20 minutes of simmering, drain the salted fish and rinse under cool water a couple times. Now squeeze out all the excess water and shred. You can certainly shred with your fingers, but it may be a bit chunky. The other option is to use a food processor or as I did… I placed the chunky piece mortar and with aid of the pestle, I gave it a good pounding. You can see the difference in the pictures below. Even though we used boneless salted fish, do keep an eye out for any bones which may have sneaked in.

Up next it’s time to make the batter. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic, onion, pepper and all the herds we diced earlier. Give that a good stir, then add the shredded saltfish and give that another stir. Now add the egg and stir again. Finally… tart adding water and stirring. The goal is to get a thick batter. I ended up using close to 1/2 cup water. Remember the suggestion we got via Youtube about using milk instead.

Now that the batter is ready, it’s time to heat the vegetable oil on a medium/high heat. As this comes to temperature for frying… start adding heaping teaspoon full amounts to the pan. Since I don’t have an oil thermometer I can’t tell you exactly what temperate the heat should be at (sorry). Try not to crowd the pan with too many accras. It should take a couple minutes on each side and you’ll notice they will start to float as they cook. I flipped mine a couple times each side to achieve the perfect golden brown color accras should be.

Be sure to have a draining station set up (paper towels) to allow all the excess oil to saturate. If you find that it’s getting dark quickly it may mean you have to turn the heat down a bit or risk having accras that are raw in the middle.

I believe this batch of batter made about 12 accras… could be a couple more but I was busy eating as they were coming out of the oil, so I don’t have an accurate count on the paper towels.

This is an excellent party finger food or snack and it goes well with a spicy tamarind dipping sauce. Please don’t do as I did and eat fresh out of the fryer (though it’s best served warm/hot) as your mouth/tongue will pay the price.

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.

Seafood

Steamed Fish With Cabbage And Ochro.

March 5, 2012April 26, 201126 Comments

jamaican steam fish recipe (12)

Here’s another dish we tore-up while on our Jamaican trek a few weeks ago. As a youth on the islands I enjoyed fish three ways.. curried, stew and in fish broth. Non of which was an easy sell for our to get us to eat. So this steamed fish was new to me… especially when I saw it being served with crackers and bammy (cassava flat bread). At first seeing a fish that looked as if it was boiled and with no real color to it, was not all that appealing to me. However after the first bite I could only think “I was missing out all these years”.

It was day 5 into our 1 week vacation and we were out about town in Portmore around 11 pm, when we decided on having fish tea. But that only sparked our appetite and we ended up with plates platters of massive steamed red snapper. The most exciting yet funny thing about this meal was the fact that you’re led to a huge fridge with freshly caught fish and you have the opportunity to choose which fish you want cooked. So there we were standing in front of this sort of chest fridge and it was my turn to choose a fish. The red snappers were huge and I knew I would struggle to finish one, but the next option were parrot fish. Have you ever seen a parrot fish? There was no way way I could eat something so beautiful. I didn’t say I couldn’t eat that pretty fish (though they were the perfect size), so I settled for the big-ass red snapper.

Here’s my take on this classic Jamaican steamed fish dish.

You’ll Need…

1 lime or lemon
2 fish (about 1 lb each)
2 cups fish stock (or water)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
1 1/2 cups cabbage
10 ochro
1 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic (see note below)
6 sprigs fresh thyme
3 scallions (green onions)
2 medium tomato
1/4 teaspoon salt

* I didn’t have any garlic, so I opted to use about 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Traditionally I’ve seen vinegar and some butter used in preparing this dish, however I’m no fan of vinegar and we could all do without the fat from the butter.

* I opted for Sea Bass, but a more sturdy fish like Red Snapper is better suited. Not only was the sea bass cheap (don’t ever go looking for fish around Good Friday at the market), it’s a nice mild fish which I find works well with the other ingredients in the recipe. The dish is not over-powered by a fishy taste.

Start by heating the fish stock or water in a fairly large pan (one with a cover) and allow to simmer. If you can’t get fish stock, try to get a package or 2 of fish tea. I suppose you can use vegetable stock as well if you wish. To that we’ll add the ochro (okra) which we trimmed the stems off and cut in half. We also gave the onion a rough chop and added it to the simmering stock, as well as the chopped cabbage. Place the lid on the pan and allow to reduce for about 5-7 minutes on low heat.

