With an abundance of vegetables in my garden(last summer), it was only natural that I made this incredible vegetable fried rice when I came across some leftover rice in the fridge. I’m a huge fan of rice, that combined with the ability to put what I’ve grown into a dish, Uncle Chris was a very happy fella.
Wash and prep the vegetables. (watch the video below).
Heat the oil on medium flame in a wok or pot of your choice.
Add the onion, bodi and stems of the chard and kale as those are the more tough vegetables. Grate in the ginger, toss in the chili pepper (bird’s eye) and add the crushed garlic. Stir well.
Cook for 3-4 minutes then add the okra and sesame oil and stir well. Now add the leafy parts of the Chard and Kale. It may seem like a lot, but it will wilt down.
Add the Chinese Cooking Wine, Hoisin, dark Soy Sauce and light Soy Sauce. Mix!
As I’ve mentioned in past Fried Rice recipes, try to make sure the rice is cool or chilled (for a more grainy finish) . Fold in the rice, warm through and you’re done. Yes the rice was cooked in salted water, plus the 2 different soy sauces we used will be enough salt for me. Taste and adjust (add salt) if you wish.
Back in 2010 I shared a similar recipe where I used Smelts, as it was the only fish I could source back then to satisfy a craving I had for a childhood fave… fry dry! I’ve since elevated my mom’s recipe to put my touch and lay some claim to it. No disrespect mom!
Season the oil with 2 cloves of garlic + 3 bird’s eye pepper. lemon (juice)
Gut (or ask your fish monger to do it for you), clean and wash the sardines (use lemon or lime juice or vinegar along with cool water to wash the fish). Then season the cleaned Sardines with salt, black pepper, Caribbean Green Seasoning and curry powder. Mix well and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
Heat 2 cups of vegetable oil in a wide pan on a medium flame, add the garlic and chili as it heats up. This step will flavor the oil a bit.
Dust the seasoned fish in the flour (shake off excess flour) and place the flour-dusted fish in the hot oil. Be careful when adding the dusted fish to the hot oil.
Cook on each side for about 3-5 minutes.. a crust will form and you’ll get a dark golden color. Remove and drain on paper towels. Don’t crowd the pan, so I’d recommend frying then in batches. Vent your kitchen to avoid the entire house smelling like fried fish or cook outdoors if you can.
Once the fish are all fried, it’s time for step two. Heat 3 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan.. while the oil is still cold add the onion, scallion, birds eye chili and garlic.. bring it up to a simmer and allow it to gently fry and flavor the oil. It will take about 4-5 minutes.
Place the fried Sardines in a heat-proof bowl and pour the now seasoned hot oil over the fried sardines and toss to coat. Note – you can get away with using 2 tablespoon of the olive oil if you want to cut back on the use of oil.
If you recall we stared by flour dusting the fish before frying them. That flour crust will soak up the flavored oil and you’ll be amazed how delicious these will be.
Squeeze on some fresh lemon juice and enjoy. Remember these will be spicy! Serve warm please.
5 lbs pork ribs 1 lemon (juice) 1 tablespoon pepper sauce 2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 1-2 teaspoon grated ginger 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon Angostura bitters 1 tablespoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 medium onion (sliced) 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar 1 large carrot (cubed) 2-3 pimento peppers (sliced) 1 can red kidney beans (small) 2+1 cups water 2 cups vegetable stock 2 bay leaves 2 cups coconut milk 3 cups long grain par-boiled rice (washed) 1/2 lb spinach (washed)
Note! This Incredible Pork Rib Pelau recipe is inspired by my friend Chef Barry Bartholomew IG @cheffinbar.
Cut the ribs individually (you may remove the sliver skin on the underside first if you wish), then wash with cool water and the juice of the lemon and drain dry. Now it’s time to season the ribs and have them marinate for at least 2 hours.
Add the Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt, black pepper, onion, ginger, Worcestershire sauce, Angostura bitters and peppersauce (hot sauce). You may use fresh Scotch Bonnet or your fav pepper if you wish… I was out of them. Stir well and marinate.
Watch thevideo below to follow along with this step (as well as how to cut the rack of ribs into individual ribs) as it can be a bit tricky. NO, the sugar we’re about to use will NOT make this dish sweet.
