chris de la rosa Archives - Page 33 of 50

We were into hour 5 of the long drive to Connecticut from Toronto to watch the Trinidad and Tobago Soca Warriors take on the US men’s national team in a world Cup qualifying game. My friend who was the designated driver for the trip, asked if I had ever done a curry chicken pelau. The next hour or so we found ourselves engrossed in the possibility of such a recipe and why we thought it was a delicious idea. Though neither of us had tried it before, in our minds it was doable.This curry chicken pelau is a tribute to that trip and the way we dissected the (possible) recipe.

You’ll Need…

2 boneless/skinless chicken breast (1.5-2 lbs)
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green seasoning
2 scallions (chopped)
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1 med tomato (diced)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust)
1/4 teaspoon garam masala (optional)
1 teaspoon tomato ketchup
2 tablespoon curry powder (divided)
2 tablespoon veg oil
1 can coconut milk (abt 1.5 cups)
2 cups water
2 cups parboiled brown rice (washed)
1 can pigeon peas (drained/rinsed)
1 carrot
4 cloves garlic
1/2 small onion
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro

* adjust liquid as necessary – since different brands of rice tend to differ in cooking time.

Cube the chicken into 3/4 inch pieces and season with the Caribbean Green Seasoning, black pepper, salt, scallions, Garam Masala, 1/4 of the curry powder, ketchup, scotch bonnet pepper and tomato. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers. Stir well and allow to marinate for a couple hours in the fridge.

Heat the veg oil on a medium flame, then go in with the chopped garlic and onion, turn the heat down to LOW and gently cook for 3-4 minutes. Then add the remaining curry powder (heat still on low) and cook for another 4 mins. This will allow us to bring out the flavors of all the spices which make up the curry powder.

Turn the heat up to high now and add the seasoned chicken and stir well… try to pick up all the curry-goodness at the bottom of the pot. Turn the heat to med, cover and let it cook for about 4-5 minutes. It will spring it’s own juices.

Remove the lid and crank up the heat to burn off all that liquid and infuse the chicken pieces with the curry base. Now add the diced carrot and pigeon peas. Stir well.

In the same bowl you marinated the chicken swish around the water to pick up any remaining marinade.. pour into the pot now. Along with the coconut milk. Wash the rice (to remove grit and extra starch), drain and ad it to the pot. To wash the rice you have two options as we’ve discussed before. 1. Place in a bowl, add water and using your hands massage. the water will turn white… drain. repeat until the water runs relatively clear. Option 2. Place in a strainer and run water over the rice.. Massage with your fingers. When the water runs clear, the rice is washed.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, have the lid slightly ajar and cook until tender and all the liquid is gone. About 25 minutes. Here is where you personalize things a bit near the end. I like my pelau a bit grainy so that liquid was enough for the way I wanted it. Add more water if you want it more ‘soggy” (wet pelau) and be sure to taste for salt and adjust accordingly. As I turn the heat off I topped it with the chopped cilantro.

Tip: To avoid having dry pieces of chicken I would recommend using chicken thighs. This is NOT traditional pelau.. had to make that clear as I know this post/recipe will only encourage the ‘hate’ comments. This is a fusion of curry chicken and rice using a technique similar to make chicken pelau… except we didn’t ‘stew’ the chicken as would normally be done. Serve warm!

Quick Ham Pineapple Fried Rice.

May 27, 2025April 11, 2016Leave a Comment

If you follow me on Instagram you would have seen me (just after the holidays) post the pic of me surrounded by a ton of plastic containers. When you visit mom and dad it’s always a time to eat like a KING and have enough food to return home with. Basically I went prepared for the leftover train. This recipe is a byproduct of that visit and the volume of irie food which accompanied us home. By now you should have guessed that I luv fried rice (there are several recipes posted here) and this one certainly delivers.

* This recipe will be enough for two people.

You’ll Need…

1/2 cup cubed ham
1/2 cup pineapple
tablespoon veg oil
1 clove garlic (diced fine)
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 cup bell pepper (diced)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups cooked rice (chilled)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 scallion (chopped)

Important. 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. Especially the soya and oyster sauces.

Prep all the ingredients as this will be a very quick recipe. Heat the oil on a medium flame then go in with the garlic and cook for 20 seconds or so (don’t burn), now go in with the ham, bell pepper and grated ginger and cook another minute or so.