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Place your fish in a large bowl (I assume you already have it cleaned), squeeze the juice of the lime or lemon over the fish, then rinse off with cool water and drain. We’ll now chop the scallions into halves, then keep the green ends about 4-5 inches or so and dice the remaining pieces. Fine chop the 1/2 of scotch bonnet or habanero pepper and rinse off the thyme under cool water, but keep intact (on the sprig). You’ll notice that I trimmed the gills, fin and tail off my fish.. I can’t stand seeing those things on the fish when I’m eating it.

If your fish is not cut down the middle of the belly, do so, so we can stuff it with the seasoning. Take about 3 sprigs of thyme, 1/2 of the scallions (greens), 1/2 of the chopped scotch bonnet pepper and a dash of black pepper and stuff the cavity of each fish. In the pics you’ll notice that I forgot to make a couple cuts along the sides of the fish (I did so later on). Please do so now so the fish will cook faster and the flavors will absorb nicely into the fish itself.

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Now add the chopped tomato, garlic (or garlic powder), the rest of the black pepper and the seasoned fish into the pot. You may need to make room so the fish sit deep as possible in the pot. Give the pot a shake and spoon some of that rich broth we created over each fish. Bring to a boil, place the whole scotch bonnet on top, then reduce the heat to a simmer and close the lid. Let this cook for about 10 minutes. Remember to add the salt and near the end do taste to see if you need more. The fish stock I used had salt in it already, so that accounted for some of the salt in the overall dish. Do adjust accordingly.

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As I mentioned above, this steamed fish is usually served with crackers and/or bammy, but I was quite full with one of these, some of the ochro and cabbage. Before I go I encourage you to join us on Face Book, Twitter and do check out the cooking videos. Yea.. leave me your comments below – it’s always appreciated!

Before you go calling me a wuss, take look at how pretty this fishy is…

fish

Seafood

The Ultimate Ackee And Saltfish Recipe.

November 3, 2014April 14, 2011218 Comments

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As many of you know, there’s been several “Ultimate” dishes I’ve shared in the past and I’d like to add this Ackee and Saltfish dish to that list of amazing meals. We were fortunate to have visited Jamaica a few weeks ago and even more lucky to have our friend’s mom cook us a traditional breakfast while we were at their home in Portmore. I have to confess that it was my first experience with ackee and saltfish and how quickly did I fall in love with this, the national dish of Jamaica.

I don’t ever recall seeing any ackee trees or even hearing about eating it while growing up in Trinidad and Tobago (have to ask my dad the next time we chat), but I assure you that it would make a great addition to our rich landscape and I know it would quickly become a hit on many breakfast tables throughout the twin island republic.

In this recipe I’m using canned ackee, but I assure you that though it’s very delicious, it cannot compare to the fresh ackee that was prepared for us. (BTW, do you know that in Ontario, we pay in excess of $11 a can for ackee? That’s over $72 TT or $970 Jamaican dollars) Really have to go plant some trees and cash in on this.

You’ll Need…

1 can ackee (use fresh if you have – about 2 cups)
1/3 lb saltfish – boneless/skinless (salted cod or other)
1 medium onion sliced
1 habanero or scotch bonnet pepper
fresh thyme (couple sprigs)
1 medium tomato cubed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil (see note below)
2 scallions
1/4 medium sweet bell pepper
2 cloves garlic

Note: I like using olive oil, but you can use vegetable oil or butter as I’ve seen some people do. Since we’ll be using salted fish, there’s no need for any salt in this dish. Finally, if using canned ackee as I did, do handle with care or it will break-up easily and become “mush”.

Start by putting the dry salted fish to boil in a pot on high heat, then simmer for about 20 minutes (you can also soak in cold water overnight before boiling if you wish). I try my best to get the boneless/skinless saltfish as it makes for less work. After boiling drain, rinse under cool water and squeeze dry. Now break apart into the size pieces you like. I’ve seen people use a fork to sort of shred the saltfish, but I find that I like the texture of large flakes. Also, this allows me to actually taste the saltfish when eating.

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While the saltfish was boiling to remove the excess salt that is was cured in (also re-hydrates and tenderizes the fish), I prepared the ingredients that we’ll be using in this dish.

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In a large sauce pan, heat the oil on medium heat (or if want you can use butter or margarine), I love the flavour the cold press extra virgin olive oil gives to this dish. Then add the garlic, sliced onions and scotch bonnet pepper. Allow that to cook for a couple minutes (until the onion softens up a bit), then add the sweet pepper (bell pepper) scallion, black pepper, and thyme. Allow this to cook for a couple minutes, then add the pieces of saltfish and cook for another 3-5 minutes. To prevent the tomato becoming too mushy, I now add it to the sauce pan and let it warm through for about a minute or two. Remember to stir, so all the ingredients get a chance to marry and explode with spectacular flavor.