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot. Add the brown sugar and using a dry spoon, stir the sugar. It will melt, go frothy, then amber. As soon as it goes DEEP amber in color(be gentle here) add the seasoned ribs to the pot. Should the sugar go black, STOP! Allow the pot to cool completely(move from the hot burner) and wash, dry and start over. Or you will have a bitter tasting dish.
This step is called “stewing/browning” and it’s one of the most important steps in preparing Pelau. BTW Pelau is basically a one pot dish, with a protein, pigeon peas (not today), coconut milk, herbs etc and rice. Made mostly in the Southern Caribbean and differs from island to island in the ingredients used. As you add the seasoned ribs to the pot, stir to have them coated in the ‘browning’.
Put the lid on the pot, turn the heat down to med/low and let it go for about 15 minutes. Try to stir every 4-5 mins. Yes it will sprout it’s own natural juices.
After the 15 minutes, remove the lid and crank up the heat to high. The goal here is to develop a rich flavor and deep color. Be mindful to stir and keep an eye on things so it doesn’t burn.
When you can see the oil we started with (some fat will render from the pork ribs too) at the bottom of the pot, it’s time to add the red beans (I used a small variety of red beans out of a can, which I washed – traditionally pigeon peas is use in making Pelau), carrot, Pimento peppers (aka seasoning peppers), vegetable stock, coconut milk and water. I added 2 cups of water here and later on I added the 3rd cup (more on that in the video below).
Bring this up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, lid on slightly ajar and allow it to cook for about 30 minutes or until the ribs starts getting tender.
Its then time to wash your rice (watch the video below where I comment about this) and add it to the pot. Bring back to a boil (you may need to raise the temp a bit), then reduce to a simmer.
After about 10 minutes I added the spinach and stirred it in. It was here I noticed I needed more liquid, so I added the 3rd cup of water. No spinach is not traditional to this dish, but as I mentioned in the video. It’s a great way to sneak vegetables etc into a dish for children and picky eaters.
The spinach will wit down so don’t stress about seeing it pile on. There are 2 things to pay attention to when it comes to Pelau. The color and the texture. Both are personalization based on the individual. Some like it a bit darker and this is achieved by the “browning or stewing” step at the start. The other key thing people focus on, is the texture. You’re Team Wet Pelau (meaning a bit soggy) or Team Dry Pelau, meaning there’s a look of steamed (grainy) rice at the end. I’ve recently converted to Team Wet Pealu, so I used a bit more than usual liquid, plus I stirred the rice quite a bit. By stirring, the rice grains rub on each other and release starch, giving the finished dish a more creamy (wet) texture.
After another 10 minutes or so, you’ll be done. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. I like to turn the stove off, place the lid on and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with a side of watercress, sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, coleslaw and/or a thick slice of Avocado (say zabouca). In my case I like mine with a side of Roasted Tomato Choka and/or Roasted Pepper Choka.
Over the years I’ve shared several types of Callaloo (the soup) recipes with you, including Crab(the classic), Lobster, Shrimp, Salted Pigtail and Smoked Turkey, to name a few. With leftover Crayfish from when I purchased for making the Curry Potato With Crayfish recipe, I thought I’d give you yet another TASTY version of Callaloo.
You’ll Need…
1 1/2 lb crayfish (meat only) 2-3 tablespoon salted butter 1 medium onion (diced) 1 green scotch bonnet pepper (sliced) 2 pimento peppers (aka seasoning pepper) 6 cloves garlic (smashed) 3 sprigs thyme 2 cups water (in total) 1 cup seafood stock 1/2 tablespoon sea salt 1/3 teaspoon black pepper 1 lb baby spinach 15-20 okra (cut 1 cm) 2 1/2 cups coconut milk 1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 1-2 cups pumpkin (cubed)
Note! I’m based in Canada so sourcing Dasheen (taro) leaves is almost impossible, so the next best thing = Baby Spinach. If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your gluten free dietary needs.
Get your soup pot on a medium heat and heat the butter, then add the crayfish (washed and drained) and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside for later.
