We always looked forward to watermelon season when I was a kid growing up on the islands, but having the patience to not prematurely pick the massive melons dad grew in his garden wasn’t the easiest thing for a kid. Pops has his own technique for telling when the watermelons are perfectly red inside and while he never passed that tip on to me, I do get a chuckle when I see people tapping, scrutinizing, holding them up to the light and do other weird things to them at the grocery store. My tip.. go to where they have the cut slices for sale and if they are red and look perfect, chances are the whole ones on sale will be good. After-all, that’s where that cut piece came from.
* You can also freeze or chill the cubed watermelon to ensure you have a cold and refreshing smoothie to enjoy on a hot summer’s day. You can also toss in some rum and enjoy big-people fun with this!
The mixed berries I used had cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries in the mix, if you’re wondering. I opted for low fat milk but you can use whatever milk you have on hand or any milk substitute you prefer (almond, soy, coconut etc).
Basically all you have to do is toss everything into your blender and give it a buzz for 2-3 minutes and you’re done! If you have access to tropical fruit, you can certainly get more creative.
I do hope you’re enjoying the full week of smoothies I’ve been sharing, but most of all.. do give them a try and leave me some comments below!
As we continue with this week of smoothies, it’s time to use a very common but ignored Caribbean (tropical) fruit, Jackfruit. A sweet (like refined sugar) tasting fruit, with a sort of custard-like texture, but the scent can be a bit overpowering when it’s fully ripe. We had just driven through Fern Gully, Jamaica and had stopped for ‘refreshments’ at a road-side bar, when I gazed on a Jackfruit tree on the side of the building laden with some of the largest fruits I’ve ever seen. It’s funny how whenever I think about Jackfuit, it takes me back to that Jamaican trip and the roadside bar where I enjoyed some of the most refreshing Guinness I’ve ever had.
You’ll Need…
2 cups frozen jack fruit
8 ice cubes
2-3 cups yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
Though I can get fresh/ripe Jackfruit here in Ontario at the many Asian grocery stores, it’s somewhat expensive. Besides it being cheaper, I find that the frozen Jackfruit they also stock is already prepared and it works great in smoothies and drinks.
Basically all you have to do is place all the ingredients listed above in a blender and make into your smoothie.
Yes, you can use a fruit flavored yogurt if you like, but keep in mind that it will change the overall flavor of the completed smoothie. Additionally, due to the sort of creamy nature of this smoothie, a couple drops of vanilla or almond extract will work great as well.
I may have mentioned this before, but the drive through Fern-gully is a MUST when you visit Jamaica. There’s a sort of mystical aura to the area.. as if you’re in a fairy tail.
Pumpkin and shrimp are two things mom struggled to get us to eat as kids, but as an adult I can’t get enough. Looking back I wish I had started eating pumpkin from a younger age as the pumpkins mom would use came directly from the small garden we had at the back of our home in rural Trinidad. Grown organically and under the brilliant Caribbean sun… I still recall mom commenting “gosh this pumpkin cook real gud” every time she made a pumpkin dish.
You’ll Need…
3 lbs pumpkin (butternut squash will work also)
1/2 lb shrimp (med, cleaned and deveined)
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon water
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds)
Edit! : Forgot to add the curry powder in the list. 1 Heaping Tablespoon Curry Powder (more to your liking)
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. Especially the curry powder you use, which can have flour as a filler at times.
Peel, devein and wash the shrimp. Then season with the Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt and black pepper. Allow the seasoned shrimp to marinate for 10 minutes as you peel and cube the pumpkin.
In a deep saucepan, heat the oil on a low flame and add the diced (or crushed) garlic, then go in with the curry powder (I used a Madras blend out of the Caribbean) and stir well. Cook on VERY low for 3-5 minutes. It will go darker and grainy.. this step will cook off the ‘raw’ curry taste and bloom the spices which makes up a good curry blend. Add the scotch bonnet pepper and stir well at this point as well.
Toss in the seasoned shrimp, turn up the heat to med/high and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Coat with the curry base. then remove the shrimp and set aside. We’ll finishing cooking them later. In the same bowl you seasoned the shrimp add a couple table spoons of water and stir, then add to the pot. This will deglave the pan and allow the pumpkin to coat with the curry easier.
It’s now time to add the cubed pumpkin to the pot and stir well to coat with the curry that’s still in the pot.
