Vegetarian Archives | Page 8 of 20

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

You’ll Need…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

The Ultimate Pepper Choka Recipe.

May 28, 2025December 8, 20152 Comments

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

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

You’ll Need…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Quickest Pholourie Recipe Ever.

May 28, 2025November 21, 20151 Comment

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

You’ll Need…

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

* 2-3 cups veg oil for frying.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gluten Free Vegetarian

A Quick Jamaican Callaloo Fried Rice Recipe.

December 8, 2015November 12, 20155 Comments

One of the things my parents instilled in us from an early age, was to NEVER waste food, so growing up you’d always find containers (usually old margarine containers) with leftover food in the fridge. I love rice (brown parboiled) in just about any way it can be cooked, so having leftover rice in the fridge is like seeing the pieces of puzzle waiting to be put together. Said puzzle does not have an after picture to follow, so it’s rare that my final fried rice is ever the same. This time I’m using some fresh Jamaican callaloo (called chorai bhagi or spinach in the rest of the Caribbean) from my garden.

You’ll Need…

2-3 cups cooked rice (chilled)
1 tablespoon veg oil
1 shallot (or small onion)
1 clove garlic
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon soy sauce (see note below)
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/3 cup diced carrot
1 cup prepared Jamaican callaloo (trimmed)
2 okra
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Notes. Be sure to use gluten free soy sauce if doing this gluten friendly and if you want more of that vegetable – add about a cup more of the prepared Jamaican callaloo.

Learn how to prepare Jamaican callaloo for cooking: How To Prepare Jamaican Callaloo.

Tip! Make sure the rice is chilled so you’ll get a nice grainy fried rice at the end. Prepare all your ingredients in advance (chop/dice) as this recipe cooks very fast. Heat the veg oil on a medium flame in a wok or non-stick pan and add the garlic, shallot, diced peppers, carrot and black pepper. Cook for 2-3 mins.

Then add the prepared (chopped) Jamaican Callaloo and diced scotch bonnet pepper. Remember to wash your hands after handling the scotch bonnet, don’t use any of the seeds or white membrane surrounding the seeds and tailor the amount used to your own tolerance.

Now add the chopped okra, soy sauce (see note above about gluten free) and sesame oil and cook for another 2-3 minutes. The callaloo will wilt.

Basically all you have to do now is add the rice, mix well and warm though and you’re done. You’ll notice that I did not add any salt as my rice was cooked in salted water and the soy sauce will add that extra sodium element. For a bit more flavor you can always add a tiny bit of freshly grated ginger at the start.

A delightful way to make use of leftover rice and for the doubters who think vegetarian food is bland and boring – guess again! This is a superb way to enjoy a quick meal with fresh ingredients (except the rice) and truly comforting.

Vegetarian

Vegetarian Curry Tofu Recipe.

November 4, 2015October 30, 20154 Comments

I grew up with the mindset that tofu could NEVER taste appealing. My mom’s cousins were vegetarians and I would always hear them speak about using tofu and soya chunks in different ways and though we were close.. I don’t ever recall ever having tofu until my adult years. Caribbean culinary culture is not remotely centered around tofu as most Asian countries and quite understandably so. We don’t produce tofu, so why would be be interested in it. If we were to speak about sea food, fish and ground provisions, then we could definitely shine!

You’ll Need…

4-5 cups cubed tofu
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon veg oil
1/2 cup water (or coconut milk)
2 birds eye pepper
1 tomato
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
2 scallions
2 sprigs thyme
1 cups frozen peas/carrots/corn mix
1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder

Optional – chopped cilantro or shado beni

* I used a medium tofu, so I placed it on a plate, covered with another plate and put a weight (large teacup with water) on it to ‘press’ some of the moisture out (about 1 hr). This will open up the pores of the tofu and allow it to really take on that rich curry flavor to enhance this overall.

Cube the tofu into 3/4 inch pieces… and prepare the other ingredients. Heat the oil on a medium flame and go in with the diced onion, crushed garlic and thyme. Turn the heat down to low and let it gently cook for 4 minutes.