In the same pot, add the onion, scotch bonnet and pimento peppers, turn the heat to low and gently soften. Add the thyme, garlic and black pepper.
4 minutes later add the okra (stir well) and the Caribbean Green Seasoning. Go in with the seafood stock, turn the heat to medium and bring to a boil.
Add the pumpkin, coconut milk, salt and bring back to a boil.
It’s time to add the baby spinach (washed) and the water. It may look like a lot, but it will wilt down as it cook.
Here’s where we’ll need to have some patience. Let it gently cook (lower your heat so you have a simmer) for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Add more water if you find it’s getting too thick. I added the extra cup of water mentioned in the ingredient list. (2 cups in total)
Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Here’s where I used a traditional swizzle stick to break things down so it’s a bit smooth (watch the video below). You may use a whisk or stick blender. If using a stick blender, pulse or risk getting it frothy.
Add the pre-cooked crayfish, bring back to a boil (2-3 minutes), taste and adjust the salt again and BOOM.. you’ve got a wicked Crayfish Callaloo.
This is an excellent side dish to rice, steamed potato, boiled ground provisions or roasted breadfruit. Or, do as I do and enjoy a piping hot bowl as a soup. Now you know how to make an incredible pot of crayfish (say crawfish?) callaloo.
Once again I’m sharing a ‘Jerk’ recipe and I feel compelled to mention as I always do… yes authentic Jamaican Jerk (anything) is a combination of the jerk marinade and the technique of grilling over pimento wood. I am based in Canada and it’s the middle of winter, so it’s all about using the indoor oven as best we can. Save the idiotic comments please.
Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please read the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the Jerk Marinade you use as most will contain soy sauce and potently other gluten ingredients.
Preheat your oven to 525 F (broil). As the oven comes up to temperature, clean and wash the shrimp (or lobster tails) with the juice of 1/2 the lemon and cool water. Split the shrimp down the middle and devein, but be sure to leave the shell on. Yea, some of you may call these prawns.
It’s time to make the sort of dressing to cover the split shrimp with. In a bowl, combine 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, the jerk marinade (yes I used store bought, but you can use the recipe I have on here to make your own), ginger, black pepper, juice of the clementine (or orange juice), 1 scallion chopped finely, honey and black pepper.
In a roasting tray (I used a cast iron pan), drizzly on the remaining olive oil (or line it with foil for easier cleanup after), then lay out the shrimp shell side down and pour the jerk marinade onto the exposed flesh.
Tuck the thyme and remaining scallions between the shrimp, so as it roasts in the oven you’ll get a further herbal perfume in the air. NOTE! You can sprinkle some salt and black pepper (if you want) onto the shrimp before dressing them with the jerk marinade.
Now into the oven for 6-8 minutes, depending on how large the shrimp are that you use.
I had the pan on the middle rack for the first 4 minutes, then the top rack the final couple mins. As soon as I took it out of the oven, I drizzled on the remaining lemon juice and chopped parsley.
Who said you couldn’t do brilliant Jerk Shrimp in the Oven? Feel free to use your outdoor propane or charcoal grill if you prefer. The use of the honey and clementine juice will give it a lovely undertone of sweetness (jerk marinade can be spicy) and citrus.
While I didn’t grow up eating this dish onthe islands (simply because I don’t ever recall mom having access to crayfish), it’s quite common to see me make it when I visit the Asian supermarkets and they have crayfish (frozen) in stock. The trick is to not over-cook the the crayfish, while using it a base for flavoring the entire curry.
You’ll Need…
1 lb crayfish (crawfish) 1 med onion (sliced) 4-6 cloves garlic (smashed/crushed) 1 1/4 teaspoon salt (divided) 1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder (divided) 3/4 teaspoon black pepper (divided) 4 -5 cups water 1 small habanero pepper (optional) 2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning(divided) 2-3 tablespoon coconut oil 5 medium potatoes (1-2 inch pieces) 1 teaspoon roasted Geera (cumin) 1 tablespoon Cilantro (chopped fine)
Note: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the curry powder you use, as some may have flour as a filler/thickener.
Wash the crayfish with 1/2 lemon or 1/2 lime (juice) and cool water. Drain and squeeze dry (especially if the crayfish was previously frozen as in my case).
Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 of the black pepper, 1/2 tablespoon curry powder and 1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning. Mix well and marinate for 10-115 minutes.
Add 2 tablespoon of coconut oil in a saucepan on a medium flame. Add the seasoned crayfish, stir well, then crank up the heat to high. Cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes, then remove the crayfish and set aside. I used a slotted spoon.
Turn the heat down to medium now (same saucepan), add the onion, garlic, remaining black pepper, habanero pepper (remove the seeds ad white membrane around the seeds to tame the heat a bit if you want) and the remaining Caribbean Green Seasoning. Stir to combine and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Once the liquid is burnt off and you can see the oil we started off with (add more coconut oil here if you wish), add the remaining curry powder and stir well.
Turn the heat to low so we don’t burn the curry. After 2-3 minutes, add 1/2 cup of water along with the roasted cumin (geera). Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the liquid burns off. This is your curry base.
Now add the potato and stir to coat the pieces of potato with the curry, then add 4 cups of water and remaining salt and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, lid on (slightly ajar) and cook for 20 minutes and the potato is falling-apart tender.
Once the potato is tender, you can crank up the heat and crush a few pieces of potato to thicken the gravy. Now add the pre-cooked crayfish to the pot. Do keep in mind that this dish is meant to have a sauce or gravy and that it will thicken considerably as it cools down.
Cook for a minute or two, add the cilantro and taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Enjoy!
Here’s my take on a classic Jamaican Jerk Dry Rub! A recipe I’ve tailored to my own taste, as you won’t see any Paprika (as in many recipes online) and to be honest with you, dried thyme is NOT my fav. However it’s a key ingredient in any Jamaican jerk rub or marinade you’ll ever come across, so I included it.
Note! To add a smoky undertone (if you won’t be using a smoker or grilling over charcoal), the smoked Paprika I mentioned that I didn’t use above, will work. NO, regular pepper flakes will NOT give you the same effect as the Scotch Bonnet pepper flakes. But if that’s all you can source, so be it.
I find that by crushing the Pimento (allspice) berries, it gives the finished rub a much deeper flavor. However, the ground stuff will work, if you don’t want the work or you don’t have a heavy mortar and pestle.
The addition of the Bay Leaf compliments the Pimento Berries as the have the same flavor profile, so I’d recommend using them. Those I crushed also. A spice grinder will also work.
To be honest, that’s the only real work involved in putting this wicked Jamaican Jerk Rub together. Basically all you have to do now is place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine.
Use fresh or store in a airtight glass jar. I prefer a glass jar as the flavors of the rub is very strong and can leave a scent-stain on plastic containers. Store in a cool, dry/dark place in the airtight jar and it will last you a few months easily. Give it a good shake before using next.
Do keep in mind that I didn’t use any salt in this rub as I much prefer to control that, depending on what I’ll be using the rub on. Speaking about use, it can be used on vegetables, fish, shrimp, pork, chicken (poultry) and lamb.
My fave is smoked/grilled dry rub chicken. Trim the excess skin and fat off chicken pieces, dust generously with the Jamaican Jerk Dry Rub, allow it to marinate for a couple hours (or go directly onto your grill), then grill as you’d normally do.
Circling back on my comment above about dried thyme… while I’m no fan of it, fresh thyme out of my garden is my JAM! I can use that herb on everything I cook.
Do keep in mind that this will be SPICY and if you use your hands to rub onto whatever you’re grilling, wash with soap and water immediately after.
I didn’t grown up having chicken wings (specifically) as a meal or snack. That said, my brother, sisters and I all fought for the 2 wings when mom would prepare chicken as part of lunch or dinner. Back then we would butcher our own chicken (or visit a chicken farmer) and mom would have an entire chicken at her disposal. Actually, during my time of the islands I never saw chicken wings (only) being an option at the grocers or farms. Nor could you get just thigh or breast specifically! Whole bird or nothing.
