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Gluten Free Seafood

Coconut Curry Mussels Done The Caribbean Way.

Very much like the ‘Curry Lobster” recipe I shared a while back, Mussels is not something you’ll find normally being prepared in the Caribbean, unless it’s at one of the many high end restaurants we have catering to a mainly tourist clientele. This curry mussels recipe is basically my take on a shellfish which is readily available in Canada.. where we presently call home. I’m sure you’ve heard of PEI mussels!

 

You’ll Need

2 lbs mussels
1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoon curry powder (use gluten free)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 Shallot (minced)
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 large tomato diced
3 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 scallion
1 cup beer – optional
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil

Note: I like using a good Caribbean lager beer… like Carib! But you can use any beer you enjoy. I used my fav madras curry blend out of the Caribbean, but you can certainly use whichever curry you enjoy. If doing this recipe gluten free, do ensure that the curry powder has no flour filler to meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Mussel Tip! Their shells should be tightly closed when you buy them, or they should close when you tap them. They will open their shells to try and cool themselves off as they cook, so no open shells at the end of cooking means they were dead to start, and probably not safe to eat.

See the tip above for selecting your mussels. Wash under cool water, remove any debris or strings attached to the mussels and get ready to cook. Dice the tomato, scallion, garlic and shallot. Remember to wear gloves when handling the scotch bonnet peppers, wash your hands immediately after with soap and water and don’t include any of the seeds of the pepper.

In a wide saucepan heat the oil on a medium flame, then add the shallot and garlic. As we’ve done in other curry recipes, turn the heat down to low to help gently cook the garlic and shallot for that exciting base of flavor.

After about 3-4 minutes, go in with the curry powder (low heat still) and cook for another 3 minutes. This will toast the curry to really bring out the flavors of the spices which make up the curry blend. Then add the diced scallion, turn up the heat to high and go in with the mussels.

Top with the finely diced scotch bonnet pepper, coconut milk, salt, tomato, black pepper and beer (stir well). Bring to a quick boil and cook for about 4-5 minutes (until the mussels open).

I like to finish this off with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (not mentioned in the ingredient list as it’s a personal choice) and top with the chopped cilantro. The sauce will be thin compared to other curry dishes we’ve prepared before, so don’t think it’s soupy and a mistake. Get some good bread and tuck in for real flavor.

The sauce will be thin compared to other curry dishes we’ve prepared before, so don’t think it’s soupy and a mistake. Get some good bread and tuck in for real flavor.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. Oh yea! Leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Curry Turkey Necks Recipe.

One thing you’ll quickly notice about the cuisine of the Caribbean is that we ‘doh waste”. This usually means that things like necks, backs, feet.. even pigs ears, trotters and snouts are used to perfection in many of the dishes throughout the region. We never had turkey necks (or turkey as a matter of fact) when we were growing up, as it wasn’t a common poultry on the islands back in those days. How times have changed!

The bony texture of the turkey necks allows for a delicious curry and if you’re not squeamish, it will be one of the best curry dishes you ever enjoy. If you’re daring kick up the heat level as I find that a spicy curry takes on a whole new dimension.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs turkey necks

Marinade…

1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon curry powder (for marinating the turkey)
2 scallions (green onions)
1 tomato (diced)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (or to your liking)
1 teaspoon ketchup

Cooking…

2 tablespoon veg oil
1 onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (diced)
1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
3 cups water
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro – garnish at the end.

IMPORTANT! If doing this recipe gluten free, do ensure that the curry powder has no flour filler to meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Wash, drain and marinate the turkey necks with the ingredients mentioned in the marinade list above. Overnight in the fridge will be best, but if you’re in a rush try to get about 2 hours.

Heat the oil on a medium flame then add the garlic and onion… reduce the heat to low and let it cook for about 3 minutes. Just to soften up and helps with a lovely flavor base. Then toss in the curry powder (heat still on low) and cook for another 2-4 minutes. This will toast the spices in the curry powder and help them bloom… plus it will cook the curry so you don’t get a raw curry taste at the end.