It’s now time to add the rice and other ingredients and stir well. I would recommend having the rice chilled as it will give you a lovely grainy texture when the dish is done. I used pre-cooked brown parboiled rice, but you can use white rice (any rice you have/like).

So simple and quick, you’ll be eating in less than 10 minutes.

You can certainly personalize this by adding any of your fav vegetables and do remember to taste at the end for salt and adjust accordingly. My rice was cooked with salt and the soy sauce I used was enough to properly season this for me. If you’d like to give it a little ‘kick’ you can go in with some diced hot pepper (your choice). I’m NOT a fan of eggs in my fried rice, but you o your thing.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Coconut Curry Venison (deer).

May 28, 2025April 6, 2016Leave a Comment

Any sort of game, including deer (venison) is what we call “wild meat” in the Caribbean and for the most part it’s a sort of cherished delicacy, especially around Christmas and Carnival time. I have very fond childhood memories of going hunting with my brother and dad and into my early teens we would venture out with my friends. Though I went to school in San Fernando (city), most of my spare time was spent in the country side of Guaracara, so you’d find that I’m an outdoors person at heart.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs Venison
1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Curry Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 slices ginger
1 tomato
1/2 small onion
5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
2 scallion (chopped)
3 sprigs thyme
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 allspice berries
Cilantro or Shado Beni garnish

IMPORTANT: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients (especially the curry powder which could have flour as a filler) to ensure everything meets with your gluten free dietary needs.

Have your butcher cut the venison into 1 inch pieces and if there’s bones, please include it as it adds wonderful flavors to the finished curry. Wash with lemon or lime juice (not mentioned in the ingredient list) and water and drain. Then season with the tomato, salt, black pepper, 1 tablespoon of curry powder, Caribbean Green Seasoning, scallion and scotch bonnet pepper. You can leave out the seeds of the pepper to help control the heat level and remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling. Please allow this to marinate for a couple hours or overnight in the fridge.

Heat the vegetable oil on a medium heat in a heavy pot, then add the diced onion and garlic and cook on LOW for about 3-4 minutes. Then add the curry powder and continue cooking on LOW for another 3-5 minutes. This will toast the spices which makes up the curry blend and also cook off any raw flavors of the curry you could potentially get when the dish is finished cooking.

Now turn up the heat to high and start adding the seasoned/marinated pieces of venison. Yes, it’s ok if the marinade going into the pot. Stir well, bring to a boil.. it will spring it’s own juices and add the ginger and thyme. Reduce to a simmer, cover the pot and let it go for about 10 minutes.

Remove the lid and crank up the heat to high to burn off all that liquid. This step will help to infuse the meat with that rich curry goodness. In the same bowl you marinated the pieces of deer, swish around the 1/2 cup of water to pick up any remaining marinade.

After all the liquid is burnt off it’s time to pour in that water, the coconut milk and all spice berries and bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer, cover the pot and allow it to cook until tender. It can take between 2.5 and 3 hrs to get fall-off-the-bone tender. After 2.5 hrs it’s time personalize things a bit… cook longer if you want it more tender, adjust the salt and crank up the heat to get the gravy to the consistency you like. If you find that while cooking you’re out of liquid, you can always add a bit more water.

Turn off the stove and top with the chopped shado beni (culantro) or cilantro. You now have a brilliant rich curry using “wild meat”! The funny thing about hunting as a kid on the islands is that for the most part we were hardly ever successful, but that adventure was so much fun.

Gluten Free Seafood

Oven Roasted Sardines.

March 22, 2016March 22, 2016Leave a Comment

It’s kinda funny that in the Caribbean we quickly reach of a can of sardines more often than taking advantage of the abundance of fresh sardines from the Caribbean sea. It’s probably a convenience thing, plus if you ever had to clean sardines you’d know that it’s a bit time consuming (and smelly). Admittedly I’m a HUGE fan of tin sardines.. done with thinly sliced onion, tomato and scotch bonnet peppers.. with a bit of freshly ground black pepper, lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil.

You’ll Need…

1 lb sardines
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
1 scallion
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic
1 lemon
3-5 birds eye 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.

