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Vegetarian

Tasty vegetarian recipes with a Caribbean influence by Caribbean cookbook author Chris De La Rosa.

Showing: 145 - 156 of 239 Articles
Soups & Stews Vegetarian

Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup

15 Comments on Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup

As we move closer to the holiday season I’ve decided to share some tasty Caribbean inspired appetizer recipes with you all. So for the entire month of November you’ll see your taste buds challenged with some twists on traditional Caribbean dishes. But done in such a way that you can easily serve them during your holiday gatherings. We’ll start off with 3 ingredients I simply adore.. pumpkin, coconut and curry. The end result is a wicked coconut curry pumpkin soup which can be served in small bowls or shooter glasses, so you can pass them around to your guests.

 

You’ll Need…

2 tablespoon coconut oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 minced garlic clove
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground coriander
4 cups diced pumpkin
1 Cup coconut milk
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

* chives for garnishing

Notes: I used the leafy part of the celery to garnish. The coconut oil was used to maintain that wonderful coconut undertone, but you can certainly use vegetable oil as well. Additionally, to keep this fully vegetarian I used vegetable stock, but you can certainly use chicken stock for an additional level of flavor.

Start  off by prepping all the ingredients. Peel, wash and cube the pumpkin into 3/4 inch pieces. Dice the onion, garlic and celery and chop the scotch bonnet pepper very finely. Remember to wear gloves and wash you hands with soap immediately after handling such hot peppers. Don’t include any of the pepper seeds or white membrane surrounding the seeds as that’s where the true fire is.

Heat the coconut oil in a deep pan on medium heat then add all the fragrance building ingredients (celery, garlic and onion). Allow that to sweat down for 3-4 minutes on low heat. Then add the curry powder and ground coriander. With your heat still on low, stir so the curry gets an opportunity to toast and start coating the bottom of the pot. Grate in the ginger and allow this to cook on low for 4 minutes.

Now that we have a wicked flavor base it’s time to add the diced pumpkin and give it a good stir.

It’s now time to add all the other ingredients (salt, veg broth and coconut milk) and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a gentle simmer and allow to cook until the pumpkin pieces becomes tender and starts to fall apart (about 25 minutes).

The ideal way to serve this pumpkin soup is to have it smooth, so out came my hand blender and with about 1 minutes of working it, I had a silky soup. Try not to overwork it or you’ll end up with a frothy mess. Do remember to taste for salt and adjust accordingly.

As your guests arrive you can pour some of this coconut curry pumpkin soup in little serving bowls or in shooter glasses and serve. This soup is packed with true Caribbean flavor and I assure you that though it’s fully vegetarian, your guests will be craving every drop.

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.

 

Recipe Card

Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup served in three small white bowls
Print Recipe

Caribbean Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup

Cuisine: , , Courses: , , , Recipe Keys: Dairy Free Gluten Free Quick Meals Spicy Vegetarian
Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 25 mins Total Time 40 mins

Description

As we move closer to the holiday season I’ve decided to share some tasty Caribbean inspired appetizer recipes with you all. So for the entire month of November you’ll see your taste buds challenged with some twists on traditional Caribbean dishes. But done in such a way that you can easily serve them during your holiday gatherings. We’ll start off with 3 ingredients I simply adore.. pumpkin, coconut and curry. The end result is a wicked coconut curry pumpkin soup which can be served in small bowls or shooter glasses, so you can pass them around to your guests.

Ingredients

Instructions

Video

  1. Heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, celery; cook on low for 3–4 minutes until softened.

  2. Stir in ginger, curry powder, and coriander; toast on low for 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

  3. Add diced pumpkin, salt, broth, coconut milk, and Scotch Bonnet (if using). Increase heat to bring to a boil.

  4. Reduce to gentle simmer and cook until pumpkin is tender and falling apart (about 25 minutes).

  5. Using an immersion blender, blend gently for about 1 minute until silky smooth.

  6. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve in bowls or shooter glasses, garnished with chives.

Note

I used the leafy part of the celery to garnish. The coconut oil was used to maintain that wonderful coconut undertone, but you can certainly use vegetable oil as well. Additionally, to keep this fully vegetarian I used vegetable stock, but you can certainly use chicken stock for an additional level of flavor.

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Breads & Bakes Vegetarian

Fried Bake For Bake And Shark.

61 Comments on Fried Bake For Bake And Shark.

Ever since Andrew Zimmerman raved about the Bake and Shark sandwiches he gobbled down on Maracas beach in Trinidad a few years back, requests for this recipe were overwhelming at times. This prompted me to post a recipe where I cheated a bit and used pizza dough I found at a local grocery store:  Rustic Fry Bake Recipe. I’m not a huge fan of kneading dough, which explains why I used pre-made dough. Today we’ll start off a three part series, where I’ll show you (with the help of my mom…and dad) how to make fried bakes from scratch, the fried shark for the sandwich filling and finally… the creamy coleslaw as the topping.

If you’re like me and intimidated by making dough.. “moms” will show us how simple it is and how easily we can be BEST at making fried bakes. BTW, these may also be known as fry roti, floats and fried dumplings.. very close to johnny cakes as well.

You’ll Need…

3 cups all-purpose flour *
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon yeast (instant)
1 cup water * (warm)
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon margarine or butter
veg oil for frying

Notes: You can certainly use a combo of whole wheat flour and all purpose flour if you’d like… to make it a bit healthier? You may need a bit more water as the flour you’re using may be a bit different than the one I used..adjust accordingly. I ended up using 1 1/4 cups water.

In a large bowl place the flour, yeast, salt, margarine, shortening and baking powder. Use your hands to mix everything together.. break up the margarine and shortening. The flour will take on the consistency of peas. Now start adding the water and form into a smooth dough. Please make sure the water is luke warn to help the yeast activate. It will take about 5 minutes of kneading to form a smooth dough. You can always use your standing mixer or food processor if you wish.