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Now is time to add the star of the show. Now here’s the thing about canned ackee.. it’s VERY fragile. So after I open the can, I pour everything into a strainer and run cold water over it. Just to remove that liquid it’s been packed in. After this drains, I add it to the saucepan with everything else, but I DON’T stir with a spoon. I use two forks and gently toss it with the other ingredients. The trick is not to break it apart, or you’ll end up with a huge pot of mush. After adding the ackee, it takes a minute or two for it to heat through and absorb all those wonderful layers of flavor we built.

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It’s amazing how simple, yet tasty this dish is. Very similar to the tomato and saltfish we make in Trinbago, except you add the ackee which gives it a unique taste and texture. It looks very much like scrambled eggs, but I assure you that no scramble eggs will ever taste like this.

That lovely morning outside Kingston we had boiled green banana (green fig), yam, dumplings and some of the best bread I’ve ever had (hard dough) and we washed it all down with a piping hot cup of Milo sweetened with my favorite… condensed milk.

WIN! CONTEST! WIN!

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It’s that time again – we’re giving away the following cookbook (see above) to one lucky person for the month of April. 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 cookbook, highlighting the art of mastering pasta dishes. Yup! Not Caribbean, but a wonderful way to learn some Italian cooking with easy step by step recipes. 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 “Pasta Step By Step Cookbook”…

– 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 April 14 – to midnight April 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 cookbook out to you. It’s simple, free and a great way to experiment with some Italian cooking. Good luck to everyone who enters.

Happy cooking

Chris…

Seafood

A Quick Shrimp Stir Fry.

March 5, 2012April 4, 201125 Comments

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One of my weaknesses when it comes to food when I’m on the islands is definitely Chinese. I just love the unique way through the years our “chinee” food evolved to what it is today. Be it the use of local ingredients or the influence of the many other culture/races that make up Trinidad and Tobago, but I assure you that you will not find the same sort of Chinese dishes elsewhere (taste). I guess Trinbagonians will also the say the same thing about KFC ?

As a youth Saturdays my dad would take me and my brother to see Kung Fu movies in San Fernando and besides being excited about seeing all the fighting scenes we’d try to emulate when we got home (on each other), it also meant food from some of the popular Chinese restaurants on Mucurapo (sp) street. There’s this sort of rum shop/restaurant on the corner or Lord and Mucurapo street, which I still visit to this day as they have the best fried pork (Chinese style) I’ve ever had. With just the right amount or fat and crispy skin that goes well with the pepper sauce they top the sandwiches with. All on “hops” bread.

Yes, the cuisine of Trinidad and Tobago and many of the Caribbean islands are heavily influenced by the Chinese, in case you’re wondering why you’re finding a stir fry recipe on this site. Over the coming months I try my best to share some of those dishes I grew up craving.

You’ll Need…
1/2 lb shrimp (peeled/deveined)
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 carrot sliced thin
cabbage
christophene (“chocho” to my Jamaican friends)
snow peas
bell peppers (orange, green and red – anything to add some colour)
mushroom
baby pak choi (bok choi)
large onion
3 tablespoon soya sauce (dark)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional – to give it a kick)
fresh ground white pepper (optional)

* You can control what vegetables you add and how much you actually use. In this recipe I used about 1 1/2 cups of each and I tried my best to cut them in similar sizes so they cook uniformly. The finished dish could easily be enough for about 4-5 people using my recipe.

* It’s very important that you have everything prepped, including the sauce mixture before you gets started. I’d also like to mention that since I’m using soy sauce I didn’t have the need to add any additional salt to the dish, but this is entirely up to you as I’m sure your love for salt will be different than mine.

Start by prepping the vegetables and shrimp (peel and devein). Remember to try and keep the vegetables the same size when dicing.

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I forgot to take a pic of the cleaned shrimp, but we’re ready to get started. I was hyped at using my new wok for the first time. Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in the wok or pan on fairly high heat, then add the shrimp. Cook for a couple minutes then remove from the wok. Add the additional 2 tablespoons of oil and toss in the onion, garlic and ginger. Let that cook till the onion is soft (about 2-3 minutes). The entire kitchen should already start smelling good.

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Now it’s time to add all the other ingredients (vegetables) and stir as you add to allow everything to hit the bottom of the wok and start cooking. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes, then add back the shrimp and fresh ground white pepper if you have some.