Finely chop the scallions, garlic and parsley. If you’re concerned about the raw heat from the bird’s eye pepper (say bird pepper in the Caribbean), you can leave them whole and the natural oils from the skin will be released as they roast in the oven.

Try to get the people at your fish market to clean and gut your sardines.. or be prepared for a bit of a mess as you scale and remove the innards. Rinse with lemon juice and cool water and drain dry. Then cut two shallow slits at the thickest parts of the belly (both sides). This will help the flavors to really penetrate.

Drizzle a bit of the olive oil on the bottom of your roasting pan, then place the sardines and go in with the other ingredients. Mix well. Top with the lemon juice and the rest of the olive oil. I like placing a few slices of lemon between the fish as well. Allow this to marinate for about 15 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375 and then place the baking pan on the middle rack. Roast for 10 minutes.

To really intensify the flavors, I then crank up the oven’s heat to ‘broil’.. which is about 500 F and give it another 4-5 minutes. Then get ready to enjoy an amazing gluten free, fish dish unlike the canned stuff we normally reach for.

You can certainly do these on your grill, or if you wanted you can even dust then in flour and fry in vegetable oil until crisp. Remember if you’re doing the fried version it will NOT be gluten free, unless you use a gluten free flour.

Seafood

Fried Snapper In A Zesty Orange Ginger Sauce.

April 21, 2016March 19, 20161 Comment

With all the requests I usually get this time of the year (Good Friday) for fish recipes, I thought I’d share one of my favorite recipes using fillets of Red Snapper. In my youth days on the islands it was ALWAYS fish on Good Friday (Catholic home) and though mom and dad never went to church they felt it necessary to stick with tradition. Usually it was fried, stewed or curry fish, served with ground provisions (Yam, Dasheen. Eddoes, Cassava and/or green bananas), a salad of some sort and I still recall dad drizzling olive oil (sweet-oil as he would call it) over the boiled ground provisions. Funny how me and my brother would copy him even though we disliked the taste of that oil!

You’ll Need…

2 Red Snapper fillets (about 1 lb)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch black pepper

2 scallions
3 sprigs thyme
zest 1 orange
1 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
thick slice of ginger (julienne)
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon veg oil
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds / optional)
1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey (optional)
4 slices of orange

* You can use your fav fish for this recipe.. I much prefer ocean fish though. You’ll need about 1.5-2 cups of veg oil for frying the fish.

The fist thing we’ll do is season the fish to allow it time to marinate while we make the orange ginger sauce. Please note that this sauce will be a bit ‘hot’ with the scotch bonnet pepper and the natural heat from the ginger, but you can certainly tame it down by leaving out the scotch bonnet pepper. Wash the fish pieces with some lime or lemon juice and rinse with water (not mentioned in the ingredient list). Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Then season (mix well) with the salt, black pepper and Caribbean Green Seasoning. Allow this to marinate for 10-15 minutes.

Let’s now make the amazing sauce for topping the fish with. In a saucepan heat the oil on a low flame then add all the ingredients except the orange zest, orange juice and slices of orange. Cook on VERY low heat for 3-5 minutes. If you’re adding the honey or sugar, add it near the end. Remember to NOT use any of the seeds of the scotch bonnet pepper (unless you want it REALLY hot) and to wash your hands immediately after handling the pepper with soap and water.

It’s now time to add the zest, slices and orange juice to the pot and crank up the heat so it comes to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer and let the sauce reduce by about 1/2.

Heat the oil for frying the fish on a medium flame. Dredge the seasoned/marinated fillets in the flour (you can season the flour with some paprika and/or curry powder if you wish) and fry for about 5-7 minutes in total (depending on how thick the fish pieces are) flip so both sides get that lovely golden color. Set on paper towels to soak up the extra oil.

It’s just a matter of placing the fish pieces on a serving plate and straining on the finished orange ginger sauce on top of it. If you prefer your fish a bit more crispy , fry a bit longer and serve the sauce on the side. I used some of the cooked orange slices as a garnish, but since the scallions went discolored I used fresh chopped-scallions to brighten it up.

As I mentioned in the video, as kids we HATED fish, but as an adult I eat fish or some sort of seafood at least once a week. I hope you give this recipe a try and do leave me some feedback in the comment section below. HAPPY EASTER!

