We’ve talked (well, just me) about how due to circumstance (slavery and indentureship) we’ve perfected the art of not only using entire animals, but using the parts many would toss in the rubbish and making TASTY meals out of it. Case in point – Curry Chicken Hearts.
You’ll Need…
1 lb chicken hearts (cut in half) 1 lime (or lemon or vinegar) 1/2 small onion (diced) 3 tablespoon olive oil 6-8 cloves garlic (smashed) 1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 1 teaspoon cumin (geera) seeds 1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder 1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced) 1/2 tablespoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoon water 2 tablespoon chopped Shado beni (culantro)
use cilantro if you cannot source culantro.
Cut each chicken heart in half, then wash with cool water and the juice of the lime. Rinse, drain and set aside.
Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium flame, then add the onion and garlic – turn the heat to low and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the Cumin (geera) seeds along with the black pepper and stir well. Then add the Caribbean Green Seasoning and cook for a further 3-4 minutes on that low flame.
It’s now time to add the curry powder (stir well) and let it cook for about 4 minutes. Toss in the scotch bonnet pepper (optional – if you like spicy).
Turn the heat up to med- high, toss in the cleaned chicken hearts and stir well. Add the salt and stir and cover the pot.
Add the water, turn the heat to med-low and with the lid on cook for 20 minutes. Watch the video below which may answer any additional questions you may have.
Taste and adjust the salt and see if they are as tender as you like. Now crank up the heat to burn off any remaining liquid and in the process, intensify the curry flavor.
Top with the chopped shado beni (culantro) or cilantro and enjoy. There are two ways I enjoy this dish. As a topping for sandwiches and as a side to rice and dhal.
Curry Beef or Beef Curry (Guyana) is one of those things I rarely cook as I’m not the biggest fan of beef (except for steaks and burgers). And yes, I originally shared a Curry Beef and Curry Beef With Potatoes recipe/s a few years back, but this is my enhanced version of this classic Caribbean curry dish. Wait! If memory serves me correct I think I also shared a version with Potato and Channa(chickpeas) as well.
You’ll Need…
3-4 lbs beef (cubed – 2 inch pieces) 1 teaspoon salt 2-3 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion (diced) 1 large tomato (diced) 12-15 cloves garlic (smashed) 2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 3/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (geera) 1 scotch bonnet pepper 6-8 sprigs thyme 1 tablespoon Anchar Masala 2 1/2 tablespoon Curry Powder 5-8 curry leaves 2 bay leaves 3 tablespoon chopped cilantro 8 1/2 – 9 1/2 cups water (divided)
Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your gluten free dietary requirements. Especially the curry powder you use.
The original way to do this Curry Beef is to season and marinate the beef overnight (as mentioned in the video below), but today I’ll show you a way to avoid that step, without sacrificing that deep rich flavor.
Prep the ingredients and wash the beef with cool water and the juice of a lime or lemon (white vinegar 1/2 cup will work too), then drain and set aside.
Heat the oil in a deep heavy pot on medium heat, add the onion and garlic, then lower the heat to low so we don’t burn anything. After 2-3 minutes, add the cumin seeds and black pepper and continue cooking on that low heat for 2-3 minutes more.
Now add the Caribbean Green Seasoning and cook a further 2-3 minutes, before adding the curry powder. Mix well. Heat still on low as to bloom the spices which makes up a good curry powder.
Stir occasionally as it can burn even on low heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then turn the heat to medium and add 1 1/2 cups water and stir / scrape the bottom of the pot. As it comes back to a boil, reduce to a rolling boil. Add the diced tomato and Anchar Masala (I explained why and where to get the Anchar Masala in the video below) at this point.
Cook on that rolling boil for 4-5 minutes then crank up the heat to burn off all that liquid (see my tip in the video below). When you get back to seeing the oil we started with, it’s time to add the beef to the pot.
With the heat still on medium, stir well to coat the pieces of beef with that wicked curry base we created. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Yes, it will spring it’s own natural juices. Once you get a bubble, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes with the lid on slightly ajar.
To give the finished Curry Beef that deep rooted flavor, it’s important that we remove the lid now, turn up the heat and burn off all that liquid (explained why in the video below). Once you see that dry bottom (pot) with the oil.. its time to add 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil.
The water is to help us get that fork-tender beef you deserve. At this point is when you’ll add the thyme, curry leaves and bay leaves. Additionally, you may also add a small stick of cinnamon and a few slices of ginger if you like those flavors in your curry.
My beef took 1 hour and 45 minutes from this point to be as tender as I like. Depending on the cut of beef and the age of the animal when it was butchered, it may take longer. This is where you do a few things to personalize it to your liking. Adjust the salt, make sure it’s as tender to your liking and you can control the consistency of the finished gravy by cooking longer or leaving as is. Remember the residual heat in the pot will further cook this. Plus as it cools with will thicken. NOTE! Should the beef not be tender or you find that the liquid was burning off quickly – add more water. May I recommend not adding beef stock as it will change the overall flavor of the curry.