The curry will go darker in color and take on a grainy texture… then start clumping together. Turn up the heat to high and start adding the seasoned turkey necks to the pot. It’s ok if the marinade gets it there and try to deglaze the pot so we get all that lovely curry goodness from the bottom of the pot. After the necks take on a bit of color (about 2-3 minutes) reduce the heat to low, place the lid on the pot and cook for about 10 minutes. It will spring it’s own natural juices.

Then remove the lid, turn up the heat and grate in the ginger. This step is to do two things, burn off all the liquid and in the process give the dish a rich color and infuse it with massive curry flavor (stir). Pour the 3 cups of water into the same container you had the necks marinating in and swish it around to pick up any remaining marinade.

With all the liquid in the pot burnt off, add in the water and bring to a boil.

You’ll need some patience now.. turn the heat down to low and let it simmer (braise) for about 2 hours. The idea is to have very tender turkey necks when it’s all done.

* If you’d like you can certainly use a pressure cooker to cut back the cooking time for this dish by at least 1.5 hrs or if you want low and slow, a slow cooker will work as well. The first few steps must be done first though (cook curry powder, add seasoned turkey and then burn off initial liquid.. this will give you that rich curry flavor we expect from a good curry).

After a couple hrs you can now test for salt and adjust accordingly, if the gravy is thin you can turn up the heat and thicken it a bit more (or burn off all if you want a more infused curry) and top with some chopped cilantro or culantro (shado  beni).

Treat this curry turkey necks as you would any curry meat dish.. goes well with rice, roti, ground provisions, flour dumplings and even bread! Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. Oh yea! Leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

 

Seafood

How To Cook Curry Lobster The Caribbean Way.

If I were to count using my fingers the amount of times this dish was cooked in our home growing up, I’d have room left to count 10 other dishes. Curry lobster (or lobster curry as our Guyanese cousins say) never made it to our dinner table as far as I could remember. However curry crabs (simmered in freshly made coconut milk)  served with flour dumplings was a regular thing. Let’s mimic that curry crab recipe, with the use of these succulent lobster pieces for what could only be described as the ultimate curry lobster.

Quick lobster note… lobsters found in the tropical waters of the Caribbean are different than the ones most North Americans are familiar with (like Maine lobsters). The Caribbean lobster tend to be a bit more boney (spiny), there’s a subtle difference in taste and they have no claws. I remember snorkeling in the pristine waters of Tobago (Buccoo Reef) a few years back and catching my first ever spiny lobster. With no means of sparking up a fire and cooking it.. let’s just say that was the last time a lobster got away from me!

 

You’ll Need…

2 lobsters (about 3lbs)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tomato
1 tablespoon Caribbean green seasoning
1/4 teaspoon roasted geera (cumin)
1/4 teaspoon amchar massala (optional)
4 cloves garlic
1 small onion
2 sprigs thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1 cup water

2 tablespoon veg oil
3 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 cup water to cook the curry
1/4 onion for cooking curry

Wash, clean and cut the lobster into pieces. I used a Maine lobster, so I had claws (crack then a few places for the marinade and curry to do it’s thing from the inside -out)…  season with the salt, tomato, garlic , onion, garlic, green seasoning, amchar massala, black pepper, roasted geera, thyme and scotch bonnet pepper.  Please allow this to marinate for at least 2 hrs in the fridge. Remember to take it out of the fridge about 15 minutes before you’re ready to start the curry, so it comes back to room temp before cooking.

Heat the oil in a deep pot on medium heat and add the diced 1/4 onion. Lower the heat to low and let it cook for 2 minutes. Meanwhile in a small bowl, mix the curry powder and 1/4 cup of water to form a sort of thick paste. Pour in the curry mix and cook on low for about 3-5 minutes, until it starts to cook down, go grainy and start to clump. (see images below)

The goal here is to cook off the raw curry taste and to really intensify the overall curry flavors. Turn up your heat if you find that it’s not cooking down. You should have a thick paste, with signs of the vegetable oil you started off with.  If you’ve not already done so, turn the heat up to medium high and start adding the marinated lobster pieces to the pot, stirring as you do to pick up all that great curry flavors from the bottom of the pot. Try to coat all the pieces of the lobster with the curry base we created. Place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil. It will release it’s own juices. Let that simmer for a couple minutes, then remove the lid and turn up the heat.