Desserts Vegetarian

Panko Crusted Fried Plantains.

March 11, 2016March 11, 20164 Comments

With a variety of banana and plantain trees in our kitchen garden at the back of our home, we grew up with a natural affection for boiled and/or fried plantains. Sunday lunch was all about the sides of boiled plantains to give the entire meal a sort of rounded appeal, with the natural sweetness of the plantain. It’s funny how I still crave plantains from time to time (would explain why I’m always experimenting with different recipes), but I’ve not had a ripe banana in about 20 years. I ate so much as a kid, I can’t stand the stuff now. PLUS.. the bananas we get in North America are simply not appealing to me (no real flavor or sweetness).

You’ll Need…

2 ripe plantains
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1-2 cups veg oil
1/2 cup orange juice

Note: When buying or using ripe plantains you want them to go black and discolored (unlike bananas) – that’s when they are the sweetest.

Peel and slice the plantains into coins, place in a bowl and marinate with the orange juice for an hour or 2.

Then it’s just a matter of rolling each slice in the Panko bread crumbs and set aside to fry (you may have to press on the plantain pieces for the Panko crumbs to stick on). I like breading them all before frying as they can cook pretty fast and it’s more convenient.

Heat the vegetable oil on a medium flame then gently add the panko breaded plantain slices to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side (until golden brown) and set on paper towels to soak up any extra oil. Serve/enjoy warm!

Not your typical “Caribbean” way of preparing ripe plantains, but I assure you that you’ll love the slight crunchy exterior followed by the warm and sweet goodness inside. Do you have a unique way of preparing ripe plantains? Do share in the comment section below (keep the recipe private but share some details).

Meat & Poultry

Caribbean Black Eyed Peas Soup.

May 27, 2025March 2, 20163 Comments

Take us away from the Caribbean, but you CANNOT take the “Caribbean” from US! Soup and Saturday is like the blue shirt and khaki shorts uniform you’d see next generation island boys smartly dressed in as they make their way to school. You expect to see it, without question. In my time on the islands anyway! We love making a massive (no matter how hard you try, the pot never seems big enough) pot of soup, rich and thick with wonderful flavors and textures. Guaranteed to be found on a Saturday bubbling away in homes across the region. Here’s one such soup..

You’ll Need…

1-2 lbs salted pigtails
1 cup dried black eyed peas
7-9 cups water (for the soup)
1 can coconut milk (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 carrot
2 scallions
1 scotch bonnet pepper
2-3 cups diced pumpkin
12 okra
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 allspice berries
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon veg oil
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
4 sprigs thyme
1/2 lime for washing pig tail

Flour Dumplings
1 cup all purpose flour
pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water

* Please ask your butcher to cut the pigtails for you (make sure it’s salt cured pigtails and not fresh) as the bones can cause some damage to your regular kitchen knife.

Place the salted pig tails (cut into 1-2 inch pieces) in water and the lime juice, wash well and remove any tiny hairs (if there’s any). Then place in a deep pan with about 5 cups of water (not mentioned in the recipe ingredient list) and boil for about 30-40 minutes. This will remove most of the salt and help to tenderize the pieces of meat (which can be tough). Click Here to watch a video on how to prepare the salted pigtails.

Soak your dried black eye peas in water overnight or at least 2 hours to help speed up the cooking time. If you want you can use canned black eye peas and cut the cooking time by half. Then in your soup pot heat the veg oil on a medium flame and go in with the thyme, scallions, onion, garlic, allspice berries, black pepper and parsley. Lower the heat to low and cook gently for 3-5 minutes.

Drain and add the boiled pieces of pigtails to the pot and stir well. NOTE: the residual salt from the pigtails will be enough to season this dish (my liking but do taste near the end and adjust accordingly).

Now turn up the heat and add all the other ingredients (except the stuff for making the flour dumplings) and bring to a boil. DO NOT cut the scotch bonnet pepper as we’ll just float it in the soup to get flavor and not the raw heat. So please be gentle when stirring the pot. Unless you want that KICK.. break that Caribbean sunshine open!

Be sure to remove the tips and stems from the okra.