Place the lid on the pan and bring to a boil. The pumpkin will naturally sprout it’s own natural juices. Once it starts boiling, add the brown sugar, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes – stir every 5 minutes or so. (lid on)
If you wanted you could add any of your fav herbs and some diced onion to the pot for additional flavor. Remove the lid and using the back of your spoon.. crush the pumpkin so it becomes more smooth. Yes, it should be soft at this point. It’s now time to burn off the extra liquid, so crank up the heat and cook for a few minutes.
As most of the liquid burns off, you can now add back the shrimp and stir well. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly as your salt appreciation will be different than mine. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and you’re done.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy pumpkin, especially with a pile of piping hot buss up shut roti and a side of kuchela! If you wanted to do this recipe fully vegan, you can always leave out the shrimp and add the pumpkin when I added the shrimp.. add a bit of coconut milk for extra flavor.
My dad is a BOSS at making homemade ice cream from the many local tropical fruits we had growing in our yard and to this day he still relies on his old hand-crank ice cream maker (aka ice cream pail). According to him, the electric machines just can’t get the consistency correct. Besides coconut, making soursop was his next favorite flavor to make for us. Ice cream making was a sort of weekend tradition, especially when relatives were visiting. As kids we would listen for the sort of labored sound the ‘pail’ would make (as it froze), as we knew it was almost time to enjoy the delightful frozen treat.
While I don’t have access to fresh ripe soursop since I no longer call the Caribbean home, I’ll show you a simple trick to mimic the lovely flavor of traditional soursop ice cream no matter where in the world you’re based.
You’ll Need…
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
4 cups heavy cream
4 cups soursop juice
1 lime (zest)
Optional (vanilla or almond extract)
The trick about using soursop juice is to heighten the overall flavor as fresh soursop would typically do in such ice cream. In a pot bring the 4 cups of juice to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let that go until it’s reduced in volume by about half. This will intensify the soursop flavor. Put it aside to cool as we work on the sort of custard.
As you remove the reduction off to the side to cool down, grate in about 3/4 of the lime zest.
Put the heavy cream on a medium flame and bring to a gentle boil. In the meantime you can add the the egg yolks (yes one broke so the image will show 3 viable) along with the sugar in a bowl and whisk. Give it a go for about 3-5 minutes to break down the sugar and to get it fully combine – it will go pale in color.
It’s now time to bring everything together. Temper the egg/sugar mixture with some of the warm milk and whisk as you drizzle in the cream, so you don;t end up with cooked/scrambled eggs. Do so until the egg mixture is warm and thoroughly combined. Now add it (whisk as you do) to the pot with the rest of the simmering cream. Give that a good mix and allow to come back to a gentle boil.
It will thicken.. that’s what we want. Now add in the soursop reduction and continue whisking. The idea is to have it thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. When that happens, remove it off the stove, grate in the remaining lime zest and chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours. This will make it easier for your ice cream maker.
When it’s fully chilled it’s just a matter of pouring the base into your machine and working it according to your machine’s directions. With mine, it took about 25 minutes to make into ice cream. However I like emptying the finished ice cream into a plastic container (with a lid) and placing it in the freezer to firm up a bit more (about 2 hrs). BTW you can enjoy this immediately.. I just like a more firm texture.
While nothing can replace the traditional way of making this ice cream from fresh sourpsop, this is one of those recipes people who don’t have access to the real deal, will be thankful for. Yes, I can get soursop here in Canada from time to time, but it’s usually $8-$10/lb and the quality is usually terrible (rock hard). With the insanely HOT summer we’ve been experiencing this year, I’m hoping to share a couple more ice cream recipes with you. Up next… Pina Colada!
As we close off another successful year of July’s Month Of Grilling, I’d like to take a traditional recipe for making Geera Pork and tailor it for the grill. Geera (cumin) Pork is one of those food/snacks you normally associate with enjoying big-people beverages and can be classed as a ‘cutters’. As you’d find Tapas in Spain, we have ‘cutters’ in the Southern Caribbean. To help the pork tenderize without having to cook for an hour plus and to add a bit of a fruity balance to the fiery scotch bonnet kick in the kebabs, we’ll employ the use of a ripe pineapple.
* If using chicken instead of the cubed pork, only marinate for a couple hours in the fridge before grilling. If doing this recipe gluten free, do go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
I used a cheap cut of pork with a bit of marbling/fat, but I did trim off any areas where there were too much fat. Cube the same size pieces (about 1 inch), wash with water and the juice of a lime or lemon (not mentioned in the ingredient list) and drain/pat dry.