Turn off the stove, toss in the cilantro (or Culantro – Shado Beni) and enjoy.
I used a cheap cut of beef and may I recommend you do the same. While I did use boneless beef, some bones in here would contribute to a much deeper flavor. I forgot to mention above that you’ll toss in the scotch bonnet pepper whole when you add the 8 cups of water and try not to break it. Fish it out near the end or BREAK it and release the heat if you like (I did). Near the end you may remove and discard the bay leaves and sprigs from the thyme (same for if you added cinnamon and ginger).
While I’ve shared several recipes with potato and chickpeas over the years and yes, you have seen a version of this curry recipe on here. This will be the first time we’re doing this from ‘scratch’. In the previous version we used chickpeas (channa) from the can, with excellent results, but I wanted to share the traditional way with you.
You’ll Need…
2 cups dried chickpeas (soak in 4 cups water) 6 medium potatoes (1/4’s) 12-16 cups water (adjust) 1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 2 tablespoon Curry powder 1 tablespoon Anchar Masala 1 medium onion (diced) 6-8 cloves garlic 5 bird’s eye pepper 2 tablespoon olive oil | 1 teaspoon salt. 2 tablespoon chopped parsley
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 contain fillers. And remember to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling spicy peppers.
Place the dried chickpeas in a deep bowl and cover with water (not mentioned in the ingredient list) and allow it to soak for 4-6 hours. In my case I did it overnight. Make sure there’s about 1 inch of water above the dried chickpeas when you start. This step will help to quicken the cook time. Yes you can do this recipe with the aid of a pressure cooker, but I prefer to cook low and slow, plus we’re trying to stick to the traditional way of preparing this dish.
Let’s make a sort of slurry to start things off. In a bowl place the Curry Powder along with the Anchar Masala (use 1 teaspoon of ground roasted cumin if you cannot source the Anchar Masala), the Caribbean Green Seasoning and 3/4 cup water. Give this a good mix!
Heat the olive oil in a deep pot on a medium flame, pour in the curry slurry we created and turn the heat down to low. We want to gently cook the curry to allow all the spices which makes up a good curry powder, to bloom.
Let it cook on that gentle heat for 5 minutes, then crank-up the heat to HIGH to burn off all that liquid.
As you start seeing the oil we started with, take the heat all the way back down to low. Now add the onion, garlic and pepper (in my case I used birds eye pepper, but you can add any spicy pepper and in the amounts you like). Stir to mix well. Remember, the heat is on low.
Rinse the soaked chickpeas a couple times with cool water, drain and place in the pot now.
Also add in the potatoes (yea I like them in big pieces so as they cook and start falling apart, some will still keep their shape and add texture to the dish). Stir well to coat everything in that curry niceness we created.
It’s now time to add the salt and cover everything with water, then crank up the heat to medium/high to bring it to a boil. I used between 13-15 cups of water in cooking, as I stared with 12 cups but added more as it slowly cooked. This is a BIG batch of curry, so feel free to freeze the leftovers.
As it comes to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and place the lid of the pot on, but slightly ajar. Cook for an hour and 15 minutes. Add more water if necessary. Providing the channa is soft, it’s time to adjust the salt to your own liking.
To thicken things, I used my potato masher to smash a bit of the chickpeas, but do keep in mind that as the pot cools it will thicken naturally.
Typically you’d toss in chopped shado beni (chandon beni aka culantro) or cilantro, but in my case all I had was parsley on hand.
So there you have it, channa and aloo from scratch, an iconic veg or vegetarian curry, which is guaranteed to delight your tastebuds.
Unlike 95% of the curry dishes you’ll find in the Caribbean, where there’s usually a gravy or sauce, this one is dry. Don’t let the word ‘dry’ confuse you into thinking it will be bland and reminiscent of cardboard. Quite the opposite.. it’s banging with flavor and I can guarantee you that you and your family will quickly fall in love with this dish.
You’ll Need…
4 large potatoes 2-3 tablespoon coconut oil 13/4 lb spinach 3/4 tablespoon salt (divided) | 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 medium onions (sliced) 6-8 cloves garlic (smashed) 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (geera) 1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder 1 medium tomato (diced) 2-3 tablespoon water 6 bird’s eye pepper
Peel, cube (large pieces) and wash the potatoes. Then put them into a pot with water with 3/4 of the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a rolling boil for 15-20 minutes (until tender). Drain and set aside.