The goal now is to intensify the combined flavors of the curry, seasonings and lobster. Burn off any liquid. In the same bowl you marinated the lobster, pour in the 1 cup of water and stir to pick up all remaining marinade. Pour in the water (mixed with any remaining marinade) into the pot and bring to a boil.

The lobster will go a brilliant red/orange color as it cooks and stand out brilliantly against the rich greenish color of the curry sauce. With the pot uncovered, let that cook for another 4-6 minutes or until the lobster is cooked to your liking (try to not overcook). Personalize this curry lobster by tasting for salt and adjusting accordingly and the the gravy or sauce should be as thick as you like.

Since I had my mom’s help in cooking this tasty curry lobster, she usually finishes off her curry dishes with a topping of finely chopped shado beni (aka culantro, chadon beni or bandanya), if you can’t source shado beni, cilantro works great. Add when you turn off the stove.

You can get creative by using coconut milk instead of the 1 cup of water, but I personally find that it mellows the overall taste too much and takes away from the lovey flavors of the lobster itself.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Vegetarian

Traditional Curry Pigeon Peas Recipe.

I hated going with our mom and dad to pick peas (harvest pigeon peas) in our garden as it was always in the afternoon when my friends would be playing football (soccer) plus the heat between the trees (from the day’s sun) was stifling. You had to sort through fully developed peas and avoid the younger ones which were not ready for harvesting. You couldn’t just grab the whole bunch off the trees and make fast work of the harvest. The good part about this job was that if I helped to pick peas I didn’t have to participate in shelling… something I hated even more (I would eat tons while shelling so I always got into trouble with our mom) and the residue on your fingers was not appealing.

Peas season (as we called the 2 month period where pigeon peas were in abundance) was a fun time for me as it always meant getting a good dose of two of my favorite dishes.. pelau and curry pigeon peas, so when I got access to fresh pigeon peas I knew right way that I had to share this recipe with you all.

 

You’ll Need…

3 cups pigeon peas (shelled)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 medium onion diced
4 cloves garlic crushed
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1.5 tablespoon curry powder
1 small tania (coco in Jamaica)
2 cups water
2 leaves shado beni (chadon beni, culantro) *

* I used fresh green pigeon peas, but I know this recipe works well with canned pigeon peas, but cooked for a shorter time and less water. Email me if you need help with that. If you can’t get the tania you can use 2 medium potatoes.

Heat the oil in a deep saucepan on medium heat. Add the diced onion and garlic, turn the heat down to low and cook for 3 minutes. With the heat still on low, add the curry powder (I used a madras blend made in the Caribbean) and stir well. Let that toast for about 3 minutes. It will cook the raw taste of the curry off and waken up the spices which make up the curry.

Now add the diced pepper and give it a quick stir.

Rinse and drain the pigeon peas then add it to the pot at this point. Turn up the heat, add the water, diced tania, salt, black pepper and shado beni. Bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 35-40 minutes with the lid slightly ajar. If you’re using canned pigeon peas, cook for about 1/2 hr.

As the peas cook your kitchen will have that wicked scent of a good vegetable curry and do remember to stir it occasionally. The gravy will start to thicken up and if it’s till a bit thin, using the back of your spoon you can crush some of the now cooked peas to help thicken the gravy. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly.You can also turn up the heat to burn off any extra liquid.

This is an excellent side for roti, rice or bread, and if you’re like me you’d even treat it as a soup? As it cools it will thicken up a bit so do keep that in mind when cooking off any extra liquid in the pot.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Lamb Chops Braised In A Coconut Curry Sauce

As a young fella growing up on the islands I recall lamb not being a very popular choice when it came to meats we prepare (quite honestly.. our mom never made it). Back then and today goat still is the champ when it comes to a good curry. With variations on the recipe itself, you can find curry goat cooked on just about every island in the Caribbean and on the menu in every Caribbean restaurant outside the Caribbean.

I’m no fan of lamb due to a terrible experience I had with grilled lamb I purchase a few years ago (leathery), but this recipe is simply delightful and will become a hit in your home.