When it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let it go for about 1 hr and 40 mins. Then make the flour dumplings (watch the video below to see how I did it).. basically mix the ingredients together with a fork, then form into a dough ball with your hands – rest for 5 minutes (cover with plastic wrap), now form little cigar shape dumplings..called spinners. Add them to the pot and cook another 5-10 minutes. Do test the peas to make sure they are tender before adding the dumplings, so you can cook it a bit longer if necessary. Add more water if you find the soup is too thick… since it will thicken more as the soup cools.

You can also add sweet potatoes, green bananas, yams, dasheen, cassava etc to this for even more goodness.. I kept it simple by using what I had on hand. Remember to remove the scotch bonnet pepper and if you want you can squeeze in a tiny bit of lime juice at the end for a little brightness (optional).

Seafood

Shrimp Wontons Recipe.

May 28, 2025February 23, 20161 Comment

Shrimp Wontons or Wantons is one of those snacks I grew up eating at the many Chinese restaurants and food trucks in San Fernando Trinidad as a young fella. Fresh from the fryer and dipped in a basic sauce of soy sauce and pepeprsauce, it was the ideal thing to eat after dad, my younger brother and I would go watch Kung Fu movies on a Saturday afternoon. It was usually the appetizer for an amazing full-on Chinese meal, as you could ONLY get in Trinidad and Tobago. Ask any Trinbagonian and they will swear that ‘our’ Chinee (Chinese) food is unlike any you’d find elsewhere.

You’ll Need…

3/4 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 scallion
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
pinch black pepper
1/4 scotch bonnet (optional)
1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
1 teaspoon soy sauce
pinch of salt
wonton wrappers
3 cups veg oil for frying

Tip: If you wanted to replace the shrimp with chicken, you can certainly do so.

Finely chop the prepared shrimp, scallion, scotch bonnet (no seeds and wash your hands after with soap and water) and grate the ginger. Place everything (except the veg oil and wrappers) in a bowl and combine. Allow to marinate for 15 mins.

It’s now time to prepare the little packages, called wontons for frying. I like making them all, before I start frying as they cook very fast. Take a wonton wrapper and wet 2 sides – meet at a corner… with water (on your fingers). Then place about 1/2 teaspoon of the shrimp mix in the center. Now (press the air out as you seal it) close by folding the dry corners over the wet corners. You’ll be left with a filled triangle package. Wet one of the outer corners with water and pull the other corner to touch, overlap and stick! Sounds a bit confusing, but you can watch the video below to see how simple this is.

Heat the veg oil on a medium/high flame and gently place a few of the wantons (so the hot oil doesn’t splash back at you). I did about 20 of these wontons, but you can easily get between 40-50 from the shrimp base we made. If you have remaining shrimp, freeze for another time.

Fry for about 3 mins on each side.. be sure to flip so it’s evenly cooked. In about 5-7 mins they will be nice and golden and ready to remove. Place on some paper towels to drain off the excess oil and do try to serve warm. You can always make these a couple hours in advance (if hosting people) and reheat in the oven. But they’re so much better freshly made (they may tend to go soggy after a while).

My dipping sauce was VERY basic.. soy sauce and peppersauce (hot sauce). But you can be creative with sesame oil, Hoisin, fish sacue or any other condiment/sauces you like.

Gluten Free Vegetarian

Roasted Tomato Coconut Soup (vegetarian).

March 2, 2016February 16, 20162 Comments

Doh try that! I can hear my Caribbean people screaming “that is not we kinda soup”! As we’ve discussed in the past, soups on the islands are tick, heavy and generally full of body (like what most non-Caribbean consider to be hearty stews). But let me assure you that this soup is quite filling and very comforting. You’ll notice that the ingredients are what we use daily throughout the Caribbean and yuh know we love ah coconut milk! Tip: If you roast the vegetables on a grill or open fire, you’ll get a lovely overall flavor.

You’ll Need…

5 Large tomatoes
1 medium onion
2 bell peppers
Pinch sea salt + 2 tablespoon olive oil + 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 scallions
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika (hot – smoked pimenton)
2 cloves garlic
1 can coconut milk (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 cup water (see note below)
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Notes: add vegetable or chicken stock instead of the water – add more liquid if it’s too thick. Add a pinch of curry at the start if you want a bit more flavor. You can do this recipe fully gluten free, just pay attention to the coconut milk (if it’s from a can and have additives, as well as any stock you choose to use)

Remove the stems and woody area at the top of the tomatoes and cut into wedges. Give the onion and bell peppers a rough chop as well. Drizzle on the olive oil, salt and black pepper. Toss well and set (on a baking tray) in a pre heated 400 F oven for 35-40 mins.