Place the pieces of pork in a large bowl, then add all the ingredients, except the cubed pineapple.
Now add the cubed pineapple and mix well. I used my hands as I like to crush the edges of the pineapple to help release some of it’s juice. We need the enzyme from the pineapple/juice to work as a natural meat tenderizer. Seal with plastic wrap or place in a sturdy zipper bag and marinate in the fridge overnight.
When it’s time to grill, soak your bamboo skewers in cool water for a couple hours, then thread on the pieces of pork and pineapple as you would normally make a kebab. Since there are raw pieces of scotch bonnet pepper in the marinated pork, I’d recommend using gloves for the process and remember to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after.
I grilled this off on a very hot charcoal flame. Though they were placed directly over the heat, I had them elevated so we didn’t burn the Geera or natural sugars from the pineapple.
I grilled them elevated for about 15-20 minutes, then I went directly over the heat source the final 10 minutes. HOWEVER, do keep an eye on them as they may tend to char very easily. Remember to flip them around for even cooking. Slightly charred bits are ok!
You can personalize this dish by adjusting the amounts of salt, scotch bonnet and cumin you use and you can always cook longer if you wish. I must admit that though I’m not a huge fan of the traditional Geera Pork, this grilled version with the pieces of pineapple is absolutely delicious. NOTE! Traditionalists.. I’d recommend using roasted ground geera for the dark color and STRONG cumin flavor you’d be looking for.
Last weekend I was asked “what’s your specialty?” in reference to what I cook and without hesitation I said it’s not so much a dish or category of food, but technique. As we continue July’s Month Of Grilling, I’m sure you can tell that I quite enjoy working with the raw heat of the grill. The essence of the fire changes the overall dish in such a manner that’s almost impossible to duplicate on a stove or oven. While we’re not using pimento wood to give the burgers that unique “Jamaican Jerk” depth, I assure you that you’ll be amazed by what a simple jerk marinade can do to basic ground beef.
If you follow me on twitter, the ‘I just had the best burger” tweet was this!
NOTE: If doing these jerk burgers gluten free, do pay close attention to the list of ingredients… especially the Soy Sauce to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Grate the ginger and finely chop the thyme, scallions and scotch bonnet pepper. Be mindful that you can use less of that scotch bonnet pepper if you’re concerned about the raw heat. While jerk is supposed to be spicy, you can also remove the seeds and white membrane surrounding the seeds to help control that heat. BE sure to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers.
Add all the ingredients in a bowl (except the ground beef) and give it a good mix to combine. You may wonder if you can puree this in a blender or food processor, but I prefer to have it chopped instead, so you gets hits of flavor with each bite.
Reserve a 1/4 of the marinade and pour the rest over the ground beef and mix well. Allow this to marinate for about 15 minutes before making the individual beef patties (makes 4 burgers). Form the burgers and place in the fridge to firm up a bit so they don’t fall apart on the grill. I do NOT use eggs or bread crumbs in my burgers.
As they firm up in the fridge, peel and slice your pineapple and marinate with the marinade we reserved.
All you have to do now is brush your HOT grill with veg oil (so the burgers don’t stick) and grill as you’d normally grill your burgers. I placed them over direct heat and had the pineapple slices gently warm through away from the direct heat. BTW, in the image below you’ll notice that I poured the marinade from the pineapple slices over the burgers so it wouldn’t waste.
I grilled the burgers for about 10-15 minutes, flipping them occasionally. After I moved the burgers, I placed the pineapple slices over the direct heat for about -3-5 minutes to help get the sugars out.
That natural smoke from the charcoal fire added some of the elements the pimento wood would bring to the jerk game, but you can certainly grill these on a propane grill with much success. The same cane be said for cooking these off indoors in a frying pan or indoor grill plate. The bold flavors from the spices and herbs will be enough to elevate these burgers no matter where or how they are cooked.
Back to what’s my specialty.. I don’t specialize in BBQ or grilling, but it brings me the most joy. BUT.. I hate that smoke (and sort of greasy feeling) on my face though!
As a kid growing up on the islands, one of our favorite frozen treats were ice blocks. Any fruit juice mom would make, we’d fill ice trays with and when frozen, they would be perfect for the tropical heat of the Caribbean (known locally as ice-blocks). Besides the various fruit juices she’d make from local fruits, our fave was always cool aid… especially “red” and grape! This is one of those recipes that’s not really a recipe, but rather a fun way to get the kids involved in the kitchen.