 

You’ll Need…

5 lamb chops (about 3 lbs)
2 tablespoon veg oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 grape tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 scallions
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon shado beni chopped
1 cup water
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (finely diced – no seeds)
1 shallot finely chopped (or onion)
2 tablespoon chopped parsley (flat leaf)

Note. If you don’t have grape tomatoes, use 1 medium tomato chopped. If you don’t have shado beni use 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro. I used a madras blend curry powder out of the Caribbean (much different than the stuff you get from India). For the gluten free version of the lamb curry, do make sure that the curry powder you use does not contain any flour (used as an additive in some case) or it will not meet with your gluten free dietary needs.

Wash and pat the lamb chops dry with paper towels, then heat the oil in a deep/heavy sauce pan on med/high heat. Add the chops, so they brown on each side for a few minutes (you may need to turn the heat down to medium).

Remove the browned lamb chops and set aside. Turn the heat down to low and add a tablespoon more oil if necessary. Toss in the diced shallot (on onion) , crushed garlic and grate the ginger directly into the pot. Let that cook on low for about 3 minutes (be sure to move around) so you get that wonderful flavor base. Now add the curry powder and cook for a couple minutes (stir well). It will go grainy and darker as it cooks. You’ll be hit by a wicked tsunami of flavors at this point. Now add back the browned chops and if there’s any liquid from them..add also. Move around the pan to try and pick up some of that curry base we created.

Now toss in the chopped shado beni, scotch bonnet pepper, scallions, thyme and black pepper. Give it a good stir, then add the salt, coconut milk and water. Turn the heat up so you can bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to very low so you have a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and let that cook for about 1.5 hrs or until the lamb is tender and falling off the bones. Remember to stir the pot every 10-15 minutes.

Here’s where you may need to personalize this dish a bit. I like my gravy thick, so I turned up the heat to burn off any excess liquid (you can leave gravy or burn it all off) and remember to check to see if it has enough salt for your liking. When the gravy is as thick as you want, toss in the chopped parsley and the grape tomatoes, turn off the heat and cover the lid for about 3 minutes..

The tender pieces of this lamb cooked in the coconut curry sauce will be outstanding as a side for roti, ground provisions, rice, dumplings or even something as simple as a side salad. If you’re adding a little Caribbean flair to your normal dinner, this curry lamb would make for a great addition. If you’re concerned about heat, don’t use any of the seeds of the scotch bonnet pepper as that’s where most of that raw heat is. The earthy flavors from the spices which make up the curry will work well with the mellowness of the coconut milk and the fresh herbs will truly take this dish over the top.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Recipe Card

Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 1 hr Total Time 1 hr 15 mins

Description

One-pot Caribbean-style lamb chops simmered in a creamy coconut curry sauce, infused with island spices and fresh aromatics.

Ingredients

Instructions

Video
  1. Wash and pat the Lamb Chop (5) dry with paper towels, then heat the Vegetable Oil (2 tablespoon) in a deep heavy saucepan on medium/high heat.
  2. Brown the chops on each side for a few minutes.
  3. Remove the browned lamb chops and set aside.
  4. Turn the heat down to low and add a tablespoon more oil if necessary.
  5. Toss in the Shallot (1), Garlic (3 clove), and Fresh Ginger (1 teaspoon) directly into the pot.
  6. Now add the Curry Powder (1 1/2 tablespoon) and stir well.
  7. Now add back the browned chops and include any juices from chops. Move around the pan to try and pick up some of that curry base in the pan.
  8. Add in the Culantro Leaves (1 tablespoon), Scotch Bonnet Pepper (1/4), Scallion (1 bunch), Fresh Thyme (1 tablespoon), Salt (1/2 teaspoon), and Ground Black Pepper (1/4 teaspoon).
  9. Stir well.
  10. Add Coconut Milk (1 1/2 cup) and Water (1 cup).
  11. Turn the heat up so you can bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a very low and gentle simmer. Cover the pot and let that cook for about one and a half hours or until the lamb is tender and falling off the bone.
  12. When the gravy is as thick as you want, toss in the Fresh Parsley (2 tablespoon) and Grape Tomatoes (8), turn off the heat and cover the lid for about 3 minutes.
  13. The tender pieces lamb and coconut curry are outstanding served with roti, rice, dumplings or even something as simple as a side salad.
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Seafood

The Ultimate Curry Shrimp.