As the roasted vegetables cools a bit, add the olive oil (or use coconut oil) to your soup pot on a medium heat. Now go in with the chopped scallions, parsley, garlic and thyme. Reduce the heat to low and gently cook for 3 mins. Add the black pepper and Pimenton and cook (on low) for another 2-3 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium and add everything (including any juices) from the baking tray. Stir well.

Add all the other ingredients and bring to a boil (turn up the heat), then reduce to a simmer and let it go for about 35 minutes. Stir often.

Use a stick blender to pulse the soup at this point.. you can go smooth or I like pulsing to leave it a bit chunky. You can also pour it into a stand blender.. but be mindful that you’re dealing with HOT stuff.

Bring back to a boil and get ready to serve. IMPORTANT! I used water as my liquid, so if using veg or chicken stock, don’t add any salt until the end as most stocks are usually loaded with sodium.

QUITE comforting when you want a soup full of flavors and not overly heavy. A couple slices of your favorite bread and you’re golden! Store in the fridge and reheat on a very low heat if you have leftovers.

Appetizers & Snacks Vegetarian

Fried Channa (spicy chickpeas snack).

May 29, 2025February 9, 20166 Comments

A while back I did a more traditional recipe of this “fried” channa (chickpeas), except it was not fried but done in the oven for a more healthy twist. And I know many of you who are familiar with this crunchy snack will certainly find it strange that I’m topping it with grated Parmesan, but I assure you that the addition of the cheese compliments the overall flavor of it. During my primary school days this was sold by street vendors outside the school compound in paper cone shaped parcels and one of the ‘choice’ snacks for me at recess and lunch.

You’ll Need…

1-2 cups dried channa (chickpeas)
1/4 teaspoon salt (add more if necessary)
3 tablespoon grated Parmesan
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro (shado beni is better)
1 scotch bonnet pepper
2 cloves garlic
2-3 cups veg oil for frying
* water to soak the peas

In a large bowl, place the dried channa and top it with water. Go about 2-3 inches above the channa.. as it soaks it will absorb the water and double in size. I like going through the channa before soaking them, to make sure there’s no debris in the package (you’ll be surprised at what you find sometimes).

Soak the chickpeas overnight, then drain well and get ready to fry. Do try to get them as dry as possible so you don’t get flare-ups when you add them to the heated oil.

Now heat your vegetable oil in a deep/wide pan on medium heat and fry the chickpea for 12-15 minutes. They will float and go golden brown. Quickly place them on paper towels to get rid of the excess oil, then immediately transfer to mixing bowl (we need them still hot/warm).

As they fry you can prep the other ingredients. Chop the scotch bonnet pepper very fine (don’t include any seeds, unless you want it very spicy).. do the same for the garlic and cilantro. If you have access to shado beni (Chadon beni / culantro), that’s a better option than the cilantro. Grate your cheese and get ready to mix it all together.

Basically all you have to do now is add all the other ingredients and toss well.

If you’re serving them warm, you can top it with a little more of that grated Parmesan. You can store this spicy fried channa snack in an airtight container for about a week or so. Please adjust the salt and level of heat to your own liking. The traditional way is to not use the Parmesan cheese, but I assure you, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by it’s inclusion.

Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Jerk Chicken Dip.

May 27, 2025February 2, 2016Leave a Comment

Though we don’t have a traditional ‘dip’ culture when it comes to food, that’s quickly changing as we start experimenting with local ingredients, flavors and influenced by cuisines from distant shores. With the Super Bowl just days away, this Jerk Chicken Dip is one of the most requested recipes since I announced I’ll be doing a Super Bowl Series (see Coconut Chicken Tenders and Chicken Chili – other recipes in the series).