Now cover the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap to make it air tight and place it in a warm corner of your kitchen. Allow it to ‘rest’ for about 45 minutes. (we dusted the top of the dough with some flour)

After 45 minutes, it’s time to work the dough into smaller dough balls.  All you have to do is break the main dough ball into 5 equal sized smaller balls (like the size of a tennis ball). Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet (after you smooth them out) and cover with a kitchen towel to ‘rest’ further. All it takes is 15 minutes this time.

It’s now time to shape them into bake-like form and fry them. Set up a sort of station… the frying pan with the vegetable oil and a draining basket lined with paper towels.

Rub a little veg oil on your kitchen counter surface (we won’t be using a rolling pin) and place one of the dough balls.. rub some veg oil on your fingers and start to stretch the dough while pressing to form a 6 inch (diameter) circle. Work from the center out.

Heat about 2 cups of vegetable oil (any oil you like) on med/high and gently add the now formed bakes into the pot. Remember to place it away from your body, when adding it to the hot oil.

As soon as it hits the oil, be prepared to flip them over (my dad used a fork), this way you’ll have evenly fried and shaped fry bales. Allow them to cook for about 3 minutes, flipping them a couple times so each side cooks evenly. You can also spoon the hot oil on the exposed surface if you like.. not really necessary though. You’re looking for a crispy surface and a golden colour.

It’s then time to fish them out of the hot oil and place on the paper towels to drain off the extra oil. Repeat the steps until they are all fried.

See how easy this was? All you have to do now is slice them open and stuff with the fried shark, saltfish buljol or any of your favourite Caribbean dishes. I also like ripping these and eating with curry dishes..especially vegetarian ones.

Stay tuned for the other 2 parts in this bake and shark 3 part series.

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.

Seafood Vegetarian

Stewed Pumpkin With Shrimp.

8 Comments on Stewed Pumpkin With Shrimp.

Like okra, pumpkin is one of those things I’m only just starting to really appreciate. Pumpkin is heavily used throughout the Caribbean to add extra body to stews and soups, in desserts like cassava pone and how could one forget the classic pumpkin rice. However ever since my mom made pumpkin with shrimp a few years back for me, it’s got to be tops on my list. This pumpkin talkari (word for side dish) recipe is a clone of her’s, but like so many things this woman prepares… I could never match her skills.

You’ll Need…

4 cups pumpkin (peeled and cubed – 1 inch pieces)
1 medium onion
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
3 cloves garlic chopped fine or crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin works best for me as it gives it a nutty flavour)
1/2 teaspoon salt (check at the end of cooking to add more if needed)
3/4 teaspoon golden brown sugar
3/4 cup shrimp
1 teaspoon green seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Notes: I was able to track down the same type of pumpkin we use in the Caribbean (Common Name: “calabaza”, “Caribbean pumpkin”, Cuban squash, West Indian pumpkin) at a local West Indian grocery, so I was quite happy.  Click Caribbean Green Seasoning if you’d like to see a video showing how to make this versatile green seasoning we use in most of our meat and fish dishes in the Caribbean.

Before we get to the prep work and actual cooking, lets briefly marinate the shrimp for a few minutes. You should have cleaned and deveined shrimp (wash with a little lemon or lime juice and cool water), then add the black pepper and green seasoning paste and give it a good stir. Let that marinate as we get ready to cook (no need to marinate too long or the green seasoning will start cooking the shrimp).

Peel, cube and wash your pumpkin.. the skin may be a bit tough as it’s thick and waxy. Use a sharp pairing knife or potato peeler. Chop the onion and scotch bonnet pepper and do remember to wear gloves when handling such potent peppers and don’t include any of the seeds. The seeds and white membrane surrounding the seeds is where most of the explosive heat will be, so discard. Crush or chop the garlic in thin slices.

It’s now time to start cooking (if you prepped the pumpkin in advanced, be sure to keep it in a bowl with cool water to prevent it going discolored) , heat the olive oil (you can also use veg oil) on a medium heat, then add the seasoned shrimp. Stir quickly as we want to cook the shrimp half the way through and create a flavor base at the same time. After 2 minutes, remove the shrimp and place it back in the same bowl it was marinated in.

Now add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for 3 minutes on low heat. Again we’re building the layers of flavor, so the finished pumpkin with shrimp is finger licking.

Add the slices of scotch bonnet pepper and give everything a good stir. Now add the cubed pumpkin (be sure to drain first), top with the salt and give it a good stir. Place the lid on the pot and after 2-3 minutes you’ll start to hear a sort of sizzle. That’s the pumpkin starting to boil as it will release it’s own natural juices. Give the pot a stir, turn down the heat to low and let it simmer for about 25 minutes. Be sure to stir every 4-5 minutes.

After 25 minutes the pumpkin should start to melt away and you’ll notice there will be a lot of liquid in the pot. Remove the lid and turn up the heat to start burning off the liquid as an ideal pumpkin with shrimp will have a sort of dry finish. After most of the liquid is gone (about 4-5 minutes), add back the semi cooked shrimp to the pot, as well as the brown sugar. Continue cooking to burn off any remaining liquid. It took about 4 minutes for it to go to the consistency I wanted.

Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Depending on the texture you like, you can use the back of your cooking spoon to crush any remaining chunks of pumpkin, so you have a relatively smooth finish. But if you like it a bit chunky, do nothing.

Personally I like this pumpkin with shrimp with roti, but I learned that is just as delicious with brown rice since I was too lazy to make roti. You can do this fully vegetarian by following the vegetarian version of cooking pumpkin at pumpkin talkari recipe.

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.

