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.
While this recipe is traditionally done with crisp fried whole fish (usually Red Snapper) in Jamaica, I quite like to done with Kingfish… one of, if not my favorite fish. Basically a quick, spicy vegetable pickle poured over the fried fish, so the recipe itself is very forgiving as you can easily over-cook the fish and still have great results.
You’ll Need…
5-7 slices of kingfish 1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 3/4 tablespoon sea salt (divided) 3/4 teaspoon black pepper (divided) 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups veg oil 2 large onions (sliced thick) 1/2 carrot (julienne) 6-8 pimento berries (allspice) 2 cloves garlic (smashed) 1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced thin) bell peppers (assorted colors – sliced thin) 1 1/2 cup white vinegar 2 tablespoon white sugar
NOTE! In the video below I explain why I like dusting the seasoned fish in flour and why I seasoned the pieces of Kingfish as I did.
The Kingfish steaks were about 1 inch think, washed (cool water and the juice of a lime – lemon or white vinegar works too), drained and seasoned with the Caribbean Green Seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well and allow to marinate as we prepare the vegetables for the Escovitch sauce.
Basically all you have to do is cut the bell peppers the same thickness and the carrot a bit thinner. The Scotch Bonnet pepper will make this SPICY, so please be aware of this. But we’ll balance things with the sugar. Wear gloves when handling such hot peppers, wash your hands with soap and water after and remove the seeds and white membrane if you want to control the heat a bit.
In a sauce pan on a medium heat add the vinegar and pimento berries, bring to a boil, then add the carrot pieces (since this is the toughest thing that goes in the pickle). Simmer for 3 minutes, then add the bell peppers, onion (sliced thick rounds), garlic, remaining salt and black pepper, followed by the sugar to bring the balance I spoke about above.
As it comes to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer as we get to frying the fish. Dust the seasoned fish pieces in the flour and set aside as your vegetable oil comes to temperature in a wide pan.
Fry the fish a few pieces at a time as to not crowd the pan. I did mine about 4-5 minutes on each side, then onto paper towels to help soak up some of the oil as I did the next batch. You’re looking for a dark golden color. The flour dusting will help you get this color, plus that same crust will act as a magnet for the Escovitch sauce when we pour it on.
After 8 minutes, turn off the heat under the sauce and let it sit until we’re done frying the fish.
Arrange the fried fish on the platter you’ll be serving it on, then pour the Escovitch sauce over it. Or serve on the side. You’ll get notes of spice (pimento), sweet and SPICY with a slight crunch from the vegetables. Add more sliced Scotch Bonnet (any fav pepper) if you want more of a KICK!
Save any remaining Escovitch Sauce in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Got lame fried chicken? Pour this sauce over it and BAM! You’ve got something truly unique. That recipe (not the lame fried chicken), but Escovitch Fried Chicken will soon come.
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.
I can’t recall which of the French Caribbean islands my friend was from (I’ve been disconnected from him for a few years now, so I can’t ask) but this is a dish he taught me how to make. Okra (say ochro in the Caribbean) in a rich tomato sauce served over steamed rice, with stewed fish.. a dish we made (and enjoyed) during our college days in Hamilton.
You’ll Need…
1 lb okra (cut into 1 cm wheels) 1 can tomato (I used stewed tomatoes) 4 tablespoon veg oil (divided) 1 medium onion (diced) 3-5 cloves garlic (smashed) 4 sprigs thyme 1 tablespoon tomato paste 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 1 bay leaf 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon pepper flakes 1 tablespoon golden brown sugar 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
Important! Please go though the full list of ingredients if making this gluten free to make sure it meets with your gluten free dietary needs. Especially the stock you use. Speaking about sock, I used Chicken stock, but to keep this vegan / vegetarian, please use vegetable stock.
Wash and air dry the okra, then trim (the ends off) the okra and cut into 1 cm thick wheels.
Heat 3 tablespoon of vegetable oil on a medium heat in a wide pan. Toss in the okra and stir well. The goal is to get the edges brown.
5-7 minutes later, turn the heat down to low and remove the okra. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pan, toss in the onion, garlic and thyme. Cook for 3-4 minutes. During this time you may add the black pepper and pepper flakes (leave out if you don’t want the dish spicy).
Create a space in the middle of the pan and add the tomato paste and stir well – cook for a minute or two. This will caramelize the natural sugars in the tomato paste and give the dish a lovely sweet undertone.
Add the can of stewed tomato (540ml) and smash the tomato with your spoon to break it down a bit. Add the bay leaf, red wine vinegar and salt. To help balance the flavors, add the brown sugar.