You’ll Need…

4 chicken thighs (skin and bone)
1 cup jerk marinade
1/2 cup beer (optional)

1/4 red bell pepper
1/4 orange bell pepper
2 scallions
1 block plain cream cheese
3/4 cup diced pineapple
3/4 cup jerk bbq sauce
2 heaping tablespoon sour cream
3/4 cup grated cheddar

* Remember to reserve some of the ingredients for topping the dip before placing in the oven. I did not add any salt to this dish as I find that both the jerk marinade and BBQ sauce will have enough. but you can certainly adjust to your own taste. The cheeses will also have a sodium element. If you want this extra spicy you can add a bit of your fav peppersauce (hot sauce) or finely diced Caribbean Sunshine – Scotch Bonnet pepper.

I used chicken thighs with both the skin and bones on, but you can use a couple large chicken breasts. I like keeping the skin on as it protects the chicken from over-drying in the oven. In a bowl, place the chicken thighs, beer and jerk marinade (use store bought – your fav) and allow to marinate for a couple hours (in the fridge). Then place on a baking tray line with parchment or tin foil in a preheated 400F oven for 25-30 mins depending on the thickness of your chicken thighs.

As the oven jerk chicken cools so we can safely remove (and discard the bones, skin and any visible fat) so we can shred it, we can go ahead and chop the peppers, scallions and pineapple. I used canned pineapple which I drained.

In a large bowl place the room temperature (soft) cream cheese and sour cream and whisk. Then go in with the other ingredients (except the cheddar) and fold. Be sure to leave back about 1 to 2 table spoon of the jerk BBQ sauce, peppers, scallion and shredded chicken to place on top. I had homemade jerk BBQ sauce but it’s cool to use the stuff from the store to save time. Preheat your oven to 300F.

Place into an oven-proof dish and top with the reserved ingredients and grated cheddar (or your fav cheese) . In my case I used a pie dish as I was too lazy to go downstairs to get my ‘dip’ dish.

Your oven should be at temperature now, place on the middle rack for about 25 mins and get ready to enjoy one of the BEST dips you’ll ever make/serve/enjoy!

I know you’re probably wondering if you can make this in advance. Yes, prepare it all and leave in the fridge for a couple days and bake-off when you’re ready.. you may need to give it an extra 5 mins in the oven if making it from the fridge. This is best served warm, but still maintains it’s taste and textures if cool.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Coconut Chicken Tenders Recipe [gluten free].

May 27, 2025January 28, 20161 Comment

One of the most popular recipes I’ve shared to date is a version of the chicken strips mom would make for us as kids, but I was asked recently via FaceBook if there was a gluten free version I had, that I’d be willing to share. With the Super Bowl just days away, I though it would be a great time to share this recipe as it’s a great party food idea. This coconut chicken tenders recipe is not only gluten free, super simple to make and quite tasty, it works well for people who are not fans of shrimp (similar to coconut shrimp).

You’ll Need…

1 lb chicken tenders
1 teaspoon Caribbean Green seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups veg oil (for frying)
1.5 cups shredded coconut (sweetened)
3/4 cup coconut flour (any gluten free flour)
1/2 teaspoon pimento (spicy smoked paprika)
3/4 cup milk
lemon zest (about 1/2 teaspoon)

For the dip:

1 cup ranch dressing
1 teaspoon sriracha

Important: Please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Marinate the chicken tenders with the salt and Caribbean Green seasoning for an hour. You can also use boneless thigh or chicken breast, strips.

It’s now time to set a station to batter them for frying. In a small bowl, whisk the milk, lemon zest and paprika. Then place the shredded coconut (sweetened) on a plate and do the same for the coconut flour or any gluten free flour.

Dust the chicken tenders in the coconut flour, then dip into the seasoned milk and roll in the coconut. Set aside and repeat until all the tenders are coated.

If you’re lactose intolerant, you can use a couple eggs instead of the milk.

Heat the vegetable oil on a medium flame and fry (be gentle so the coconut does not fall off) for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Basically until the chicken is fully cooked and you get that lovely golden color. Set on paper towels to soak up the extra oil. Try not to over-crowd your pan when frying.

The dipping sauce is SUPER simple. Whisk together the ranch dressing and sriracha, until combined. Add more or less hot stuff to your liking.

Try to serve warm to really get the true flavors of these lovely coconut chicken tenders. If you make them in advance you can warm them up in a moderate oven for a few minutes. My daughters had these for lunch, so I left them fairly big. But if you’re serving these at your next party, you can cut the chicken tenders into smaller pieces before marinating etc.