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In a small bowl I added the soy, Oyster and Hoisin sauces, as well as the Sesame oil and pepper sauce, gave it a good stir with a whisk, so now I can pour it over the vegetables and stir well. Basically all you’re doing now is heating the sauce and allowing it to coat all those wonderful vegetables. I like my stir fry with a bit of a crunch, so I don’t cook it much longer than this. So about 2-3 minutes after I add the sauces I remove it off the heat. Remember to check for salt.

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If shrimp is not your thing, you can certainly use chicken or go vegetarian. I think I saw some vegetarian oyster and hoisin (simulated flavor thing) in the local Asian store I went to. I had a huge plate of this immediately after it was done, as the longer it stay in the pot or if you cover after making, it will continue cooking and go soggy. Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

happy cooking

Chris…

Meat & Poultry Seafood

A Classic Jamaican Jerk Marinade.

May 27, 2025January 14, 2011155 Comments

jamaican jerk chicken

I just love the variety of exciting and scrumptious dishes you can find as you work your way up and down the islands that make up the Caribbean. To date I’ve not been to Jamaica, even though my friends who hails from there have extended several invitations the past few years. Hopefully I can make the trip down the next time they plan a vacation and finally get to see “jerk” done the traditional way. Until then, I’ll keep making my homemade marinade/sauce and hopefully you’ll give it a try. Beware! You won’t go back to the bottled stuff you get in the grocery store once you do though. You won’t believe how simple this is.

You’ll Need…

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

Notes: If you’re using dried thyme, use about 1/2 table spoon. This makes about 3 cups of marinade and it can be stored in the fridge for about 1 month.

Basically all you’ll be doing is making a puree with all the ingredients I mentioned above. So you’ll need a blender or food processor.

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Rough chop the scallions, peppers, garlic, onion and thyme and place in the food processor to make it easier to puree. Remember when working with these hot peppers to wear gloves (the natural oil is deadly). Also note that most of the heat is within the seeds and the membrane that surround the seeds. So to control the heat, discard those. However, for that true authentic Jamaican feel.. keep the entire peppers.

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Now add all the other ingredients and pulse to start. Then run the puree speed for about 2-3 minutes until everything breaks down to a smooth consistency.

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For best results use this sauce immediately, but marinate your pork, chicken or fish (haven’t tried beef yet) for at least 2 hours before grilling or roasting in the oven. The next recipe I post I’ll show you how simple it is to use this marinade/sauce to make the Ultimate Oven Jerk Chicken. Stay tuned.

In the coming months I’ll also show you a secret ingredient I use to give this a Canadian twist.. I can’t right now as I’m sending off a challenge to Bobby Flay (he’s taking entries for a new show he’s working on). Wish me luck.

Don’t forget to join us on Facebook and check out the cooking videos – see on the upper right side of the page for links to those. And before you go, do leave me your comments below – it’s appreciated.

BTW, as we “Trinis” do… you can always add our signature to this by adding a couple shots of rum (I would use a dark rum), a little shado beni and how could we forget a drop or two of Angostura bitters.

Seafood Vegetarian

A Classic Trinbagonian Caraili Recipe.

March 5, 2012January 6, 201137 Comments

trinidad fry caraili recipe

Do you have things you refused to eat as a kid, but find that as an adult you have a new appreciation for them? There’s quite a few dishes that would make my list, but (and I really tried) caraili is something I could never like. Caraili, bitter melon or as it’s known in India… karela, just isn’t for me. I tried what my mom and friends on the facebook fan page suggested to remove the overly bitter taste and though it did make a huge difference, it still reminded me of a hot Guinness. With the majority of kids on the islands disliking this dish for as long as time itself, who’s carrying on the tradition of cooking and enjoy this? BTW, see the bottom of this page to read a little about the nutritional benefits for bitter melon (caraili).

For those of you who like this dish, but never got around to making it yourself or if you’re someone who like to try new and different things, here’s a quick recipe. And according to my dad, a delicious one. You be the judge!

*You’ll notice that I posted this recipe under “Fish” as well as “Vegetarian”. To make it fully vegetarian, you can leave out the salted cod pieces but remember to taste for salt at the end. Additionally, you can add a little curry powder to it for another layer of flavor.

