With an abundance of fresh Callaloo (aka spinach or chorai bhagi) in my garden last summer and with the many requests for a version of the classic Jamaican Callaloo With Saltfish (salted cod) without the saltifsh, I’ve been playing around with a few variations. I’m a HUGE fan of salted cod and NOT a fan of turkey, but I had to admit that this recipe was simply delicious. You may also use ground beef, chicken or pork if you so desire.. with similar results.
You’ll Need…
Jamaican callaloo
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic (diced or crushed)
1 small onion
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
4 sprigs thyme
1/3 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 grape tomato
juice 1/2 lemon (I used red wine vinegar)
Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Prep the Jamaican Callaloo and set aside. Basically I only used the leaves and not the stems as I would normally do. I washed them thoroughly, then rolled into a sort of cigar shape and sliced about 1 centimeter thick ribbons (watch the video below). I must stress that you wash the leaves really well and it won’t hurt to give the chopped leaves a second wash. Do drain.
Since ground turkey is very lean, I add the oil to a heavy pan and tossed in the turkey on a low/medium flame. The idea is to break it up (I used a wooden spoon) as it’s cooks through. It would be near impossible to give this any color. Took about 10-15 minutes to get it fully cooked and broken up into tiny pieces.
I then turned the heat down to low and added the onion, garlic, black pepper, scotch bonnet (no seeds and do remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such peppers), parsley, thyme and allspice. Mix well and cook on low for 3-5 minutes.
It’s now time to start adding the prepared Jamaican Callaloo (Chorai bhagi) to the pot. As you do, try to mix well. It may seem like too much for the pot but it will wilt as it cooks down. BTW the heat should be back up to medium at this point. Top with the salt and cover to sort of steam cook.
Remember to stir it every 4-5 minutes.. it will spring its own natural juices. After about 25 minutes it will be fully cooked. Remove the lid to burn off any remaining liquid (I didn’t have any) and adjust the salt to your own liking. Now top with the tomato, give it a stir and cover the pot – turn off the stove. Allow the residual heat to soften the tomato. At this point is also where I’d normally go in with some fresh lemon or lime juice. I didn’t have any so red wine vinegar went in instead. This helps to prevent any sort of itch one can get at the back of the tongue with Callaloo at times.
If you wanted to add a bit of creamed coconut or coconut milk while it steamed cooked, that will add a lovely flavor to the entire dish. So there you go, Jamaican Callaloo with Turkey.. yea traditionalists will be shaking their heads at this point – until they give it a try.
Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2
Recipe Card
Jamaican Callaloo with Ground Turkey
Description
A lighter twist on the classic Jamaican callaloo, substituting ground turkey for saltfish, perfect for a nutritious and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add ground turkey to the pan, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 5–7 minutes.
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Add sliced onion, minced garlic, and chopped scallions to the pan. Sauté until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
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Stir in thyme leaves, diced tomatoes, and chopped scotch bonnet pepper. Cook for another 2–3 minutes until the tomatoes soften.
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Season with black pepper and salt to taste.
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Add chopped callaloo leaves to the pan. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
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Cover the pan and let the callaloo steam until wilted and tender, about 5–7 minutes.
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Remove the lid, stir the mixture, and cook uncovered for an additional 2 minutes to evaporate any excess liquid.
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Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot.
We had just moved to Canada and I was living with my aunt. Back then there were a handful of Caribbean people in Hamilton and the few of us that went to the same high school did just about everything together. My group included a fella from Dominica, Barbados and one from Jamaica. To this day we’re still very close and still pretty much a tight unit. Richard, my friend from Jamaica called me to ask if my aunt wanted some Callaloo… kinda strange that he would ask me if my aunt wanted some and not me. I answered yes, since I knew whatever comes home is open game. It had been months since I had last eaten callaloo (back then finding Caribbean food stuff in the supermarkets was very tough) so I was licking my chops at the thought of eating some callaloo (I wonder if he would bring some rice and stew chicken with it?). Another strange thing he said was .. he was up on the farm.