With your heat still on low, add the curry powder ( I used my fav – Madras blend out of the Caribbean) and stir well – keep your heat on low. The goal here is to toast the curry and awaken all the spices which make up the blend.

It’s now time to go in with the birds eye pepper (any pepper you like or have and as much as you can handle) and chopped scallions. Cook for another minute or two before you add the cubed soya and stir well. You will notice that I used a nonstick pan as it allows me to cut back on the amount of oil I use.

Finally it’s time to go in with the star of the show – the cubed tofu. Stir well, then add all the other ingredients and (turn up the heat) bring to a boil.

This is a somewhat ‘dry’ curry – no gravy. So I turned the heat down to medium and allowed it to cook for about 6-8 minutes (uncovered). Taste for salt and adjust accordingly, remove the birds eye pepper (notice I left it whole – you can break them for HEAT) and top with some chopped shado beni (culantro) or cilantro.

I’ll be honest and say that I’m still not a fan of tofu (not even the milk), but this vegetarian curry is screaming with wonderful flavors. So I urge you to give it a try the next time you want to hit a Meatless Monday!

Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Ultimate Caribbean Salsa Topping For Tacos, Hotdogs & Burgers.

May 28, 2025October 13, 20151 Comment

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

You’ll Need…

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

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

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

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

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

Gluten Free Side Dishes Vegetarian

Zesty Cucumber Chow (Salad).

May 27, 2025September 8, 20151 Comment

As a young fella on the islands my brother and I would always volunteer to go help dad in the garden whenever we knew cucumbers were in season. We had a stash of salt and a few cloves of garlic in the make-shift shed, where dad would take his breaks from the midday sun. With scotch bonnet pepper (congo as we’d say) and shado beni fresh from the garden.. we’d always make a huge bowl of this ‘chow’ with the ‘baby’ cucumbers (always the sweetest). Immediately after we’d hit the river to go fishing, followed by hours of swimming in the cool refreshing waters of the Guaracara river. Funny thing is dad never got our assistance, but he never peeped a word to mom!

You’ll Need…

6 Dill cucumbers
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 lemon (juice)
8-12 cherry tomatoes
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds)
2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
1 clove garlic (crused or diced fine)
1/2 small red onion (optional)

Note: you can use any cucumber you have on hand and the option to peel or not is totally up to you. Remember to wear gloves when handling scotch bonnet peppers and to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. You can cut back or use more of the pepper if you wish. Traditionally we would use shado beni (culantro) instead of the cilantro.

It was early summer when I did this recipe so I had access to what’s called dill cucumbers (basically small cucumbers) for this recipe, but you can use any cucumber you have on hand. You have the option of peeling or not. In my case, these small cucumbers are quite sweet and I find that the skin adds a lovely texture to it all. What I would recommend doing is not only washing them very well, but to soak them in cool water to make sure all the dirt and sand drops of them.

Cut the stems and bottoms off and cut into spears and place in a large bowl. I also had some cherry tomatoes, so I opted to add them to the salad/chow for some added flavor, color and texture. You can use any tomato you have.

Crush or dice the garlic very finely, chop the cilantro and you can dice the scotch bonnet or cut it into large pieces so when you serve it, your guests can easily identify the pieces and avoid them.

Basically all you’re doing at this point is assembling everything together and giving it a good toss. For best results, allow it to chill and marinate in the fridge for about 1/2 hour.

If you’re new to Caribbean cuisine or this website, ‘chow’ is basically a spicy pickle we make with tart fruits.. in most cases green mangoes, pineapple etc. In this case we used cucumbers with the same sort of effect.. except, you’ll get a more juicy and refreshing finish.

If you don’t have lemons you can use lime or orange juice for a different flavor profile and if spicy is not your thing.. you can leave out the scotch bonnet pepper. In the video below you’ll notice that I didn’t add any red onions.. so that is totally optional.