You’ll Need…

2 average size Caraili (sliced thin)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion sliced
2 cloves garlic sliced
1/4 hot pepper (I used habanero)
2 tablespoon vegetable oil (I prefer to use olive oil)
1/4 cup of shredded salt fish (salted cod)
*salt for cooking (most likely you will not need any)

There’s a little prep time needed for this dish to help remove some of the bitter taste. Cut off the ends and discard, Then cut in half and using your fingers push down the inside to remove the seeds etc. An easy way is to make a cut down the middle (length) and use a spoon to scoop out the inside(refer to pics below). Then slice as thin as you can.

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Discard everything you removed from the inside and start slicing (crosswise) as thin as you can. To help remove the bitter taste, place the slices on a dish and sprinkle with the salt. Allow that to sit for at least 30 minutes (I left mine for 1 hour). This will draw out most of the bitterness.

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Now using your hands or a tea towel, squeeze out as much liquid as you can. You’ll be amazed at how much liquid will come out. The next step is to rinse with cool water, squeeze again and repeat this step one more time. Try to get as much water/liquid out as possible.

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While this was sitting salted, I prepared my salted cod. I placed it in a bowl with hot water and allowed it to soak until the water cooled. This step is to remove some of the salt and to add some moisture back to the salted cod as the salting process dries the fish out. I then rinse with cool water, squeeze dry and shred.

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In a heavy pan heat the oil on medium heat, then add the garlic, onion and hot pepper. Allow this to cook for a few minutes – until the edges start browning. Now add the shredded salted cod… lower the heat a bit so it doesn’t stick/burn and cook for about 5 minutes. You want to get that rich salt fish flavor. Remember if you going vegetarian, you’ll skip this part. Now it’s time to add the sliced caraili and stir.

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With the heat on medium/low, cook this with the pot uncovered for about 25 minutes or until you start seeing the edges start going brown (refer to the pic below). Since we salted this early as we prepped it and though we did rinse it off, the salted cod we add should have added enough salt to the entire dish. however, feel free to taste and add salt if required. I didn’t need any. It may start to stick to the bottom of the pan while cooking, so do take time ever few minutes to stir. If you find that it’s overly dry and not browning, add another teaspoon of oil to the pot.

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Caraili are very low in calories but dense with precious nutrients. It is an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, and B3, C, magnesium, folic acid, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, and has high dietary fiber. It is rich in iron, contains twice the beta-carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, and twice the potassium of a banana.

Caraili or bitter melon, contains a unique phyto-constituent that has been confirmed to have a hypoglycemic effect called charantin. There is also another insulin-like compound known as polypeptide P which have been suggested as insulin replacement in some diabetic patients.

Do you have a caraili memory from your childhood days? Leave me your comments below, as I’d love to know how many of you have a dislike for this as I do. And don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos and join us on Facebook (see images on the upper right side of this page)

Seafood

Appetizing Caribbean Stew Fish.

March 5, 2012December 1, 201023 Comments

trinidad stew fish (12)

Earlier today I mentioned on the Facebook Fan Page that I had a severe craving for stew fish with a healthy serving of brown rice, but I didn’t have time to go to the fish market to source out my favorite fish, King Fish. However I did have a sea bass in the freezer that escaped going on the grill over the summer. I wasn’t sure how well the Sea Bass would stand up to this recipe and some of the people who commented on Facebook also shared my concern. So basically this recipe was a sort of experiment, but it turned out to be a lovely substitute for the King fish I much rather using. I’ve also seen my mom use, red fish, jack fish, salmon and carite (mackerel) when making this dish.

You’ll Need…

2 lbs fish (I used sea bass)
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash black pepper
medium onion sliced
medium tomato sliced
1/4 hot pepper (scotch bonnet or habanero) or 1/4 teaspoon hotsauce
1/2 teaspoon green seasoning
1 scallion
veg oil for frying the fish (about 1-2 cups)
flour for dusting the fish for frying (about 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon ketchup
3 cloves garlic crushed/sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice of 1 lime or lemon

Trim off the fins etc, cut into 1-2 inch pieces and squeeze the lime or lemon juice over it in a bowl and rinse with water (then drain). I kept the head, but to be honest I much prefer to use it for stock or making fish broth. I then season the fish and have it marinate for about 30 minutes or so. In the bowl with the washed fish pieces, add everything except the tomato paste, oil for frying, flour, olive oil and water.

trinidad stew fish

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To help the fish keep it’s shape while stewing and to follow on the traditional way I know of making this dish, we’ll quickly fry the fish pieces. Place the oil to heat in a pan on medium/high heat. Then shake off the seasoned fish pieces (keep the stuff that falls off in the bowl) and roll them in the flour to form a sort of coating. Then add to the hot oil and allow it to cook about 2-3 minutes on each side. Then set aside to drain off any excess oil on paper towels.