You’ll Need…
4-5 lbs chicken wings 1 tablespoon Sea Salt (brine) 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (dusting) 1 tablespoon black pepper (divided) 5-7 cups water 1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar 2 Pimento (seasoning) peppers 1/2 Habanero Pepper (sliced) 5-8 sprigs thyme 2 scallions (chopped) 6 cloves garlic (smashed) 3-4 tablespoon chopped parsley 4-6 cups Veg oil (any oil you fry with) 3/4 cup corn starch
Important! Wear gloves and wash your hands immediately after handling hot peppers. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. The Pimento Peppers are optional, but a great addition if you can source it.
Let’s create the brine. In a large bowl add 1 tablespoon sea salt, 3/4 tablespoon black pepper, sugar, Pimento peppers, thyme, scallions, Habanero pepper, parsley and garlic. Add 1 cup or warm water (so we can dissolve the sugar and salt) and stir well. Now top with 5 cups of ice cold water.
Add the cleaned chicken wings (cut into flats and drumettes) into the brine. Stir well to make sure all the wings are submerged (add more cool water if necessary) and fully coated with the brine. Place in the fridge for two hours.
Give the wings a stir after one hour. After the 2 hr mark, drain, rinse and get as dry as you can. I drained well and used paper towels to pat dry.
Now toss in the corn starch and coat the wings.
Heat the oil (350-375) in a wide + deep pot, have a wire rack over a drip-pan on the side and get ready to fry off the wings. I usually make these (most frying dishes) outside, to avoid the greasy scent in the house. Yes, you can toss these in an #airfryer if you wanted.
Add the wings to the pot, but don’t crowd the pot please (do in batches). Stir to fry evenly.
8-10 minutes later and you will start getting that golden color. Take them out of the oil and place onto the rack… dust with the remaining salt and black pepper. I don’t like using paper towels to blot the extra oil as I find that the side of the wings which makes contact, goes soggy. Note that they will go slightly darker as they cool down after you remove them from the hot oil.
Continue frying the rest.
These are GREAT just on their own, NO NEED for a SAUCE! NONE! However, the control is in your hands as to what you want to do next.
These crispy wings are guaranteed to be a hit with You, Your Family and anyone you decide to treat with a hot batch.
Here’s another Caribbean Classic! Curry Stew Goat.. seasoned with an exciting curry-based marinade, then brown-stewed as it’s typically done on the islands. It’s then cooked slowly to develop rich flavors and fall-off-the-bone tenderness. #Goatober
You’ll Need…
4-5 lbs goat (bone in) 1 1/2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 1 teaspoon salt (adjust) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 medium onion (sliced) 1 medium tomato (diced) 1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced) 3-4 cups water 1/2 cup coconut milk powder 5-8 cloves garlic (whole) 1 tablespoon grated ginger 1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar + 2 tablespoon olive oil 1-2 tablespoon parsley (chopped) 2 limes (juice) for washing the goat.
Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the curry powder you use, as some may have flour as a filler and thickener.
this recipe will work with lamb and I find that you get better results with using bone-in goat. Do ask your butcher to cut it into small pieces as you will struggle to get through the bones with your everyday chef’s knife of clever.
Trim the excess fat and wash the meat (with lime juice and cool water), drain well, then season with the salt, curry powder, black pepper, Caribbean Green Seasoning, onion, tomato, scotch bonnet pepper (adjust to the heat level you can handle) and grated ginger. Mix well!
Marinate overnight or at least 2 hours in the fridge.
Heat the oil in a deep pot (heavy cast iron works best) on a medium / high flame, then add the sugar. This is the stewing or browning part. The curry element was added when we seasoned and marinated the goat.
This step is crucial as we don’t want to BURN the sugar. The sugar will melt, go frothy, then we need it to go a deep amber color (yes the kitchen will go a bit smoky). At this point (be careful) add the seasoned goat to the pot and stir to coat in the caramelized sugar. Should it go beyond amber (BLACK), STOP. Allow the pot to cool completely, wash, dry and start over. Burnt Sugar will give you a bitter taste.
watch the video below to see how I did the step mentioned above.
Turn the heat to medium/low, add the whole cloves of garlic and cover the pot. It will sprout up it’s own natural juices. Let it go for about 10 minutes with lid on.
Place the water in the same bowl you marinated the goat in and swish around to pick up any remaining marinade.