Grilling Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Mango Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce

5 Comments on Mango Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce

After posting the Homemade Tamarind BBQ Sauce recipe a while back, I got a message from the Crucian Contessa (a talented Caribbean food blogger) that she had an out-of-this-world mango BBQ sauce and it turns out she was willing to share it with me/us. In the past we’ve been guilty in the Caribbean of not being as creative with the abundance of fresh local ingredients we’re blessed with, but I’m seeing a huge shift in the culinary culture of the islands, which is very positive. The trouble with that is, we’re now seeing a lot of traditional recipes being lost to more modern fusion type cooking. It’s always an interesting balancing act when I try to keep traditional recipes alive and at the same time let my creative side go wild.. but with a Caribbean twist.

I urge you to check out the tasty offerings the Crucian Contessa stirs up on a regular basis on her website at: http://www.cruciancontessa.com/ But please don’t visit when you’re hungry as her creativity in the kitchen, along with her beautiful pictures will surely get the drool on.

This mango bbq sauce is excellent on grilled meats and fish and we quickly found out that it was just amazing as a dipping sauce for chicken strips. I tried to stay as close to the original recipe to show respect for the work CC put into developing such an exciting sauce… but in true Wicked Chef fashion, I tweaked a couple things to give it a sort of personal touch.

You’ll Need…

3 Sweet Seasoning Peppers
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups chopped mango (ripe)
1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger
3 green onions
A pinch of allspice
1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
½ cup Lime Juice
¼ cup Dijon Mustard
¼ cup Honey
2 Tablespoons Ground Mustard
¼ cup Light Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Worcester Sauce
1 Tablespoon Molasses
2 Stalks Shado beni (aka culantro)
½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar (organic)
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
1 cup mango juice
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds)

Notes: If you’d like to add a bit of a smoky undertone, you can add some chilli powder or chipotle peppers to the sauce. I used the paprika for the rich colour and I like the smokey element it brings. To add a kick to this mango bbq sauce, use an entire scotch bonnet pepper and include the seeds. If you can’t get shado beni, use about 5 tablespoons of chopped cilantro.

Wash, peel and dice your mango (you can probably use frozen mango chunks as well) and set aside. Then give your green onions (aka scallions or spring onions) and peppers a fine chop. Now heat the butter in a heavy pot (distribute heat better) and start building a flavor base. Add the green onion, peppers, spices, black pepper and grated ginger to the pot and turn your heat down to low so it cooks very slowly. Stir and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Turn up your heat and start adding the mango chunks, give that a stir and add everything else to the pot. It’s important that you stir well and bring up to a boil.

After it comes to a boil, reduce the heat so you have a gentle simmer going and place the lid on the pot and allow to cook for about 25 minutes. You will have to stir every 4-5 minutes as it may start to stick to the bottom of the pot. Your kitchen will have a very intoxicating aroma and your sense of smell will get confused. The same will happen when you taste this mango bbq sauce… you won’t know if it’s the mango, the mustard or the mellowness of the honey that’s attracting all that attention from your taste buds.

After 25 minutes, you should taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Since no 2 mango are the same (can be tart  at times), you may have to add a little more honey or mustard.. the goal is to have a wonderful blend of flavors, but keep the present of mango as the key subject of the sauce. By now your sauce should have started to thicken up and the mango should be dissolving. You can certainly play around with the consistency (if you want it chunky, runny or thick). I then turned off the stove and used a submersion blender to make my mango bbq sauce a bit smooth. You can use a wire whisk or potato masher as well with pretty much the same results. If using a blender as I did, try not to over work it or risk it going frothy.

Crucian Contessa was quite correct when she said that this mango honey mustard bbq sauce is out of this world..as we had it the same night with some Caribbean Style Chicken Fingers and Caron was raving how delicious it was. So delicious, she packed my share for lunch at work the next day.

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.

Vegetarian

Ital Soup A Vegetarian Delight.

16 Comments on Ital Soup A Vegetarian Delight.

I’ll be honest and confess that I have little experience cooking Ital food (no salt, no meat.. usually not for me), but I’ve had several requests over the past few months and a friend of mine who’s a practicing Rastafarian commented that I’m not showing him much love with my offerings. So with a little research I came up with this delicious ital soup, which I know is a good representation of their diet code. However I’ve had conflicting info come my way when it comes to cooking without salt. I grew up knowing that my dreddy friends didn’t partake in meats and salt, but I was told that some make the exception and use sea salt.  In this recipe you will notice that I didn’t use any form of salt, so it was a bit challenging to have a well balanced soup since my palate is so dependent on this sinful addiction. Feel free to add salt to your taste if it’s not a dietary restriction.

 

You’ll Need…

1 cup pumpkin (cubed)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 cup dried split peas
8-10 cups water
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
3 eddoes
1 medium sweet potato
2 potato
2 scallions (aka green/spring onion)
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoon oregano (fresh is best)
2-3 cups callaloo bush *
1 carrot
1/2 cup celery
2 cups coconut milk
5 okras
tablespoon freshly grated ginger (optional)
1 plantain (half ripe)
1 carrot

Notes: The callaloo (Jamaica) bush is also known as chorai bhagi or spinach in the Caribbean. If you can’t source callaloo bush, feel free to use typical North American spinach, baby dasheen bush leaves or shredded cabbage. Additionally you can also add yam, dasheen, cassava or green cooking bananas if you have those things readily available.

We’ve got to create the base for this lovely ital soup and since the dried split peas will take much longer to cook than the other ingredients, we need to put that to cook first. Wash the split peas then put it in your soup pot (huge) and pour in the 8 cups of water. Also chop the scallion, garlic, onion and celery. As the peas comes to a boil add these flavourful ingredients. reduce to simmer and let cook until the peas and tender (about 45 minutes). Place the scotch bonnet pepper in the pot whole as we want to flavor and not the raw heat. At the end of cooking you can remove it from the pot. However if you like the heat, you can certainly burst it open to release the Caribbean sunshine.