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In a fairly wide and deep saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium heat, then add the tomato, onions, garlic.. etc that the fish was marinating in (scrape the bowl clean). Allow this to cook for a couple minutes (stir), then add the tomato paste (another option if you don’t have tomato paste, is Caribbean style browning – about1/4 teaspoon). Now add the 3/4 cup of water, then gently add in the fish pieces. Give them a gentle stir so the sauce gets to “marry” with the fish pieces and heighten the flavour of the overall dish. Allow this to simmer for about 5 minutes, so the sauce (gravy) can have time to thicken up a bit. Enjoy!

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Yea, this one hit the spot today for sure and I quite surprised how well the Sea Bass held up. But, I was very careful when handing it. No fish meal in the Caribbean is complete without a few slices of cucumber on the side. Please leave me your comments below as I’d love to hear from you. Maybe you have a different version of this you’d like to share? And don’t forget to join us on Facebook to chat about all things food related and the culture of the Caribbean. Click on the image on the upper right side of this page to get started. we’d love to have you.

Seafood

Using Salted Cod As A Base For A Delectable Caribbean Soup.

March 5, 2012October 29, 201024 Comments

trini food soup recipe (11)

Soup is a common Saturday meal throughout the islands that make up the Caribbean and it’s one of those one pot meals that truly brings family and friends together. When we first immigrated to Canada there were but a sprinkle of people with Caribbean heritage in Hamilton. My little group of friends included a fella from Jamaica, one from Dominica and how could I forget my good friend Carlos who was from Barbados. We did just about everything together, especially since when you’re new to a country you tend to latch on to anything which gives you the slightest security and comradeship of “home”. I love my Trinbagonian food and it’s something I could never repeat to my mom or grandmother, but this soup was the best I’ve ever had. Between Carlos, his sister and I, I think we ate the entire pot – no joke! The last time I was in Barbados I searched in vain for a restaurant in Bridgetown hoping to find a spot where I could sample some home style soup… no luck.

This soup cannot compare to that soup which is forever stuck in my mind from all those years ago, but when my grandmother would make this we’d eat bowlfuls.

You’ll Need…

1/2 lb salted cod (any dry salted fish)
1 carrot diced
8 ochro (okra) diced
3 medium potatoes cubed
1 lb yam cubed
1 lb eddoes
3 sprigs thyme
4 green cooking bananas
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 hot pepper (scotch bonnet or habanero)
1 large onion diced
3 cloves garlic sliced
1 can coconut milk (about 1.25 cups)
salt to taste (see note below)
1 cup split peas (dry)
8 cups of water
1 tablespoon veg oil

* In the recipe I have 1 cup split peas and this is what’s traditionally used, but I opted for a dry peas mix. Which to be honest didn’t work as well as I planned.

* In the recipe you’ll notice that I also mentioned green bananas. However my pot wasn’t big enough and I didn’t have room to add it at the end. I’ll be using those for another recipe.

* To help quicken the cooking time of the split peas, feel free to soak them in cool water overnight, then drain when you’re ready to put into the soup.

Since I had to deal with the small pot issue, I couldn’t put the star of this soup – dumplings. If you need the recipe for making the flour dumplings, do let me know in the comment section below. They’re added the last 10 minutes of cooking.

trini food soup recipe

Start off by soaking the dry salted fish in water for a few minutes (normally when using salted fish like this we either soak overnight then boil or soak in boiling hot water for an hr or so, but there’s no need with this recipe) then rinse off and strip into smaller pieces.

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In a large pot (be smarter than me) heat the oil on med to high heat and add the pieces of salted fish to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes (until it starts to brown and stick to the bottom of the pot) then add the garlic and onion. Cook that for a few minutes on medium heat as we don’t want to burn the garlic.

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After the onion starts to go soft and translucent, add the peas (remember to wash it before adding) and sliced carrots and give it good stir. (in the pic below you’ll see the dry peas mix I used and regret. Should have stuck to the split peas instead – lesson learned.

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Add the coconut milk, thyme, black pepper, hot pepper, ochro and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook covered until the split peas is fully cooked. Takes about 45-50 minutes. As it cooks it will start to thicken.

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While this does it’s thing, peel and cube the ground provisions (yam, eddoes, green bananas and potato), please try to cut them all the same size so they cook uniformly when we add them to the pot. In a previous soup recipe I posted, several people said that they parboil the provision separately. Wash the pieces off under cool water, then place in a large bowl and cover with water to prevent them from going discolored while we wait for the peas to fully cook.