Turn the heat to medium, add the stock, bring it to a boil and reduce to a smimmer for 8-10 minutes.
Now add the pre-cook okra to the pot and bring back to a boil. That okra will absorb all the tomato goodness and plump up. Feel free to remove the thyme stems and discard.
5-6 minutes after adding the okra and it should be done. (cook longer if it’s too runny), taste for salt and adjust accordingly (* chicken stock had a sodium element to it so it was to my liking) and keep in mind that it will thicken further as it cools.
Enjoy on steamed rice! BTW, you can add chunks of your fav fish to this dish if you wanted. Just adjust the seasoning accordingly.
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.
Brown Stew! Nah.. that’s another recipe altogether, but for some it may be how they would recognize or identify this dish. Stew Chicken (don’t say stewed) is as classic a recipe gets, when it comes to Caribbean culinary culture. Loaded with deep flavors of herbs, ginger and caramelized sugar, braised until the chicken is falling apart and a dish you’d readily prepare when hosting guests.
For those weekdays when mom didn’t have enough chicken to make a complete dish, she would toss in potatoes to stretch it for our family of six.
You’ll Need…
4 lbs boneless chicken thighs (bone in works excellent also) 1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce 1 teaspoon grated ginger 1 scotch bonnet pepper (* optional | sliced thin) 1 med tomato (diced) 1 medium onion (diced) 5 medium potatoes (1/4) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar 3-4 cups water 2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
Important! If making this dish gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the Worcestershire Sauce, which can be left out if it’s an issue.
Season the chicken (2-3 inch size pieces) with the salt, Worcestershire Sauce, tomato, onion, ginger, Caribbean green seasoning, black pepper and scotch bonnet pepper. Add as much scotch bonnet as you can handle or use a spicy pepper you like or can source. Yes, Habanero works great too. As always, wash your hands with soap and water after handling spicy peppers.
Allow the chicken to marinate for 1-2 hours or overnight if you have the time.
Heat the oil in a heavy pot or a medium high flame, then add the brown sugar. This is the most critical part of the recipe, so may I recommend that you watch the video below to follow along. The sugar will melt, go frothy, then amber and onto a deep amber. At this point you will add the seasoned chicken to the pot (being careful) and stir well. The goal is to coat the chicken with the caramelized sugar. No the dish will NOT be sweet.
Should the sugar go beyond dark amber = BLACK! STOP.. cool the pot down completely, wash, dry and repeat, black or burnt sugar will give the dish a bitter taste. While the sugar was melting and going to the desired color, I constantly stirred the pot (DRY Spoon).
With the heat still on high, bring to a boil (lid on). Yes, it will produce it’s on natural juices.
After 3-5 minutes you can now remove the lid and try to burn off that liquid. That will intensify the color and flavor. It will take about 3-5 minutes.
In the same bowl you marinated the chicken, swish around 3 cups of water to pick up any remaining marinade.
With the chicken now browned and there’s no liquid, add the potato to the pot and stir well.
Then add the water (from the bowl) to the pot and bring up to a boil. If you find that the potatoes are not covered, add the 4th cup of water.
On a high heat it will come to a boil in about 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to a rolling boil, place the lid on slightly ajar and let it go until the chicken is fully cooked and the potato falling apart.
I purposely put the potato in large pieces as I wanted to maintain it’s shape, even when cooked. BUT.. near the end I was a bit vigorous when I stirred the pot to gently bruise them so it would release it’s starch and thicken the gravy.
Time for you to determine if the gravy is thick enough for your liking and do taste and adjust the salt level. Be mindful that as the dish cools, it will naturally thicken too.
Toss in the parsley and get ready to enjoy an incredible meal. Well, you’ll need some steamed rice, roti or even as a topping for pasta tossed in butter. Yea, mac and cheese would be elevated with this as a side.
Back to mom and not having enough chicken. It wasn’t that we didn’t have enough, but a matter of her planning her weekly menu. On the weekend we’d butcher two large chickens. The first would be for the large Sunday lunch (biggest meal of the week in Trinidad and Tobago) and the other bird would be divided in half. Those two halves of chicken would make it’s way into two different meals.
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.
This is as classic a Caribbean soup can get, as it’s loosely based on a thick dhal (yellow split peas) and dumpling soup my grandmother would make on a Saturday (have you heard of Soup Saturday?). Truly simplicity at it’s best! My grandmother would usually flavor hers with bits of Salted Cod, but we’ll be using salted Pig tail in this version.