In a deep pot heat the coconut oil (or any oil you prefer using) on a medium flame, then add the onion, garlic, Geera (cumin seeds) and the Bird’s Eye pepper (leave whole – don’t break or cut – UNLESS you want the raw heat). Go in with the fresh ground black pepper and turn the heat to low and let it gently cook for 3-4 minutes.
It’s time to add your curry powder (heat still on low) and stir well. The goal is to bloom or release the spices which makes up a good curry powder. For a bit of balance, add the diced tomato, remaining salt and the water. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes.
Add the pre-boiled potato to the pot and stir well. Heat up to medium now so we can get a slight crust to the potato.
After about 5 minutes add the washed and drained spinach. It will pile up, but rest assured it will wilt. 5 minutes later and you’re done!
Remember to taste for salt and adjust to your liking and cook the spinach to the way you enjoy it. For me, it’s just past when it wilts down. BTW, you can always add a bit of coconut milk or cream at the start when cooking out the curry base for even more flavor. You may use any spicy pepper you like or feel free to leave them out if heat is not your thing.
Here’s one of my favorite dishes to make when I have leftover Stewed Chickenand plan to make hot Sada Roti. While it does take a little work to remove the sort of skin off the Channa (Chickpeas), I highly suggest you do as the end result is simply delicious.
You’ll Need…
2 cans chickpeas (540 ml each) 1 medium onion (diced) 4 cloves garlic (smashed) left over stewed chicken
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green seasoning 2 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoon curry powder 1 teaspoon roasted cumin (ground geera) 1/2 cup water (for curry slurry) 3/4 teaspoon salt (adjust) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 medium potatoes (cut into 1/4) 4-6 cups water 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper 3 chili peppers (optional) 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Note! Be mindful to read the label of the curry powder and chick peas you use, to make sure they are gluten free. If rocking this dish for a gluten free diet. Also note that you should wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water when working with spicy peppers, like the Scotch Bonnet.
Drain and rinse the chick peas from the can (watch the video below for my tip). Then place them into a bowl covered with water and using your hands/finger, give them a rub to remove the outer skin (see the video below). Yes, you don’t have to do this step. However in my humble opinion.. it’s well worth the effort.
Place the curry powder in a small bowl, add Geera (cumin), the Caribbean Green Seasoning, garlic, onion, black pepper and 1/2 cup water. Stir to create a thick slurry.
With your large pot on a med/high flame, add the oil of your choice (I use olive oil when cooking) and then pour the curry slurry into the pot. Stir well. Add a tablespoon of water in the same bowl where you had the slurry.. to rinse off any remaining curry and pour it into the pot as well.
Turn the heat down to low and let it cook for 4-5 minutes. This will help bloom the spices which makes up a good curry powder. After-which, turn up the heat to burn off all that liquid in the pot. The goal is to see the oil we started with at the bottom of the pot. This step will help to develop that rich curry flavor. It may take 3-5 minutes.
Add the Scotch Bonnet pepper, stir.. then add the chick peas (channa) to the pot and stir well to coat the peas with the curry base and use the remaining liquid from the rinsed chickpeas to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Add the potatoes as well.
With the heat still on high, add 5 cups of water and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down to a rolling boil and cook for about 20 minutes or until the potato pieces are tender and start falling apart. Toss in the Chili peppers (whole) should you decide you want to use them. And here’s where you can add the salt to the pot.
Here’s where you can adjust the salt to your liking and keep this dish fully vegan. However we’re not! We’re adding the leftover stewed chicken to the pot at this point.
Heat through for about 4-5 minutes and you’re basically done. Couple things to keep in mind. Add more water when cooking if you find that it’s too thick. Should it be too runny at the end (knowing it will thicken as it cools), use your spoon to press down and crush some pieces of the potato and the chicken peas. Adjust the salt to your liking.
Top with Chadon Beni or cliantro and BOOM.. You’re Done!
While I’ve shared several Curry Duck Recipes with you over the years, only after receiving a request via Instagram for Curry Duck With Pigeon Peas, did I realize that had not already shared this classic Caribbean curry recipe. And while using freshly harvested Pigeon Peas would make for an even better tasting dish, the frozen version still gives you an EXCELLENT result.
You’ll Need…
6-7 lbs duck (prepared) 3/4 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 3 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning(divided) 1 tablespoon ground masala 2-3 tablespoon Olive oil 1 tomato (diced) 2 scotch bonnet peppers (sliced) 1 medium Onion (sliced) 8 cloves Garlic (smashed) Cumin (geera) seeds 2 1/2 – 3 tablespoon Curry Powder 5-8 dried curry leaves 1 tablespoon dehydrated Chadon beni (optional) 1 tablespoon Anchar Masala 3 tablespoon chopped cilantro 5-8 Wiri Wiri peppers (optional) 2 3/4 cups water (divided- adjust) 2-3 cups frozen pigeon peas + water to boil
Important! This version is very spicy, but you can adjust the amount of Scotch Bonnet and Wiri Wiri you use, to your own preference.