After 10 minutes, remove the lid and crank up the heat to burn off all that natural liquid. In the process we’ll develop a lovely color. It will take 4-6 minutes. The goal is to see the oil we started off with and no liquid at the bottom of the pot. Please stir so we get even browning, as this happens.
When this is achieved, pour in the water (from the bowl we marinated the goat in) and bring to a boil. Add the coconut powder and stir well to incorporate. As it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until tender (lid on, but slightly ajar).
Depending on how old/mature the goat was when it was butchered it can take between 2 and 3 hours on that simmer to be tender. In rare cases it can take up to 4 hours.
Taste for salt, adjust the gravy (thickness) to your liking (add more water if you find that the goat is still tough) and top with the parsley. Goat can be fatty and the parsley tends to help cut some of that.. I also like adding some lemon zest at times too, for the same reason.
Without ANY DOUBT.. this is one of my favorite Caribbean desserts! If you recall back in 2013 I shared an (if not the first) online version of this Currants Roll Recipe. However this time I’ll show you an even easier method of making it. Without sacrificing taste, texture and overall flavor.
This is a simplified version of that classic recipe I shared, so head over to your grocery store and grab a package of “puff pastry” from the freezer section. Allow it to thaw in the fridge, until it’s soft enough to handle, but still chilled.
On a well flour dusted surface, roll out the puff pastry until it’s about 5-7 millimeters thick and a rectangle shape. (watch the images below).
Tip! For best pastry results, use the puff pastry chilled and try to have your surface well flour-dusted and as cool as you can have it.
Now it’s time to brush on 1/2 the melted butter on the surface of the pastry dough.
Mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Then sprinkle on (evenly) the currants onto the surface of the dough, followed by the sugar/cinnamon mixture.
It’s now time to roll everything as tight as you can into a dough filled log.
Since I wanted these bite-sized, I rolled the longer side. Then cut them into two pieces. Place them onto a parchment lined baking tray (I didn’t and I had a mess to clean up after). Then brush on the egg/milk wash (basically you whisk the egg together with the milk) over the surface of each.
Then using a fork, poke some holes onto the surface of each log. Make sure the seam side is on the bottom, to help keep it closed/sealed as it bakes in the oven
Onto the middle rack of a preheated 375 oven for 25 minutes. Then remove them and slap (brush) on the remaining butter we have and place back into the oven for about 5 minutes.
After which, you’ll place them on a cooling rack to cool down a bit before using a serrated knife to cut them into the serving size pieces you want. I went on a an angle when slicing for that classic currants roll look. With the serrated knife you’ll have to use a sort of gentle sawing action to cut through them without destroying the pastry.
If you wanted you could have sprinkled on some granulated sugar on the surface before you placed them into the oven.
As classic a Caribbean dessert as you can get without all the fuss, by using the puff pastry we got from the grocery store.
While you will see similarities with this Onion Choka andClassic Pepper Choka (basically roasted hot peppers made into a SPICY condiment), with the simplicity (and the perfect blend of flavor and texture) of this version, it could easily be your new favorite side to curry dishes. TIP! Use as much thinly sliced onion as YOU desire.
You’ll Need…
6 hot peppers 6 – 8 cloves garlic 1 Large Red Onion 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 1 cup olive oil
Important! This is meant to be SPICY! Wash your hands and/or wear gloves when handling such hot peppers. Please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements.
To help control the heat level and for a unique flavor (you wont get with mature ripe peppers), I like using the peppers which are green and about 90 % mature. During the summer months I simply grill them until charred on my outdoor grill. However (being careful) you can roast them until charred on your gas stovetop. Be mindful that if using metal tongs, it can heat up all the way to your hands after a while.
Once the peppers are cooled (enough to handle), place them (stems removed) along with the garlic and salt into your mortar and smash it with the pestle until it’s broken down. You DO NOT want a paste, but something more chunky.
May I suggest you be very careful when smashing it, as the liquid and pieces of pepper can go flying and could end up making contact with your eyes. Yes, you may use a food processor if you wish – but PULSE! I usually use one hand to hold the pestle and the other to cover or shield whatever I’m crushing (so it remains in the mortar).