You’ll Need…
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil (any oil you like using) 1 large onion (diced) 5 cloves of garlic (smashed) 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper 3-4 lbs salted pig tail (prepped) 1 1/2 cups yellow split peas (washed) 2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3 cups coconut milk 5-8 cups water 5 medium potatoes (1/4) 1 large carrot (cut into 1/4 inch coins) 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon brown sugar pinch of salt (for dumplings) 3/4-1 cup water for the dumplings 2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
You can replace the salted pig’s tail with salted Cod fish. Smoked bones or turkey will work just as great. Or feel free to rock it without any of those and keep it vegetarian.
Start by prepping the salted pig’s tail. Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (you can ask your butcher to do this). Give it a good rinse with cool water, then into a deep pot with water (cover). Bring to a boil and simmer for 40-50 minutes. This will make it tender and remove most of the salt it was cured in. Drain and set aside for now. or Feel free to boil for 30 minutes, drain, add new water, bring back to a boil and cook another 30 minutes if you want.
Put your huge soup pot on medium flame, add the oil followed by the onion, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper (use and pepper you may have on hand and in the amount you can handle). Turn the heat down to low and let it gently cook for 3 minutes.
Add the pre-cooked salted pigtails, black pepper and Caribbean Green Seasoning, followed by the washed split peas. Stir well.
Now add the coconut milk and 4 cups of water. Turn the heat up and bring to a boil. Then reduce it to a gentle boil and cook until the peas are fully cooked and falling apart. About 1 hr and 15 minutes.
Turn the heat to medium, then add the potato and carrots. Bring back to a boil (add more water if it’s too thick). I added 2 more cups of water at this point as when you add the flour dumplings it will further thicken.
As it comes back up to a boil, lets make the dumplings. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar and salt, then add half of the water and make a soft dough. Add more water if needed and if it’s too wet, add a bit more flour. Knead for 3-5 mins, then set aside to rest for 5 minutes. I did place a damp paper towel over it to prevent the dough from forming a skin.
On a flour dusted surface, roll out the dough ball as if you were making a pizza or Sada Roti. I like my dumplings (following how grandma would do it) thin and flat. After the dough is about 1/8 of an inch, use a sharp knife or pizza cutter and cut into 1 inch squares.
Twenty minutes after adding the potato and carrot, add these completed dumplings to the pot, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick together. It will only take about 5 minutes to cook.
Some housekeeping. Pay attention to the thickness of the soup and add more water accordingly, as it will thicken considerably as it cools. Taste for salt and adjust to your liking… I didn’t add any salt to this pot as the remaining salt in the salted pig tail was enough. The scotch bonnet pepper we used can be spicy so be mindful of that and if you don’t have scotch bonnet or prefer something like a Habanero or Jalapeno.. rock that! Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling hot peppers.
Toss in the parsley and enjoy
An incredible soup with some basic ingredients. While this is very TASTY, for some reason it could never taste as good as my grandmother’s. Side Note… there were times she would add eddoes and yam to the soup.
Dry, Bland and “Like Rubber“! A few words the average Caribbean person will use to describe curry (curried) chicken breast (white meat). And while there’s some truth to this, I’m here today to change that forever.. with a few simple steps.
You’ll Need…
3-4 lbs chicken breast (no skin nor bones) 1 teaspoon salt (adjust) 2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 1/2 medium onion (diced) 6 cloves garlic (smashed) 2-3 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoon curry powder 1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin (geera) 1 teaspoon Anchar Masala 3 cups water 2 medium tomatoes (diced) 2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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. I find using a heavy pan (like cast iron) gives you better results. I also like cooking this dish outdoors (the strong scent indoors can last a long time).
Heat the oil on a medium flame. Then add the onion and garlic, turn the heat down to low and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the Caribbean green seasoning and stir well. Typically you’d season the chicken with the Caribbean Green seasoning, but we’re doing things differently. After 3 minutes after adding the Green Seasoning, add the curry powder and stir well.
The curry will go darker as we cook it (heat still on low). After 4 minutes add the diced tomato, this will help give you a thick gravy at the end, PLUS the acidity will help balance the overall flavor of the curry. Stir well, then add the water.
Turn the heat to medium to bring it to a boil. As you start seeing little bullbles, add the black pepper, salt, anchar masala and geera.
Turn the heat down to med/low and simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Toss in the peppers (whole). Feel free to make it spicy by using a more SPICY pepper.
The liquid will reduce by about a third, add the pieces of chicken breast (2 inch pieces) and stir well to coat with the curry sauce.
Cook for 7-10 minutes as we don’t want to make the chicken dry. Turn off the heat, toss in the cilantro to finish things off. Or if you have fresh Shado Beni(culantro), use that instead of the cilantro.
Remember to taste for salt and adjust to your liking. Note! If you break the peppers it will make the dish spicy.