You’ll Need..
Popsicle mold
3 cups fruit juice (I used white Cranberry)
fruits
NOTE: Since I didn’t have access to fresh tropical fruits, I used what were in season here in Canada, so feel free to use what fruits you have access to and those you enjoy eating.
Peel and slice your fruits (especially if you’re using mango, pineapple, peaches, kiwi etc) about 1/4 inch thick.
Then stack the sliced fruits into the Popsicle mold, leaving a bit of room for the fruit juice.
Top off with the liquid/juice of your choice and freeze for about 5 hours or until completely frozen.
Run warm water over the mold to help them come out easier. ENJOY!
As mentioned this a fun recipe to do with kids, but more importantly you have the opportunity to include fresh fruit in their diet and control the ingredients in this wonderful frozen treat. Real fruit, little sugar and no preservatives (sugar and preservatives depends on the fruit juice you use).
I may have mentioned this in the past, but growing up on the islands I never liked fish and I think the same can be said about my brother and sisters (mom had a tough time with us). While I outgrew this, I still think my sisters are not fans of fish to this day. My brother on the other hand, elevated his taste buds.. so it’s not strange to see him at seafood restaurants in New York sitting behind a massive lobster feasting away. While my fav fish dish is my mom’s curry Kingfish, during the summer months this grilled fish is something I do quite often. So as we continue July’s Month Of Grilling, I thought I’d share this herb grilled fish recipe with you.
You’ll Need…
Large Fish (I used a snapper)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
6 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic (crush or chopped fine)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
2 scallions (chopped)
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1 lemon (slices)
2 sprigs parsley
1/2 medium tomato
1 teaspoon soy sauce (optional)
Important: If doing this recipe gluten free, do pay attention to all the ingredients listed (especially the soy sauce) to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. This marinade will be enough for 3 medium fish or 2 large ones.
Chop, squeeze, slice and grate the ingredients, then place them all in a bowl and give it a good mix. Remember when using scotch bonnet peppers (any hot pepper) to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after (suggest wearing gloves) and don’t include the seeds or white membrane surrounding the seeds if you want to avoid the ‘raw’ heat.
Clean and wash the fish (I like washing with water and either lemon or lime juice) you’re using and pat dry with paper towels. Then make 2 cuts down the thickest part of the belly to help the marinade do it’s thing and to ensure the fish cooks somewhat evenly. Place the fish in a bowl and pour on half the marinade. Work the marinade in the cuts and cavity of the fish. Since there’s lime juice in the marinade, we’ll only allow this to marinate for about 5 minutes or it will start cooking the fish.
As the fish marinates you can go get your fire started. I used a charcoal fire, but this works good on a propane grill as well. You have a couple options for grilling the fish, you can wrap in tin foil or use a fish grilling wire basket -thing (cheap at Walmart). Place 2 slices of the lemon on the inside of the wire basket, then a sprig of parsley and another lemon slice. Now place the marinated fish (try to keep as much marinade on it) and repeat with the slices of lemon and parsley before closing the wire contraption.
Unlike how we did the Drunk Chicken(indirect heat), this time we want the fish directly over the heat source. The slices of lemon will not only add flavor to the fish as it grills, it will help protect it from the direct heat.
The size/thickness and how well-done you like your fish, will determine how log to cook your fish. For me I had it over the direct heat for about 25 minutes in total. Flipping over every 4 minutes or so. The wire basket makes this really simple (once you lock the hinge) and if you want you can use the remaining marinade to baste the fish as it grills. I like adding the marinade near the end, just before I remove the fish off the grill and get ready to serve. That final blast of heat awakens all the flavors of the marinade for a wonderful finish. Make extra marinade and serve as a dipping sauce!
My appreciation for fish only happened after moving away from the islands, where I would have access to fresh out of the ocean goodness. Today I try to shop at fish markets where I know there’s a lot of foot traffic and turnover, so I tell myself I’m getting fresh stuff (as can be expected). You can make this marinade and store it in the fridge for a solid week. You can use any of your favorite fish for this recipe (may be a bit too bold for salmon..but I’m not a fan of salmon). In my case I try to only eat salt water fish as I get a sort of ‘muddy’ taste when I eat lake or river fish. The salt in the marinade was enough for me (with the soy sauce), but you can sprinkle on some sea salt after grilling.. to your liking.