When the peas are tender and starting dissolving, it’s time to add the other ingredients. So peel, cube and wash the plantain, eddoes, potato, sweet potato, carrot and pumpkin, then add it to the pot. Now pour in the coconut milk and don’t forget to add the thyme, black pepper and oregano. Make sure you have enough liquid in the pot to cover everything. You can add more water or coconut milk if more liquid is required. Bring to a boil and reduce to a gentle simmer.

Trim the stems off the okra and cut then into 1 inch pieces and ad to the pot. When cubing the ground provisions try to keep them uniform in size so they cook evenly (cut them in big pieces so they hold their shape as they cook). After 25 minutes everything should be almost cooked all the way through, so it’s time to wash and trim the callaloo bush and add it to the pot. Basically all you have to do is remove the leaves off the stem, wash and roll like a cigar and chop into 1/2 inch strips.

Allow it to cook for a further 7-10 minutes so the callaloo bush adds additional flavor and the soup thickens up. If you’re adding salt, now would be a good time (adjust accordingly). NOTE: This soup will thicken up quite a bit as it cools, so make sure you leave a fair amount of broth to compensate.

Now is a good time to remove the scotch bonnet pepper and if you added the thyme with the sprigs, do remember to fish them out as well.

With all the natural seasoning we added with the fresh herbs, you’ll be quite surprised at how tasty this ital soup will be. By using herbs like parsley, savory, thyme, marjoram and celery you’ll add so many levels of flavor to meals, you’ll be better equipped to handle a salt free diet. A nice touch is some fresh squeezed lime juice to top your steaming bowl of ital soup and be prepared for one of the most hearty meals you’ve ever had. You’re guaranteed to have the sleepies after a hot bowl of this ital soup.

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.

Vegetarian

Classic Island Peas And Rice.

37 Comments on Classic Island Peas And Rice.

This is a repeat of the original peas and rice recipe I posted a while back, however this time we’re using fresh kidney beans and not the stuff from the can. In that rice and peas recipe there was a lot of discussion about the real name.. is it rice and peas or peas and rice. But here’s the funny part.. we’re not even using peas, but beans. This peas and rice dish is normally associated with Jamaica and quite rightly so, however just about every island in the Caribbean does a version of rice and peas. My daughters refer to this dish as the spicy rice with the beanies (anything with peas or beans are called beanies), as I love to burst the scotch bonnet pepper near the end of cooking to release all that wonderful Caribbean vibe! We’ll get to that later on in the recipe.

You’ll Need…

1/2 cup red kidney beans (dry)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 sprigs thyme
2 cups long grain brown rice (par boiled)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 scallions
2 cups water

Note: If you have whole pimento berries (allspice) feel free to use about 3 instead of the ground allspice.

Quickly go through the dried kidney beans to remove any debris which may be among them (I’ve seen little pebbles in the past as well as twigs). Then rinse with cool water, drain and place in a bowl. Now add the 2 cups of water and allow to soak for a couple hours. Overnight is probably best as it will cook much faster. Then pour everything into a deep sauce pan and bring to a boil.

Chop the scallion, onion and garlic and add it to the pot as well. Same for the salt, black pepper, all spice and toss in the sprigs of thyme. Don’t worry about the sprigs as we can remove it when the dish is done cooking.. we want maximum flavor from the thyme sprigs. As it comes to a boil, drop in the scotch bonnet pepper whole into the pot. This will give us a ton of flavor and not that raw heat scotch bonnet peppers are infamous for. Place the lid on your pot and reduce to a gentle simmer.

We’re trying to get the kidney beans tender before adding the rice, but at the same time we’re building a wicked flavor base.

Your kitchen will have a lovely aroma as this simmer away. Depending on how long you pre-soak your beans, it should take anywhere from 40 minutes to 1 hour to get tender. They will plum up and the water will take on a lovely reddish colour.. this will help add that unique color when we add the rice. I had soaked my beans for 2 hrs and it took 40 minutes to get tender enough for me to continue.

Now it’s time to wash your rice. Traditionally the rice is placed in a bowl with water, you then massage with your hands. The action will cause the white grit and impurities from the polishing of the rice to cause the water to go cloudy. Drain that water out and repeat until you no longer have that cloudy appearance. Recently I adopted a new method for washing my rice though.. I place the rice in a strainer, then allow water to pour over it as I work my hand/fingers through it. This method works like a charm and it so much easier to strain and place in the pot.

Now add the washed rice to the pot with the now plump beans and give it a good stir. Add the coconut milk, then bring back to a boil (I’ve seen some people put a tablespoon of vegetable oil into the pot at this time as well) … then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, put the lid on the pot and allow to cook. Depending on the rice you use (no 2 brands cook the same), it can take between 25 minutes and 40 minutes to fully cook.

The liquid will burn off slowly as the rice cooks away, so keep an eye on things.. in the event your rice is not fully cooked, you may need to add a little water or coconut milk. I like my peas and rice grainy, but if you like the rice a bit more creamy you may need a bit more liquid and cooking time.

Remember to remove the sprigs from the thyme and don’t forget that scotch bonnet pepper. You can certainly burst it open and release the heat or fish it out and discard. However I’m sure one of your family members or friends may appreciate the pepper (set it aside for them). Rice and peas is a sort of tricky dish to prepare as it can be a bit hard to get that perfect texture, where it’s grainy and not soggy. Following this recipe and with close attention near the end of cooking and I’m sure you’ll have a tasty peas and rice dish. Remember that the rice will continue cooking after the stove is turned off, from the residual heat. I usually take mine off the stove when it’s 95%  cooked, so the residual heat will finish it off for me.

I do hope you give this recipe a try and don’t forget to share it with family and friends.. that’s a huge part of being from the Caribbean and adopting our lifestyle.

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.