Gluten Free Vegetarian

Gluten Free Vegetarian Callaloo Recipe [creamy spinach soup].

August 23, 2015August 23, 20152 Comments

Callaloo, the delicious soup-like dish of the Southern Caribbean is traditionally made with the inclusion of fresh ocean crabs for it’s unique and rich flavor. If one cannot source that wonderful ‘blue’ crab, we then look for that layer of flavor from salted meats like pigtails and beef, and I’ve seen some people use smoked meats on some occasions. I must point out that the traditional recipe for making callalloo (not to be confused with Jamaican Callaloo) are the tender leaves of the dasheen or taro plant. However, sourcing those in Canada is almost impossible, so we’ll be using baby spinach with brilliant results in this vegetarian version of Callaloo.

You’ll Need…

6-8 cups chopped spinach
2 cups diced butternut squash (or pumpkin)
1 1/2 cups diced sweet potato
2 birds eye pepper (1/4 scotch bonnet)
4 cloves garlic
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 scallions
1 med onion
1 heaping tablespoon sofrito (see note below)
4-5 sprigs thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water (or veg stock – gluten free)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
10-15 okra

Note: If you don’t have sofrito you can use 1/2 teaspoon Caribbean green seasoning – or leave it out if you wish. If you have access to Caribbean seasoning peppers (pimento peppers) I’d recommend adding a couple. Remember to go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Click here for the >> Sofrito Recipe

Heat the olive oil in a deep pot (soup pot) and go in with the diced onion, garlic, thyme, chopped scallions and black pepper. Turn the heat down to low and let it cook (stir) for 2-3 minutes.

Add the cubed sweet potato, chopped okra, squash (use pumpkin if you have) and stir well. Then turn up the heat to med and go in with the chopped spinach. Top with the coconut milk and then add all the other ingredients. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil.

As it comes to a boil, reduce it to a gentle bubble (like a simmer) and let it go until everything goes tender and starts falling apart (about 40-50 minutes).

Taste for salt and adjust accordingly as my tolerance for salt will be different than yours. It’s now time to ‘swizzle’ the callaloo.. I have an old-school swizzle stick, but you can use an immersion blender or wire whisk. If using an immersion blender try to PULSE in short bursts – do NOT go continuous or you’ll end in with a forty mess. The goal is to have a somewhat smooth soup-like texture/consistency.

Traditionalists may argue that you need the crab or salted meats for a GOOD callaloo to stand out, but I assure you that this vegetarian version, which happens to be gluten friendly is stunning. As a soup or with rice, stewed meats (for non vegetarians), sides of plantains and salad and you’re in true Caribbean heaven. You and your belly can thank me after that food-induced nap!

Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Blueberry Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Peppersauce Recipe (Moruga Scorpion hot sauce).

May 28, 2025June 25, 201524 Comments

My passion for peppersauce (homemade hot sauces) is fueled by having been surrounded by very creative peppersauce makers even as a little boy on the islands, but more importantly… my daughters possess the same sort of intense affection for the fiery stuff as I do. There’s no better motivation than having those close to you share the same traits, so when you get creative in the kitchen, you know it’s something you will connect with as a family. With the use of the Trinidad Moruga Scorpions which at the time of making this sauce is the 2nd hottest pepper in the world, you’re getting a hot sauce which should be used with extreme caution. But I find that by using the blueberries, you get a lovely fruity roundness.

You’ll Need…

6 scorpion peppers
2 cups blueberries
2 oranges (juice)
2 scallion
1/4 brown sugar
1 lime (juice)
1/2 cup vinegar

optional – honey – cinnamon – allspice

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

IMPORTANT! Be sure to wear gloves when handling the peppers and wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. I would also recommend having your kitchen window open and the stove exhaust fan on while cooking the sauce.

Give the peppers and scallions, a rough chop.. include the seeds if you REALLY want the HEAT! Then place all the ingredients in a saucepan on a low heat and bring to a simmer. Cook/simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Then allow to cool before you place in the blender or food processor.