Yes, it’s time again for the annual July Month Of Grilling and we’re kicking things off with one of the best chicken recipes I’ve ever shared. Growing up on the islands, grilling/BBQ was never really something we’d have at home. BBQ at home wasn’t common (I don’t ever recall seeing a propane grill), so the odd time we’d have anything close to bbq, it would be takeout or the times we’d have village bazaars, where it would also be on sale. However when we were treated to bbq takeout.. what a feast! And the sauces.. lick your lip friendly.
You’ll Need…
Chicken
2 scallions
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chopped parsley
10 sprigs thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 lime
1 orange (I used 2 clementines)
1 beer
1/4 cup rum (dark is best)
1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
Note: This marinade will be enough for 3-4 small chickens.
Give the scallion, parsley and scotch bonnet a rough chop. Remember to wear gloves when handling such hot peppers and wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. To avoid the raw heat, you can leave out the seeds.. but I quite like the punch from including them. Grate the ginger and juice the orange and lime. I didn’t have an orange in the fridge so I went with 2 clementines.
Place all the other ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Trim the excess fat and skin (as well as the wing tips) off the chicken. Wash with the juice of a lemon (lime or vinegar works well) and cool water.. drain and pat dry with paper towels. No the lemon juice I used to wash the chicken was not mentioned in the ingredient list.
You have 2 options here. I used a deep dish to marinate the chicken (cover with plastic wrap), you can do the same or use a strong zipper bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken/s and massage. Allow to marinate in the fridge overnight or at least a couple hours if you’re in a rush.
Feel free to make deep cuts in the thickest parts of the chicken to allow the marinade to really get in there and do wonderful things. Now it’s just a matter of grilling to your liking. I used a coals fire, but propane will work as well. The keys to perfect chicken are..
low and slow
indirect heat (place the chicken away from the direct heat source)
baste with the marinade as it cooks slowly
Depending on how consistent your heat was and the size of your chicken it will take about 2 hrs to cook all the way though. Remember to flip every 25 minutes and I cannot stress how important it is to baste with the marinade. So DON’T toss it out.
Be sure to watch the video below for some more tips. I didn’t add any salt to my marinade as I find the soy sauce does the trick, but you may need a bit of salt.. depending on your tolerance for salt. I assure you this is an amazing recipe to kick off our annual month of grilling. Do leave me your thoughts in the comment section below.
If you’re unfamiliar with “Caribbean” history you’d asking why is this fella from the islands trying to impress us with a Tabouleah recipe? Immigrants from the Middle East started to arrive in places like Trinidad and Tobago as early as 1904. So you’ll find that like the strong Colonial African, Indian and Chinese influence on our foods, that same sort of influence from Syria and Lebanon is present on our dinner tables.
Note: I’m not a huge fan of mint, so you’ll find that I didn’t add much and traditional Tabouleah is definitely more ‘green’ with a ton of parsley.. keep in mind that this is my version
You’ll Need..
1 cup bulgar what (prepared)
3 scallions
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup mint
1 large cucumber (English – seedless)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 lime
1 orange
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup pomegranate seeds
2 medium tomatoes
To learn how to prepare the Bulgar Wheat, watch this video. Please note that the 1 cup of Bulgar I mentioned is ‘before’ it was prepared and it will yield much more. So you can cut that back to your liking.
Feel free to add more mint and parsley as I mentioned above. The orange and lime juices along with the pomegranate seeds are my personal take on this recipe. Dice the tomato and cucumber into same size pieces. I like using a seedless variety like the English cucumber as the skin is less tough and I don’t have to worry about seeding it. Chop the parsley, scallions (use red onion instead of you wish) and mint.
Place the prepared Bulgar in a large bowl, then add the other ingredients and mix well. Try to fold so the diced tomato is not crushed.
Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Chill for a couple hrs before serving and note that this can last in the fridge (covered) for a good 5 days. I encourage you to head over to the YouTube channel and click on the ‘comments’ for this video as there are many excellent tips and ideas being shared .
So while not something you immediately associate with the Caribbean and for many it would not seem like a ‘traditional’ recipe.. I assure you, that this herbal vegetarian salad is absolutely delicious and SHOULD be an invited guest at your next summer BBQ lime.