Seafood Vegetarian

Spinach Cooked With Salted Cod Bits.

227 Comments on Spinach Cooked With Salted Cod Bits.

 

 

Call me crazy, but even as a kid I loved spinach (bhaji) in all forms and to this day I still can’t figure out why ALL kids don’t love the stuff. Over the years (out of convenience and availability) spinach took the place of my beloved dasheen bush leaves and what some people call Jamaican Callaloo (we call chorai) can always be found in our vegetable garden during the summer months. Cooked with or without coconut milk, spiced up with hot peppers and enhanced with leftover stewed meats, spinach is something I can have on the regular.

Here’s a quick and tasty way to serve/enjoy spinach with a Caribbean twist.

 

You’ll Need…

1lb Baby spinach
3 cloves garlic
1 tomato
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 sprig thyme
1 scallion
1 medium onion
1/2 cup salted cod bits
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1 scallion (green or spring onion)

Note: You can make this dish fully vegetarian by leaving out the bits of salted cod. But be sure to add salt and for more flavor, add a 1/2 cup of coconut milk during the cooking process.

Though the package said the spinach was washed, I still like washing it as there have been times when I did find some sand between the leaves. Try your best to get baby spinach as it’s much more tender and not as ‘bitter” as mature (dark green) leaves. After washing, set in a colander to dry. Take a closer look and remove all wilted (discolored) leaves from the bunch as well.

Chop the garlic, onion, scallion, thyme and scotch bonnet pepper… remember to not include any seeds from the scotch bonnet pepper as that’s where the majority of heat dwell. Additionally, be sure to wear gloves if your hands are sensitive and be sure to wash your hands with soap and water.

Make little bundles with the spinach leaves and cut into shreds about 1/4 inch thick.

Prepare the salted cod (I used boneless for easier work). All you have to do is place the salted cod in a pot with water, bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Then discard the water, rinse with new water and allow to cool. Then shred into bits. here’s a video showing how it’s done…

Heat a saucepan on low heat, add the vegetable oil… then the salted cod bits (you can use any dried salted fish). Allow this to cook for about 5 minutes.. it will start to go brown on the edges and stick to the bottom of the pan. Scrape and move around. The idea is to build a base of flavor for the spinach. Next up we’ll add the sliced onion, scallion, thyme, scotch bonnet pepper and garlic. Make sure the heat is on low, as we want these items to sweat down and further infuse the dish with flavor. The last thing we want is burnt garlic and onions.

After 4-5 minutes, turn up the heat to medium, add the black pepper and the chopped spinach to the pot. It will pile up, but as soon as the heat gets going it will wilt down.

As it cooks, it will sprout a lot of it’s own liquid and go from that brilliant green colour to a more darker shade. Place the lid on the pot, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes remove the lid (remember to stir every 5 minutes as it cooks), turn up the heat to burn off any excess liquid which may still be there and add the chopped tomato to give it some colour. taste for salt. Note that we didn’t put any salt in the dish as in most cases the residual salt from the salted cod bits will be enough to season the entire dish. But since your tolerance for salt is different that mine.. check and adjust accordingly.

If you’ve never used salted cod (salt fish) you’ll probably think this is a bit weird, but I assure you that the flavor will be amazing. My favourite way of having this (other than with flour /cassava dumplings) is with sada roti. Remember you can make this a full vegetarian dish as long as you follow the tip I left in the “Note” above.

WINNER WANTED!

 

It’s that time again! New for the summer one lucky reader will win a spanking new copy of “Meal In A Minute – Everyday Grilling“. This beautiful recipe book with tons of grilling ideas, will be shipped to the lucky winner the first week of August (we even pay the shipping cost). All you have to do is tell me what’s your favorite item to grill, in the comment section below and your name will be automatically entered to win. Yea.. it’s that simple.

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 your favorite item is to grill.

Here are the rules pertaining to winning the copy of “Meal In A Minute – Everyday Grilling“”…

– contest is open to everyone globally (even if you won something here before)

– 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 July 09 – to midnight July 31.

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

– the winner will have 1 week to contact us with their 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 would make for a great addition to your cooking library.

Good Luck!

Gluten Free Vegetarian

Grilled Caribbean Vegetarian Kebabs.

7 Comments on Grilled Caribbean Vegetarian Kebabs.

 

As we make our way through our month of grilling, I thought it was time to do some vegetarian kebabs, to satisfy the vegetarian cravings in us. These grilled Caribbean style vegetarian kebabs are sure to excite your taste buds and make a grand impression on your guests. Not only are they eye-pleasing, they also bring out the true vibe of the islands with the wonderful spicy marinade we’ll use to marinate our favorite vegetables before grilling.

In this grilling/bbq journey we’ve been taking the past couple weeks you’ll see how creative, vibrant and exciting our Caribbean cuisine can be once we step out of the traditional mold. Since I was brought up in a home where traditional dishes took priority I have a deep appreciation for such dishes, but the creativity in me is always challenging me to be experimental… I do hope you find the journey as enthralling as I am.

You’ll Need..

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 tables spoon shado beni
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 Lemon
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic
1 scotch bonnet  pepper

8 mushrooms
1 sweet corn
1 large red onion
4 bell (sweet) peppers – different colors

Bamboo skewers – soak in water for at least 20 minutes prior to using.

Notes. The shado beni can be found in Asian, Latin and West Indian grocery stores and may be called culantro or bandanya. If you can’t get the shado beni, a good substitute is fresh chopped cilantro (about 2 tablespoons as it’s milder). With the scotch bonnet pepper remember to wear gloves and don’t include the seeds as that’s where most of the heat can be found. You can use any vegetable you like and if tofu is your thing.. hey add it. Important: Please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free diet.