Here’s another recipe to add to the “Ultimate” series I’ve been sharing from time to time with you. Curry shrimp is one of those simple dishes to make, but it’s very easy to overcook it and end up with shrimp the texture of leather. In this curry shrimp recipe I’ll show you how to have perfectly cooked shrimp that’s very attractive and full of that unique flavor from the way we cook curry in the Caribbean. Enjoyed with rice, roti or any which way you partner your curry dishes, this curry shrimp will definitely excite your taste buds and make an impression on family and friends.

 

You’ll Need….

1 lb shrimp (peeled deveined)
1 heaping tablespoon Madras blend curry powder (I like using a Caribbean variety)
2 scallions
1/2 habanero pepper (as much as you like)
1 medium tomato
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 bell pepper (sweet pepper)
4 tablespoon water for cooking the curry
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

* you’ll also need a couple tablespoon of lime or lemon juice to wash the cleaned shrimp.

Note: If you have the Caribbean style green seasoning mix, use a teaspoon instead of the thyme and cilantro. If you can source fresh shado beni, that would be ideal instead of the cilantro. Bell pepper is something new to this recipe but I like the added flavor, texture and overall look it brings to this dish. I like using a Caribbean style curry powder as I find it to be unique in it’s depth and flavor.

The first thing you need to do (if it’s not already done as some groceries sell already cleaned and deveined shrimp) is to remove the outer shell of the shrimp and devein them. Then squeeze the lime or lemon juice over it, give it a good stir, then rinse with cool water. Drain and get ready to season so it can marinate for a bit.

Chop the scallion, cilantro, onion, peppers, tomato and garlic… I like using the thyme on it’s sprig for the added flavor. When you’re done cooking you can them remove the sprigs. In a large bowl place the now cleaned shrimp and add the salt, black pepper, chopped peppers (habanero and bell), cilantro, thyme and scallions. Give it a good stir and allow it to marinate for at least 20 minutes.

In a large sauce pan, heat the oil over a med/high heat, then add the sliced onions and garlic. Allow that to cook on a med heat for about 3-4 minutes or until they get soft and edges start going golden. Now add the curry powder, give it a good stir and cook for a couple minutes. The goal is to heat the curry powder so it releases all those wonderful flavors. You will notice that the curry will go a bit darker and it will become very grainy. If you find that it’s burning, turn down the heat as we really need this to cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Now it’s time to add the water and make a sort of curry paste (be prepared for that burst of curry scent). It will be runny at first, but allow it to come to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. This step will cook the curry initially so we don’t get that ‘raw’ curry taste when the dish is done. After 4 minutes, turn up the heat to burn off all that water. you will now have a sort of paste.

Now it’s time to add the seasoned shrimp and give it a good stir to pick up all those curry bits from the bottom of the pan. Add everything in the bowl to the pan and have the heat at about medium. You can jump-start things by placing the lid on the pan if you want… this will cause the shrimp to spring a lot of it’s only natural juices (only keep the lid on for a minute or 2). With the lid open and the shrimp going at a rolling boil, you’ll notice the shrimp will start to curl and change color. All we want to do is cook the shrimp for 5-7 minutes from the time you add them. So if after 5 minutes you notice you have  a lot of liquid in the pan, turn up the heat. I like my curry shrimp with a bit of gravy for dipping roti or to put on my rice. But that gravy must be somewhat thick. My mom would never leave gravy and to be honest, if you cook it down all the way… the taste will be a bit different.

Wasn’t that simple? I assure you this could well be the best curry shrimp you’ve ever had.. trust me! In the video below you can follow along in the event I was confusing above in my description.

Before you go I invite you to leave me your comments below.. even if it just to say hello. It’s always appreciated. And don’t forget to join us on facebook and do check out the cooking videos.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Tropical Curry Beef With Potato Recipe.

curry beef with potato and rotiOne of the things I love doing is watching cooking shows, but ever since I reduced the amount of channels we get from our cable package, I was left without the cooking channel. I hated having to pay for channels we never watch, just to get the Cooking Channel. Even to get the cooking channel added as a stand alone within our current package, means having to pay pretty much the same price as I was paying before when it was packaged. The next option for me is Youtube, and it FREE.