I must have been about 10 years old when my aunt and uncle had gone on vacation in Canada and I spent the nights (weekends) with my older cousin. With an entire house to ourselves, you can only imagine the commess (creative trouble) we got into. It was about 11 pm one night when we decided we’d make fried chicken. Beyond the total destruction of the kitchen (oil and flour everywhere), we ended up with bland over-cooked chicken. As with any true Caribbean child, we employed the use of peppersauce, ketchup and mustard to salvage things.
By the end of that August Holidays (aka Summer break) we had not only perfected our fried chicken recipe, we started inviting friends to sample. The following recipe is totally different than our childhood one, but that was the start of my affection for fried chicken.
2 eggs + 1/2 cup of the brine we made
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (hot)
Note: for that true heat and authentic Caribbean flavor I recommend you use a Caribbean peppersauce (hot sauce).. there are several recipes on this website if you can’t source one in your grocery. While it’s a spicy fried chicken, you can obviously cut back on the heat level or kick it up further, to your own liking.
Trim off the excess fat and skin off the chicken (please don’t remove all the skin.. you don’t have to eat it later) and wash with the juice of a lime or lemon (not mentioned in the list of ingredients) and cool water. Drain and season with everything mentioned in the ‘seasoning’ part of the ingredient list. I like mixing everything, then adding the butter milk last. Cover and allow to marinate in the fridge overnight for best results. If you’re pressed for time, 2 hours marinating will work on too. When I don’t have buttermilk, I usually use a beer.
After marinating, drain, but save back about 1/2 cup of the brine/marinade. Add that marinade to the eggs, curry powder and hot smoked paprika (add more peppersauce here if you want) and whisk. Then mix the flour and corn starch in a separate bowl.
While your veg oil heats on a medium flame in a deep pot, coat the chicken pieces with the egg mixture, then roll into the flour.. tap off the extra flour. I usually do all the pieces and set aside so when I start frying they’re all ready to go.
Slowly add 3-4 pieces of the chicken to the pot, so you’re not splashing hot oil on yourself. By not crowding the pan, you’ll end up with an overall better ‘fry’. Depending on how big/thick your chicken pieces are they should be fully cooked and golden between 25-30 minutes. Please DON’T fry on a high heat or it will go brown very fast and be under-cooked in the middle.
Remove from the hot oil and drain on paper towels as you fry off the other pieces. You can sprinkle them with some sea salt if you like. I’m cutting back on my sodium intake, so the salt from the marinade was enough for me. Yes, this will be very spicy, but I assure you if you’re a fan of heat.. this will be one of the best fried chicken you’ve ever enjoyed.
Yes, get your “Caribbean” on and serve it up with ketchup, mustard and peppersauce!
“Dad, can you make me chow?” No Mango! “How about shrimp?” That was the brief discussion between Tehya and I a few weeks back when she got her routine craving for mango chow. A spicy pickle usually made with green (tart) mangoes, or any of the variety of fruits we have in the Caribbean. Had to admit, it was a brilliant idea. We both enjoy shrimp cocktail and with the sort of spicy base.. could this be the “Caribbean” version of shrimp cocktail?
This WILL be your go-to dish for summer parties, BBQs and cookouts! It’s so easy to put together, quite impressive visually when served and bold with flavors of the islands.
* I used previously cleaned and cooked shrimp you’d normally get in the frozen section of your fish market or grocery store. The idea is to make this a no-fuss recipe. If doing this recipe gluten free, kindly go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Thaw the shrimp, rinse with cold water and drain/dry with paper towels. (leave the tail on for better presentation)
Chop the cilantro (in the Caribbean we’d normally use shado beni, aka culantro) and scallions, crush the garlic and finely mince the scotch bonnet pepper. I didn’t add any of the seeds of the scotch bonnet. Be mindful that this will be VERY spicy, so kindly use as much of the pepper as you can handle. Be mindful of your guests as well. Wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers. Any spicy pepper will work.. especially Habaneros which will have a lovely fruity undertone.
I did say this was easy right? Add everything to a mixing bowl and toss well. You’re done! Allow this marinate and chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes before serving.
You can obviously use this as a salad, but I would recommend treating this like you would shrimp cocktail.. give your guests a toothpick and have them dig in. To help stretch this a bit, you can add cherry tomatoes, cubed cucumber, diced mango or strawberries. In a previous recipe I made this into more of a salad, where I even went in with diced ripe avocado.
Serve this up at your gig or take it to the next party you’re invited to and watch the praise roll in.