 

De-seed the scotch bonnet pepper and give it a fine chop.. chop the garlic, shado beni, thyme and parsley as well. In a bowl, pour in the olive oil, squeeze in the lemon juice and add the salt, black pepper. Whisk in the chopped garlic, thyme, shado beni and parsley. You can add some balsamic vinegar in here as well.. added flavor.

Now it’s time to prep the vegetables to be marinated. Peel your corn, remove the silk and give it a wash. Now using a chefs knife, cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Wash and remove the seeds etc from the bell peppers and cut into 1 inch pieces.. try to keep the vegetable pieces the same size so they cook evenly. Peel and dice the red onion and put everything into a large bowl. With the onion, try to keep it 2 layers thick so they’re as thick as the bell peppers.

Pour in the marinade we made earlier and give it a good mix. Place some plastic wrap over the bowl and allow to marinate for a couple hrs in the fridge.

It’s now time to thread your vegetables onto your bamboo skewers (remember to soak them in water for at least 20 mins prior or they will burn on the grill). Get your grill nice and hot (about 375-400F), brush the grates with some veg oil (on a paper towel) or spray with non-stick spay and place the vegetable skewers onto the grill. Cook for a couple minutes on each side, until they have beautiful grill marks and cooked enough so they have a slight crunch. Remember they will continue to cook for a bit after coming off the grill, so try not to over-cook or risk having  soggy vegetables. The grilling will intensify the natural sugars in the vegetables and with that wicked Caribbean marinade we made.. yup.. pure niceness!

Tips: Please use the remaining marinade in the bowl to brush onto the vegetarian kebabs as they grill and if you’re worried about your bamboo skewers burning, you can wrap the exposed ends with tin foil.

These are best served warm when the vegetables still have a little crunch to them and the marinade is still vibrant from being heated with the flame of the grill. I like using the leftover grilled vegetable to add to my eggs for breakfast.. can you say omelet?

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.

Grilling Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Homemade Tamarind BBQ Sauce

9 Comments on Homemade Tamarind BBQ Sauce

One of the first personalized bbq sauces I’ve ever made was this tamarind bbq sauce and in the process I learned the foundation of making good tomato based bbq sauces. I have a number of sauces I’m still to share with you as we dig deeper into this culinary tour of the Caribbean, so do stay tuned in. Using a less glamorous fruit from the Caribbean called Tamarind (In trinidad and Tobago we refer to it as tambran) to add a wonderful jolt of true Caribbean vibe to this versatile bbq sauce (can be used as a dipping sauce as well), the final taste will surely excite your taste buds.

One of my first memories of tamarind is sucking back on a piece fresh off the tree and that wicked punch of sour where your taste buds go into immediate shock… thinking about it brings my mouth gushing with water from that memory.  Those of you in North America.. it’s similar to the sour candy you enjoyed as a kid… the ones your friends would dare you to place in your mouth and not open it.

 

You’ll Need…

1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cider vinegar
1 large onion diced (I used a sweet onion)
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoon yellow mustard (commercial stuff is fine)
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated ginger
3/4 cup tamarind pulp (see note below)

Notes: You’ll need between a cup and a cup and half of hot water to prepare the tamarind pulp into a liquid form. You can certainly add some cinnamon and fresh herbs to personalize this Tamarind BBQ Sauce if you like. When using the scotch bonnet pepper try to wear gloves as the oils can be painful on your bare skin and try not to use the seeds, since that’s where a lot of the heat is.

The first thing we need to do is dice the onion and pepper very small.. remember to not use the seeds of the pepper if you’re concerned about explosive heat. Put the tamarind paste into a bowl and top it with hot water (I used just over a cup of boiling water). The hot water will allow us to break the tamarind down into a concentrated liquid form.

In a deep sauce pan on medium heat, pour in the olive oil (to help cook the onions and it will also give the finished tamarind bbq sauce a brilliant sheen), then empty in the diced onion. Turn your heat down to low and let this slowly cook for 5 minutes (remember to stir). It will soften up, go translucent and release it’s natural sugars.

After 5 minuets it’s time to add the black pepper and allspice.. this step will help toast the spices a bit and release it’s flavors. Cook that for a minute or two, then start adding everything else into the pot (see video below).. except the tamarind. Raise your heat to medium to bring to a gentle boil (remember to keep stirring). As this comes to a boil, the water with the tamarind pulp should be cool enough for you to handle.

Using a fork (at first), break up the tamarind pulp, then get in with your fingers and massage it. This action will release the pulp and the water will become a sort of tamarind concentrate. Discard as much solid (seeds and fibers) as you can. Now strain the liquid into the pot and give it a good stir.

Turn the heat back up so you get this back to boiling, then turn the heat down to a very gentle simmer. The idea is to cook this very slowly so all the flavors marry and form a tasty tamarind bbq sauce. Typically after 30 minutes it will be finished, but I allowed my batch to go for 45 minutes to really thicken up. You can leave it for additional time if you want a more thick bbq sauce. Do remember that when the sauce cools it will also thicken up quite a bit.

Not only will you have the satisfaction of knowing you made your own BBQ sauce, you’ll now have the most tasty tamarind bbq sauce you’ll ever enjoy. This sauce is not only meant for grilling, it makes a wicked dipping sauce for your chicken fingers and is a great topping for burgers. Store in glass containers in the fridge and it will remain good for at least a couple months (it won’t last.. you’ll find uses for it before then)

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.

 

Recipe Card

Homemade Tamarind BBQ Sauce
Print Recipe

Homemade Tamarind BBQ Sauce

Cuisine: Courses: , Recipe Keys: Dairy Free Gluten Free Spicy
Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 45 mins Total Time 1 hr
Servings: 4

Description

This tangy and spicy tamarind BBQ sauce is a Caribbean favorite, perfect for adding a burst of flavor to grilled dishes or as a dipping sauce.

Ingredients

Instructions

Video

  1. Place tamarind pulp in a bowl and pour over 1 to 1½ cups of hot water. Let it soak while you prepare the other ingredients.