There is no better source than YouTube for cooking videos and I can spend hours at a time.. well, if I didn’t have to work etc. It’s simply mind-blowing when you start looking at how people from all over the world use curry. It’s got to be one of those things that have the most variations I’ve ever come across. There’s no 2 regions that cooks curry the same… even within the Caribbean itself, there are a few different techniques for cooking with curry. That said, here’s my tropical curry beef with potato:

You’ll Need…

1 lb beef (cut into 1 inch cubes)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon green seasoning mix (optional)
1 scallion
1/2 hot pepper (habanero, scotch bonnet or whichever you like)
dash black pepper
1 medium tomato diced
2-3 tablespoon cilantro or shado beni (chopped fine)
1 teaspoon ketchup
1 heaping tablespoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon geera powder (cumin)
1 onion sliced
3 cloves garlic (crushed and sliced)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup water (for cooking curry)
3 1/2 cups water for final cooking stage
3 medium potatoes (1/4s)

* I used a special Madras blend of curry powder that I get from the islands. I find it to be uniquely Caribbean-like and not as heavy or pungent as the ones that comes directly from India. Be sure to read the label of the curry powder you use if doing this recipe gluten free as some may contain flour as a filler and will not meet your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Cube and wash the pieces of beef with the juice of a lime or lemon (not mentioned in the ingredients list) and water. Drain off the excess water and season with the salt, black pepper, ketchup, scallion, green seasoning, cilantro or shado beni and tomato. Then cover and place in the fridge to marinate for about 2 hours. If you’re in a rush, marinate for at least 15 minutes.

seasoned beef for curry

After the two hours of marinating, put a pan on medium/high heat and allow the 3 tablespoons of oil to heat. Now add the onion, garlic and hot pepper and allow to cook until you start seeing the edges go golden brown. This is an indication that it’s time to add the curry powder and ground geera (cumin). Cook for a couple minutes, then add the 1/4 cup of water. We’re now cooking the curry to allow it to bloom. This will cook for about 5 minutes before after it starts drying off. Allow all the liquid to burn off and you should have a sort of grainy paste on the bottom of the pan… add the seasoned beef at this point and stir.

onions for curry beef

onions and garlic for trini curry

cooking curry for beef

cooking jamaican curry

jamaican curry beef

recipe for curry beef with potato

recipe for curry beef

Stir well so everything gets coated with the cooked curry. Then cover the pot, turn down the heat to low and allow this to cook for about 25-35 minutes. you will notice that it will spring a lot of natural juices.

trini curry beef

While this cooks, peel, wash and cube your potato and place it in the bowl you had the seasoned beef in. Then pour in the 3 1/4 cups of water and try to pick up any seasoning that may have been left behind. TIP I like seeing pieces of potato when the dish is finished, so this is why I cut each potato into 4 pieces (big) so it will not totally melt away as we cook the beef to tenderness.

After about 25 minutes on very low heat (gentle simmer), remove the lid and turn up the heat to burn of any remaining liquid. After which you add the water and pieces of potato, bring to a boil and reduce to a gentle simmer. Ensure the pot is covered and cook for about 40-50 minutes. Basically until the beef is really tender and most of the liquid is gone. If you find that the liquid is till runny and the beef is tender, simply turn the heat up  and cook until you get to the desired thickness. Check for salt near the end..since everyone preference for salt is a bit different.

putting potato in curry beef

potato with curry beef

trinidad curry beef recipe

currying beef

potato and curry beef

curry beef with roti

I was lucky enough to have some buss-up-shut roti in the freezer, so I nuked it and had a wonderful dinner. BTW, if you ever have excess roti, simple place in a freezer lock bag and freeze. I have some that lasts up to 3 months (as long as there’s no air in the bag) and they heat rather well in the microwave. So if ever I go to a friend’s home and they’re serving roti and have extras at the end of the night.. I bring those babies home with me for future use.