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The peas mix I used, took about 1 hour to get soft, this is when I added the provisions to the pot. Bring to a boil again, then turn down the heat to a simmer (with pot covered) and cook for about 15 minutes (until the provisions is fully cooked). If you’re adding dumplings to the soup do so the last 10 minutes or so, of cooking. IMPORTANT! You’ll notice that I didn’t add salt. This is because the salted cod that I used is packed with tons of salt and after tasting at the end I noticed that I didn’t have to add any. I recommend that you taste the soup to see if there’s enough salt for your taste.

* If you’re worried about the hot pepper in the ingredients list, add it whole and fish it out when the soup is done cooking. For that extra kick, burst open the pepper near the end and it will blaze-up this dish.

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Be prepared to fall asleep after eating a good bowl of this. I had a good nap then when back for 2nd’s! Maybe I can get someone from Barbados to share their classic soup recipe with me, as through the years Carlos and I have drifted apart and I don’t have that connection any longer. Wait! Securing that soup could be a good reason to visit Barbados again, especially when it gets nasty-cold during the winter months 🙂

Please leave me your comments below and don’t forget to tell your friends about the website. One more thing… If you’re not already part of our facebook fan group, do so now by clicking the image below. It’s one of the largest groups on facebook dedicated to exploring the culinary culture of the Caribbean islands.

Seafood

An exciting curry dish using canned salmon.

March 5, 2012October 10, 201047 Comments

trinidad curry salmon (10)

I had a serious craving for some curry, about 10 pm last night and I didn’t want to wait for any of the frozen meats we had in the freezer to thaw out. Kinda late to be eating a heavy meal, but eating late is the norm for me (and it shows). I hit the pantry and found a couple cans of pink salmon, so I decided to make one of those quick dishes that doesn’t get the acclamation it deserves. BTW, here’s another way to make this dish without the curry: Gourmet salmon from a can?

You’ll Need…

1 can Salmon – 213g (I used Pink Pacific)
1 small onion sliced
2 cloves garlic sliced/crushed
1/4 hot pepper (optional, but adds the kick to the curry)
1 scallion
1 teaspoon curry powder (your favorite)
1 tablespoon oil
dash of black pepper

* You’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt, as I find that most canned foods are already loaded with salt. Add as you feel is necessary.

trinidad curry salmon

Prep the onion, garlic, pepper and scallion. Then in a saucepan on medium/high heat, heat the oil. Add the sliced onion and garlic and cook for a couple minutes on medium heat. Allow to soften and release it’s natural oils.

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Now add the slices of hot pepper and allow to cook for about a minute, then add the curry powder and stir well. Let that cook (stir) cook for about 2 minutes, then add about 5 tablespoons of water and stir to pick up all the curry that may be stuck to the bottom of the pot.

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Turn down the heat to low and allow the curry paste to cook for about 3-5 minutes… until all the liquid cooks off. The next step is to empty the can of salmon into the pot and break apart (add the liquid from the can as well). Try to keep it in flakes, so there’s some texture to the final outcome. Mix in the scallion and tomato and cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer (covered).

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trinidad curry salmon (9)

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With the lid on, it will spring some of it’s own juices. Cook this for about 5 minutes or until it thickens a bit. Remember to stir a couple times, but try not to break-up the fish too much.

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I had some leftover rice in the fridge, so it was a complete meal. I really wish I could add some slices of cucumber to my plate, but cucumber and late nights does not work well for my digestion.

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This is a super-fast way to enjoy a lovely curry fish meal, that’s full of body and a unique punch of flavors. Before I go I’d like to remind you to leave me your comments below (it’s always appreciated), share this recipe with your friends by sending them the link to the website and do join us on Facebook as we grow our already large Caribbean food community. All you have to do is click on the facebook image below to get started.

Seafood Vegetarian

Creamy Eddoes Talkari.

March 5, 2012September 14, 201015 Comments

trinidad eddoes talkarie recipe (10)

Here’s a another dish our mother could not get us to eat as kids. Our reason being.. “it eh have no colour”. On the islands we tend to do a lot of eating with our eyes and we expect everything cooked to have some “colour” to it or it’s automatically unappetizing for us. But like with many dishes I now enjoy, adulthood really opened my eyes and taste buds. This is a nice side (talkari) to hot sada roti and with a few pieces of lime peppersauce… you’re set!