  2. In a deep saucepan on medium heat, pour in Olive Oil (1 tablespoon), then add the large onion. Turn the heat down to low and let this slowly cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.

  3. Add black pepper and ground allspice to the onions. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, to toast the spices and release their flavors.

  4. Increase heat to medium and add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, yellow mustard, Scotch bonnet pepper, salt, and grated ginger. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil.

  5. While the sauce is heating, use a fork to break up the soaked tamarind pulp, then use your fingers to massage it, releasing the pulp into the water. 

  6. While the sauce is heating, use a fork to break up the soaked tamarind pulp, then use your fingers to massage it, releasing the pulp into the water. 

  7. Strain the tamarind liquid into the saucepan, discarding any solids.

  8. Remove the sauce from heat and allow it to cool completely. Transfer to sterilized glass containers and store in the refrigerator.

  9. Use this sauce for grilling, a dipping sauce for your chicken fingers or for burgers. Store in glass containers in the fridge and it will remain good for at least a couple months. Enjoy!

Note

You’ll need between a cup and a cup and half of hot water to prepare the tamarind pulp into a liquid form. You can certainly add some cinnamon and fresh herbs to personalize this Tamarind BBQ Sauce if you like. When using the scotch bonnet pepper try to wear gloves as the oils can be painful on your bare skin and try not to use the seeds, since that’s where a lot of the heat is.

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Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Picante Mango Kuchela.

15 Comments on Picante Mango Kuchela.

My first memory of mango kuchela goes way back to my childhood, when I first had kuchela flavored with mustard oil, along with dhal, rice and fry dry (small herrings or sardines fried very dry until crispy). The memory of that mustard oil clearing my sinus still haunts me and to this day.. I’m still to try anything with mustard oil after that experience. This is the reason why in this mango kuchela there’s no use of mustard oil as in some traditional recipes.

This mango kuchela is one of those spicy condiments you’d get served on popular street food, such as doubles and aloo pies (deep fried dough stuffed with seasoned mashed potato) and versatile enough to accompany many curry dishes at dinner.

 

You’ll Need…

3 green mangoes
1 teaspoon salt
4 cloves garlic
3 tablespoon amchar massala
3/4 cup veg oil
2 scotch bonnet peppers

Notes: Try to get really green mango (skin and flesh), which will be very sour or tart. I stared with 3/4 cup of oil, but you may need about 1/2 cup more as it’s important that the entire jar (when storing) of the kuchela is covered with the oil. The oil can be used to drizzle onto food as well, as it will be well flavored. The 2 scotch bonnet peppers are used as a starting point, so feel free to add more as you’d like. The same can be said about the amchar massala…so add more if you want your finished mango kuchela to be darker and packed with more flavor.

The first thing we need to do is peel and wash the mangoes. Use a potato peeler or sharp paring knife and remove the outer skin off the mangoes. Don’t go too deep or you’ll be wasting the mango! When shopping for the green mangoes, be sure to get ones that’s firm (hard), no blemishes and if you were to knock them against something, they should give a solid sound (like a rock).

Next up, get your box grater and with some care, grate the mangoes. Remember there’s a seed in the middle of the mango, so be prepared when you get close to it. Discard this seed.

The grated mango will have a lot of moisture in it, so we’ll have to get rid of as much as we can. That moisture (what I was told) is what causes the mango kuchela to go bad fast, so we have to remove as much as we can. Using one of Caron’s new kitchen towels, I placed a heap of the grated mango in the center.. then used some elbow grease to squeeze out as much liquid as I could (see video below).

I recall as a kid my mom and grandma always having a galvanize (metal sheet) when mango was in season, covered with grated mango in the sun drying. It had that sort of musty scent, you’d also get when they were making mango amchar. Now it’s time to spread the grated mango onto a cookie sheet and allow to air dry for a few hours. If you’re blessed with Caribbean sunshine, make use of it and place it out in the sun. WARNING! Don’t place in the oven on low heat as I thought would be clever. The end result is parched mango, which will not work for this.

The next step (as the mango air-dries) is to puree the pepper and garlic. I used the entire pepper.. including the dreaded seeds, as I wanted the raw heat in this mango kuchela. I used  my magic bullet, but you’re cool using a blender or a mortar and pestle. I know it may be hard, but try not to use any liquid in the blending process (puree). I ended up shaking my magic bullet a few times during the process to move the contents around. BTW, I gave the garlic and scotch bonnet peppers (feel free to use any hot pepper you have or like) a rough chop to make it easier to puree.

After about 3 hrs (overnight may be best) of air drying the grated mango should be ready now. So the next step is to place a sauce pan on medium/low heat, add the vegetable oil (don’t allow it to heat yet) and add the pureed pepper and garlic mix to it.  If you add the puree to hot oil, it will splatter and give of a very strong (peppery) scent. Now allow the oil/pepper mixture to heat up and on medium/low heat, allow to cook for about 5 minutes.

Empty the dried grated mango into a bowl, then add the salt and amchar massala and give it a good stir. With the peppered oil mixture cooled, add that as well. Make sure to mix the entire batch of mango kuchela well.

Place in a dry bottle or container and it will keep for a few weeks. Additionally you can store this in the fridge for a couple months at least. When stored in the fridge be prepared for it to loose some of it’s heat. If storing on your kitchen cupboard, ensure that the mango is covered with oil. To add more oil.. heat (on high) vegetable oil, then allow to cool completely.. then add to the jar to cover the mango kuchela.

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.

 

 

 

 

 

Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Spicy Cucumber Chutney.