The blueberries will breakdown along with the peppers and the other ingredients will incorporate for a very tasty (but HOT) chunky sauce as this point. As mentioned above, allow it to cool then place it all in a blender and puree to a smooth sauce.

Place in a glass container and store in the fridge! I know you’re thinking.. “but Chris, blueberries is NOT Caribbean!”.. Agree.. but I tend to use the fruits (ingredients) I’m now surrounded with.. and to be quite honest, you’ll be amazed at how wonderful this peppersauce is. Great on grilled meats, burgers, hotdogs and a few drops on your sausage and eggs in the morning!

Gluten Free Vegetarian

Stewed Dry Pigeon Peas Recipe.

June 19, 2015June 19, 20153 Comments

TinTin (Christina), my dad’s mom guarded her dried pigeon peas like they do gold at Ft Knox. It was common knowledge that if peas were out of season, she had some stored in airtight bottles somewhere in the dimly lit-smoky kitchen of hers. I still recall the scent of that kitchen, a mixture of the musty tobacco she always had drying in the ceilings and the smoke from the different types of hard-wood she would use to fire-up the coal pot she would use to to cook her meals. Not to mention the actual smoke from the pipe she smoked all her life! To this day, I’m still to taste a stewed dried pigeon peas like the stew this woman would make on that coal pot, in that simple kitchen.

Since I never have enough time to cook the dried peas as is needed… in this recipe we’ll use the canned stuff and drastically cut back on the cooking time. So students, busy individuals or maybe you’re just lazy (smart) and want to eat well, you’ll find this recipe very handy.

You’ll Need…

1 Can dry Pigeon peas (540 ml / 19 fl oz)
2 scallions
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 med tomato
1 cup diced bell pepper
1 scotch bonnet pepper (keep whole)
1 med onion
2 cloves garlic
3 sprigs thyme
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon parsley
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water

optional – grated ginger – diced carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato

Note: If doing this recipe gluten free, do go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs (especially the Worcestershire sauce)

Prep all the ingredients (chop/dice the peppers, tomatoes, scallions, celery, onion, parsley, garlic.. but do keep the scotch bonnet pepper whole) By keeping the Scotch Bonnet whole we’ll get the flavor from the oils and not the raw heat..unless you want the raw heat, then you’d break it open as it cooks. Now heat the olive oil on a medium flame (I used a non stick pan so I use less oil), then add the celery, garlic, tomato, parsley, thyme, onion, black pepper and scallions. Turn the heat down to low and let it gently cook for about 3-5 mins.

Drain and rinse the dried pigeon peas (aka Congo pea, gungo pea, gunga pea, fio-fio, no-eye pea) so you remove most of the brine/sodium it’s packed in, then add it to the pan. Turn the heat up to med/high.

Add the rest of the ingredients and bring it up to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer (remember to add the scotch bonnet whole and try to NOT break it open) and let it cook for about 15 minutes. Taste for salt and adjust at this point – I added a pinch as I find that he peas is usually high in salt and can almost be enough to season this dish. but your tolerance for salt will be different than mine. If you wanted to add some additional body to this stewed peas dish or just stretch it a bit you can add some diced potato, sweet potato or diced pumpkin when you added the peas to the pot. You’ll then need to add a bit more liquid and obviously adjust the salt.

If you find that the gravy is a bit thin (remember as it cools it will thicken a bit) you can use the back of your spoon to crush them a bit and it will help to thicken things up.

If you’re wondering why if my grandmother’s name is Christina (yea, I’m Christopher and my sister is Christine.. my daughter is Christyon), why did I call her TinTin? Good question.. to this day, that’s just the name everyone in our village calls her and to be honest, I have no clue why. If you’re from the Caribbean, chances are at some point in your life you’ve had a nickname.. I’ve had over 15 so far.

Gluten Free Vegetarian

How To Cook Dasheen Bush Bhagi (vegetarian & gluten free).