You’ll Need…

1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable
5 medium eddoes peeled / cubed
1 medium potato peeled / cubed
2 cloves garlic crushed
1/4 hot pepper sliced thin – remember to leave out the seeds to control the heat
1/2 medium onion sliced
4 tablespoon of salted cod pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt (the salted cod will also add some salt to the dish)
1 teaspoon each chopped fine:
– thyme
– Spanish thyme
– celery leaf
– chives
(or you can use scallions + cilantro + thyme) basically any sort of fresh herbs that you may have.

* The potato is optional, but I love the added texture it gives to the overall dish.

Start by prepping everything. This means peeling, slicing and cube the potato / eddoes pieces the same size so they cook uniformly. I also soak the pieces of salted cod in hot water for a few minutes to rehydrate them and to release most of the salt (drain).

trinidad eddoes talkarie recipe

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Now heat the oil on medium/high heat and add the pieces of salted cod, then followed by the onion. Cook this for a couple minutes, then add the pieces of potato and eddoes. Stir well and cook for a minute or two, then top with all the other ingredients, including the water. Cover the pot, bring it to a boil, then to a gentle simmer.

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Allow this to cook for about 25 minutes, or until the eddoes is tender and the dish gets a sort of thick soupy consistency (see pic below). To make this into a full vegetarian dish, ignore the part where I added the pieces of salted cod, but do taste at the end, in the event you have to add more salt. Remember the salted cod fish pieces will add additional salt to this dish.

trinidad eddoes talkarie recipe (9)

trinidad eddoes talkarie recipe (10)

Simply and tasty… my kinda dish! Don’t forget to leave your comments below, even if it’s just to say hello – it’s really appreciated. And while I have your attention, please join us on Facebook – you’ll love the community we’ve created. Simply click on the facebook image below to get started.

Seafood

Scrumptious Slices Of Fried King Fish.

March 5, 2012June 13, 201014 Comments

recxipe for fry king fish As kids growing up on the islands the only way our mom could ever get us to eat fish, was when she made this recipe. Looking back I believe her fish of choice was carite (sp), but today I much prefer using King Fish (very meaty and holds it shape great when frying). I still remember breaking apart the slices of fish and dipping it into a mixture or pepper sauce, ketchup and mustard and my mom warning us to be aware of the center bone of the fish. This fry fish recipe is very simple and quite classic throughout the islands, so I’m sure it will be a hit with your family and friends.

You’ll Need…

1-2 lbs of King fish (sliced about 3/4 inch thick)
1 teaspoon green seasoning
1/4 small onion – sliced
1/4 hot pepper sliced thin (I used habanero)
1/4 teaspoon curry powder (your fav)
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash black pepper
lime or lemon for washing the fish
oil for frying (about 1-2 cups)
1/2 cup all purpose flour

* if you don’t have the green seasoning paste, use I teaspoon each : thyme, shado beni or cilantro, garlic and scallion.

Get the people at the fish market to cut the King fish into 3/4 inch steaks for you, but ask them to use the part closer to the tail (than the belly) so you get full slices and not slices with the belly part missing. Then place the slices (I used 4) in a bowl and squeeze the juice of a lime or lemon over it and cover with cool water. Wash and rinse, then season with everything mentioned in the ingredient list, except the flour and oil. Allow this to marinate for at least an hour in the fridge.

trinidad seasoned fish

After its been marinating, take it out about 15 minutes or so from the fridge before frying, so it can come back to room temperature. The next steps are very simple.

1. Heat the oil in a fairly deep pan. Since it was a nice day outside, I opted to use the burner on my BBQ (also keeps the “fry” smell outdoors).

2. Take each piece of fish and shake off any large pieces of tomato etc and dust in the flour, to coat evenly. Shake off any excess flour.

3. Add to the hot oil and cook for about 4 minutes on each side (until you get a lovely golden brown colour). Remember to be careful when flipping so you don’t splatter hot oil onto yourself.

4. Remove and place on paper towels to soak up as much of the oil it was fried in.

5. That’s it.. enjoy!

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This is just as good in sandwiches and served as you would any other fish dish. Remember to be aware that the fish will have a huge center bone (you may call it something else) so be very careful when eating. If you’re making sandwiches or giving this to your children, you can easily remove that bone by poking it out with a fork or by using your fingers. Other than eating this as we did as children (on it’s own) I also enjoy it with a plate of rice and dhal.

I’d love to hear from you, so I invite you to leave me your comments below. And don’t forget to join our Facebook fan page. We’re quickly growing into one of the largest FB fan pages dedicated to Caribbean food. You can be part of it!

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