19 Comments on Spicy Cucumber Chutney.

Cucumber chutney is one of those spicy condiments which may well be native to Trinidad and Tobago, especially when it comes to the street food called ‘doubles’. A truly good doubles will always be topped with cumber chutney or depending on the season.. green mango chutney. The sour or tart base, spiced with the shando beni and the vibrant heat of the scotch bonnet pepper can cause serious drooling to take place (wipe your beak). As with many of the delicacies we enjoy in the Caribbean, we never give it much thought as to how simple it is to make. We all assume that there’s some level of difficulty when it comes to making traditional dishes, especially since our cuisine is not as readily documented in cook books etc.

Let’s take a look at how simple this cucumber chutney is to make.

 

You’ll Need…

1 large cucumber
2 cloves garlic
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 lemon
2 tablespoon Shado Beni

Notes: To kick this up a bit, you can add a dash of cumin (geera). I used a scotch bonnet pepper, but you’re free to use a habanero and any hot pepper you may have or like using. If you don’t have shado beni, feel free to use 3 tablespoons of freshly chopped cilantro (coriander). I used the entire pepper (seeds and all), but if you’re overly concerned about excessive heat, don’t include the seeds.

I used a seedless English cucumber for making this cucumber chutney so I didn’t have to remove ay seeds. Additionally I didn’t remove the skin as I like the texture and contrast the skin gives to the finished chutney. If using cucumbers with seeds, do use a spoon to remove them and any soft mushy areas. Must be firm for easy grating.

I simply washed, then cut my cucumber into 2 pieces (easier to handle), then I grated with my box grater. Use the side which gives you that sort of shredded finish. (see pic)

After grating I placed the now shredded cucumber into a strainer and squeezed out as much of the liquid as I could.

I then placed it back into a bowl and prepared the other ingredients. I gave the garlic, shado beni and scotch bonnet pepper a rough chop so it would be easier to puree.

You can use a Magi Bullet as I did, a food processor, a blender or just use your knife to give this a really fine chop. Additionally you can also use a mortar and pestle. In my magic bullet I squeezed the juice of the lemon, added the salt, black pepper and rough chopped – shado beni, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper. I started with a few quick pulses, then I let it run until I had a fine puree.

The scent of the lemon juice, with the garlic, shado beni and scotch bonnet pepper will be divine and cause your mouth to start springing  juices (you know what I mean). The final step is to assemble everything. Pour the pepper puree into the same bowl where you have the shredded cucumber and give it a good mix.

The idea is to marry all the flavours so you have a nice spicy cucumber chutney. Allow this to marinate in the fridge for a couple hours and you’re good to go. This spicy cucumber chutney will last in the fridge for at least a week and goes well with anything you normally eat spicy condiments with..even your scrambled eggs at breakfast. Do remember to taste for salt.. the idea is to have a mellow/well-rounded  undertone and have the shredded cucumber absorb the goodness of the garlic, shado beni and heat from the pepper.

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.

 

 

Vegetarian

How To Cook Fry Bodi.

10 Comments on How To Cook Fry Bodi.

Fry bodi is yet another dish I only grew to appreciate as I got older and if I’m being completely honest, I must mention that it’s one of those dishes I can’t replicate as good as our mom’s. How come we can do a dish “exactly” as our mom and never be able to replicate the taste (and consistency in some cases)? Like the curry bodi recipe I shared with you all a while back, this one is a favorite among vegetarians and I’ve received many compliments from it. So I know you’ll just love it.

* BTW, bodi is also known as the yardlong bean, bora, long-podded cowpea, asparagus bean, snake bean, or Chinese long bean

You’ll Need…

1 bundle bodi (about 1.5 lbs)
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon olive oil (veg oil works great as well)
1/2 cup water
1 medium onion | 1 medium tomato
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (any spicy pepper)
dash black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Notes: I must mention to you all that if you’re getting bodi freshly harvested, the cooking time will be a bit less (about 5 mins less). I know from my days on the islands that the bodi tends to cook faster and is more ‘meaty” (thicker). The bodi we get here in North America (see Asian and West Indian grocery stores) tend to be much thinner and take longer to cook. To brighten up this dish (this is optional), add a chopped tomato the last couple minutes of cooking. If you can’t get bodi, a good substitute would be french or string beans.

The first thing we need to do is to wash and trim the bodi (refer to the video below). Basically all you’re doing is removing both ends of the bean and discard. Then trim each bean into pieces about 1/5 inches long.

Chop the onion, scotch bonnet pepper (remember to not use the seeds as that’s where most of the heat will be) and slice the garlic very thinly. Then is a saucepan, heat the oil on med/high heat and add the sliced onion and garlic. Reduce the heat to low and allow this to cook for about 3 minutes. We’re trying to infuse the oil with the wonderful flavors of the garlic and onion.

After 3 minutes add the scotch bonnet pepper, black pepper and toss in the trimmed bodi pieces. Give this a good stir and top with the salt. Raise the heat to high, add the water and bring to a boil. Should take 2-3 minutes.

When it comes to a boil reduce to a gentle simmer, cover the pot and allow it to cook for about 25 minutes. Remember to stir every 4-5 minutes. You will notice that the fry bodi will start changing colour.. go from the brilliant green to a darker shade.

After 25 minutes your beans should be fully cooked and there should be no liquid in the bottom of the pan. If there’s liquid, do raise the heat and burn it off. Here’s where you’ll now add the chopped tomato and cook for 2-3 minutes.. just to heat through. The bodi will be fully cooked, but have a slight firmness to it. If you like your beans cooked to the point where they’re tender and sort of melting away, feel free to cook longer.

Fry bodi is a lovely vegetarian dish which goes well with rice, roti or bread. You can add additional flavor by using coconut milk instead of water when cooking and if you have leftover pieces of Caribbean style stewed meats (chicken, beef or pork), you can add it during the final 5 minutes of cooking. I recall our mom adding pieces of salted cod to the fry bodi and our dad would be in heaven. Maybe I’ll share that recipe with you soon.

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.