THINLY slice the onions (use as much as you like as we want the onions to be the star of the recipe) and place it directly over the now crushed roasted peppers and garlic. A typical pepper choka will not have as much onion as the focus in that recipe will be the peppers.
We’re almost done. Heat the oil in frying pan until you see whispers of smoke, then (be careful) pour it directly over the raw onions. This will take the raw edge off the onions and add a wonderful flavor to the completed onion choka. This step is called “Chunkay”.
Give it a proper stir and enjoy! The heat from the peppers (and smoky flavor from charring), flavors of the garlic and onion, and the slight crunch from the raw onions.. definitely one of my fav condiments to enjoy with curry dishes. Store in a clean glass container in the fridge for up to a week.
Besides the onions being the key to this choka, you’ll also love the oil drizzled over whatever you’re eating. As I mentioned above about adding as much onion as you want, the same goes for the heated oil. It will be one of the best pepper oils you’ve ever had.
No you’re not seeing double! If you’ve been following my culinary exploits here from day one, you would have seen me share a similar Curry Chicken With Potato (aloo) recipe about 8 years ago. And while that recipe is timeless, the google indexing bots are no longer as kind to the website, so if you were do do a search online you’ll never find that classic (original) recipe.
You’ll Need…
3-4 lbs chicken 3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning(divided) 3 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion (sliced) 5-8 cloves garlic (smashed) 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper 5 1/2 cups water (divided) 2 heaping tablespoon curry powder 1 teaspoon roasted geera (cumin) 1 teaspoon anchar masala 5 medium potatoes (cut into 1/4’s) 3 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Important! if doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the curry powder – read the label if you don’t make your own. I used an extra Habanero pepper (floated) in this dish as I enjoy my curry very spicy.
Watch the video below to see how I broke down a whole chicken for this recipe. Feel free to use thighs or drums if that is what you have on hand or prefer using. Additionally, you may use chicken breast, but IMHO you get better results with bone in/ dark meat.
Season the chicken with the salt, black pepper and 2 tablespoon of the Caribbean Green Seasoning. Stir well and allow to marinate for a couple hours in the fridge.
Heat your deep pot on a medium flame and add the oil. Followed by the onion, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper. Turn the heat down to low and gently cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the remaining Caribbean Green Seasoning and stir. 30 seconds later add the curry powder and mix well.. heat still on low please. This step will toast the curry powder and bloom the spices which makes up the curry powder.
4 Minutes later, crank the heat to high and add 1/2 cup water, stir and then add the Geera and anchar masala (you can get this on amazon or your local Caribbean market – or double up on the roasted geera aka cumin). The goal here is to do two things. 1 Cook out the rawness of the curry and 2. to burn off the water we added to intensify the flavor of the curry base.
It will go dark, thick and perfume the kitchen with all the curry niceness. As soon as all the liquid is gone and you can see the oil we started with, add the seasoned chicken and stir well to coat each piece.
Bring to a boil (about 3-4 minutes), turn the heat down to medium and cover the pot. In the same bowl you marinated the chicken swish around the 5 cups of water and set aside for now.
After 4 minutes with that lid on, you’ll notice a lot of liquid sprouted. Turn the heat back up to high and burn off that liquid to intensify the overall flavor of the curry. (lid off).
3-4 minutes on high and the liquid should be gone. Add the potato, stir and add the 5 cups of water to fully cook the chicken and get the potatoes tender and falling apart.
As soon as it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to a rolling boil, lid on (slightly ajar) and allow it to cook for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. This is where I floated the Habanero pepper (not mentioned in the ingredient list) .. if you do, you can break it later on as I did, to release the fury or don’t break to get the flavor of the oil on the outside of the pepper and not the raw heat.
Here is where you’ll taste it for salt and adjust to your liking. Also, you can (up to you) use your spoon to crush some of the potato pieces to help thicken the gravy.
I allowed the pot to go for 4 minutes with the lid off and then it was time to turn off the stove, toss in the cilantro (better if you have shado beni) and get ready for an incredible curry dish. IMPORTANT! If it looks runny, please note that it will thicken up as it cools down.
Back to using chicken breast… be sure to check out my Curry Chicken Breast video if you like white meat and you don’t want dry, bland and tough curry chicken without bones and dark meat.