I’d love to hear from you, so please leave me your comments in the area provided below.

happy cooking

chris…

Caribbean Pot on Facebook
Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Curry Beef or Beef Curry?

curry beef
I do apologize for being an absent chef the past couple weeks. As mentioned in my last post we were off to Trinidad and Tobago for my sister’s wedding and for a short vacation. And though I had all intention to cook and blog while we were there, there was so much to see and do that I got side tracked. Plus, the MAC computer I had access to, didn’t allow for me to upload my pics via a card reader and I totally forgot to pack my firewire to connect the camera directly.

Curry beef is not something we grew up on, actually the first time I ever tasted curry beef was when I lived with my aunt after first moving to Canada. To date I can probably count the number of times I’ve had curry beef. Not as if I don’t like it, it’s just that I grew up with a taste for stew beef. Looks like I may have to cook this more often as both Indy and Tehya both enjoyed dinner tonight.

You’ll Need…

1 1/2 lbs cubed beef
3/4 teaspoon salt
dash of black pepper
1/4 teaspoon roasted Geera (powder)
2 table spoon curry powder (madras)
1 onion separated (1/2s) – diced
2-3 cloves of garlic – crushed/chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
2 cups water
1 tomato diced
1 tablespoon green seasoning
2 leaves of shado beni (shandon beni)
1 teaspoon ketchup
1/4 hot pepper (I use habanero) Don’t include seeds if you’re afraid of some heat.
1 lime or lemon (juice) to wash the cubed beef before seasoning

Tip: If you don’t have the green seasoning, simply use 1 scallion chopped, a pimento pepper if you have access to one, 1 table spoon thyme, 1 table spoon celery chopped fine, 2 tablespoons cilantro. NOTE: If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to read the label of the curry powder you plan on using to ensure it meets with your specific gluten free diet. Some curry powder contains flour as a filler.

Start by cutting the beef into 1 inch cubes and then pour the lime or lemon juice over it and rinse with running water. Squeeze off all excess water then season with the… tomato, salt, black pepper, green seasoning, 1/2 of the onion, ketchup, shando beni and roasted geera. Stir well and allow to marinate for about 1 hour.

cubed beef for curry

trini beef curry

curry beef

In a heavy pot, heat the oil on medium to high heat (in the pic I’m using the new iron pot I purchased on my trip.. notice how shiny it is?), then add the remaining onion, garlic and pieces of hot pepper. Allow this to cook for a couple minutes. In the meantime, in a small bowl put the curry powder and add 2 table spoons of  water. Stir to form a paste. Then add this paste to the semi cooked onion / garlic and allow this to cook for a few minutes.

guyana beef curry

how to curry beef

caribbean curry recipe

trini curry beef

Now that the curry is cooked a bit, start adding the seasoned pieces of beef and give it a good stir. Bring it to a boil, then cover and turn down the heat to low. You will notice that a lot of natural liquid will form. That’s ok, we’ll use those wonderful juices in the first step of cooking. After you’ve emptied the bowl with the seasoned beef, pour in the 2 cups of water into it and try to pick up all the remaining bits of seasoning… we’ll use this later on.

spicy curry beef recipe

beef curry

Allow this to cook for about 25 minutes covered, then remove the cover and turn the heat back up to high. we want to burn off all the liquid that was released. Stir so it doesn’t burn and when you can see the pot’s bottom dry, add the 2 cups of water we prepared earlier in the bowl that had the seasoned beef. Stir, bring to a boil and reduce the heat back to low. I like my curry beef very tender, so I usually allow it to cook for about another 40 minutes or so.

trinidad curry beef

beef curry sauce

After the 40 minutes or so feel free to check for salt (you may need to add more if you like a lot of salt) and bring the gravy to a thickness you like. if you find that it’s still a bit runny, turn up the heat to allow it to thicken. TIP. If you’d like you can add a couple cubed potatoes the final 25 minutes, but you may need to add a little more salt. Makes for a great curry potato and beef, the kind you’d find when you purchase a beef roti.

caribbean curry beef recipe

curry beef with rice

There you go, a simple and tasty curry beef that’s great on rice or as a side for roti… or to enjoyed as you please. Remember to leave me your comments below.