June 12, 2015June 12, 20151 Comment

Dasheen Bush is basically the leaves (usually the tender ones) of the Dasheen plant (Taro) which is used mainly in the Southern Caribbean for making Callaloo or as in this case, stewed down on it’s own like you would spinach or any other ‘greens’. With the aid of coconut milk and a few simple ingredients and what you’d think is a simple vegetarian dish, is something very tasty and in my case, quite addictive. It’s was one of the few vegetarian type dishes mom never had a hard time serving us as kids. With Sada roti, flour dumplings or with split peas dhal and rice… iman was in heaven.

You’ll Need…

10-15 cups chopped dasheen bush (Taro) leaves
1 med onion
5 cloves garlic
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
2 tablespoon coconut oil
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice

To learn how to prepare the bhagi for cooking, watch this video : How To Prepare Dasheen Bush Leaves [taro leaves] For Cooking. << Click To Watch! Basically all you’re doing is removing the stems, any tarnished leaves and wash.. then trim into ribbons. Then peel back the sort of thin layer of skin on the stems (discard the skin) and cut into small pieces. Wash well, drain and set aside.

In a wide saucepan (with a lid) heat the coconut oil on a medium flame, then add the black pepper, finely chopped garlic and onion. Turn the heat down to low and let it gently cook for about 3-4 minutes.

It’s now time to turn the heat up to medium and add the prepared dasheen bush leaves. It will seem like a lot, but as it cooks it will decrease in size. Give it a good stir, then add all the other ingredients. Place the lid on it and bring it up to a boil.

Turn the heat down to as low as it can go, stir well and place the lid back on the pan. Here is where we’ll need some patience as depending on how tender the dasheen bush you used are it will vary the cooking time. Generally it will take about 40-50 minutes from this point. It will go darker, clump together and basically get thick. That is exactly what we’re looking for. If you find that it’s taking long to achieve this and there’s no liquid in the pan, add a bit more coconut milk or water.

Remember to keep stirring ever so often. After about 50 minutes (in my case) remove the lid, taste for salt, adjust if necessary and turn the heat up to burn of any excess liquid you may still have. Now if you didn’t want to do this vegetarian, you could always go in with some prepared salted cod, salted beef or pig tails.. even some smoked turkey or ham hocks would be ideal!

If doing this dish gluten free be sure to go through the entire list of ingredient to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs (especially if you’re using canned coconut milk). The lemon juice – personally I get a bit of an itch at the back of my throat with certain dishes (especially greens) and I find that by going in with the lemon juice it tends to take care of that.

Desserts Drinks Gluten Free Vegetarian

Refreshing Mango Raspberry Smoothie.

May 22, 2015May 22, 20152 Comments

Though not necessarily a “Caribbean” thing when I was a young fella’ on the islands, smoothies are making it’s way across the island chain as more and more people are looking for healthy ways to start their day, especially with the abundance of fresh tropical fruits we have available to us. Back then, you’d quicker find freshly made juices and punches with the same fruits, so I must confess that I’m not a huge fan of smoothies (it just wasn’t part of my diet). This mango raspberry smoothie only takes a couple minutes to make, quite refreshing and a wonderful meal in a glass.

You’ll Need…

2 cups mango juice (or nectar)
2 cups ripe raspberries (freeze them if you don’t plan on using ice)
1/4 cup orange juice

* Feel free to use fresh or frozen mango instead of the mango juice I used. If using dice mango, you’ll need a bit more orange juice. For a protein kick you can always go in with some protein powder from your local health store.

This is so simple – basically all you have to do is place all the ingredients in a blender and give it a good pulse to break everything down to the consistency you like and you’re done!

Important: If doing this recipe gluten free, do go through the list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. This recipe makes enough for 2 people so feel free to double up to make for a larger group. And if you’re making this during the summer months you can easily add a bit of rum, a tablespoon of lemon juice and a few drops of bitters for a more of a festive (big people) drink for your next BBQ gathering.

I know, raspberries are not native to the Caribbean.. this is just my take on a tribute to my homeland (the Caribbean) and the place I now call home (Canada)… ENJOY!

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