Pre boil the pigeon peas in water for 30 mins, drain and repeat for another 30 minutes. This step will help to tenderize the peas, but more importantly, it will remove that sort of bitter taste you can get if you don’t do this step. Drain and set aside after.
Season the clean duck (remove skin and fat, wash with lemon juice and cool water – drain). Yea, I removed most of the skin as the additional fat in really not good for us. Tip… get your butcher to cut the duck for you, using his band-saw. Duck bones are very brittle and will shatter with a conventional chefs knife or cleaver. Watch the video below for more tips, including why you flame the duck’s skin during the butchering process.
In a large bowl with the clean (cut) duck, add the salt, black pepper, 2 tablespoon of the Caribbean Green seasoning, ground Masala, Scotch Bonnet (use as much as you can handle, I like my curry duck SPICY) and tomato. Mix well and try your BEST to allow it to marinate in the fridge overnight.. or at least 2 hours. The tomato’s acidity will help to balance off overall flavor of the curry, plus help us with a thicker gravy at the end.
In a large pot (iron works best) heat the oil (of your choice) on a medium flame, add the onion and garlic, turn the heat down to low and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Now add the cumin seeds and stir well. We’re trying our best to not burn anything. A minute later add the remaining tablespoon of Caribbean Green Seasoning. Stir.
One minute later add the curry powder of your choice (I used my blend) and cook gently for 3-5 minutes. Watch the video below for more tips.
Now turn the heat up to high, stir and add 3/4 cup of water. This step cooks off the rawness of the curry, giving you a much more rounded finished curry at the end. As it comes to a boil, reduce to medium (heat) and add the curry leaves and chadon beni.
The goal is to cook this until the water burns off and you start seeing the oil we stared with, add the Anchar Masala and stir well.
You’re looking for a thick slurry (see my tip in the video)! With the heat still on high, add the seasoned duck to the pot and stir well to coat the duck with this lovely curry base.
Put the lid on and bring to a boil. It will take a couple minutes.. reduce to a medium/low heat and cook. After ten minutes (stir a few times) crank up the heat to high and burn off all that liquid.
Once you can see the oil on the bottom of the pot we started with (and all the liquid is gone), add the pre-cooked pigeon peas and stir well. Now add 2 cups of water and bring back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer to cook the duck until it’s tender. Lid on , slightly ajar.
Do stir ever so often and pay attention to the liquid (add more water if you find it’s too dry).
1 hour later and the duck (depending on the age of it when it was butchered) should be tender. Now it’s time to personalize things, taste and adjust the salt, cook the gravy to the consistency you like (keep in mind it will thicken as it cools) and make sure the tenderness is to your liking. I like fall-off-the bone, some people do like a little chew.
Turn off the stove, top with the cilantro and wiri wiri peppers and ENJOY!
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!
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.
While you will see similarities with this Onion Choka andClassic Pepper Choka (basically roasted hot peppers made into a SPICY condiment), with the simplicity (and the perfect blend of flavor and texture) of this version, it could easily be your new favorite side to curry dishes. TIP! Use as much thinly sliced onion as YOU desire.
You’ll Need…
6 hot peppers 6 – 8 cloves garlic 1 Large Red Onion 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 1 cup olive oil
Important! This is meant to be SPICY! Wash your hands and/or wear gloves when handling such hot peppers. Please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements.
To help control the heat level and for a unique flavor (you wont get with mature ripe peppers), I like using the peppers which are green and about 90 % mature. During the summer months I simply grill them until charred on my outdoor grill. However (being careful) you can roast them until charred on your gas stovetop. Be mindful that if using metal tongs, it can heat up all the way to your hands after a while.
Once the peppers are cooled (enough to handle), place them (stems removed) along with the garlic and salt into your mortar and smash it with the pestle until it’s broken down. You DO NOT want a paste, but something more chunky.
May I suggest you be very careful when smashing it, as the liquid and pieces of pepper can go flying and could end up making contact with your eyes. Yes, you may use a food processor if you wish – but PULSE! I usually use one hand to hold the pestle and the other to cover or shield whatever I’m crushing (so it remains in the mortar).
THINLY slice the onions (use as much as you like as we want the onions to be the star of the recipe) and place it directly over the now crushed roasted peppers and garlic. A typical pepper choka will not have as much onion as the focus in that recipe will be the peppers.
We’re almost done. Heat the oil in frying pan until you see whispers of smoke, then (be careful) pour it directly over the raw onions. This will take the raw edge off the onions and add a wonderful flavor to the completed onion choka. This step is called “Chunkay”.
Give it a proper stir and enjoy! The heat from the peppers (and smoky flavor from charring), flavors of the garlic and onion, and the slight crunch from the raw onions.. definitely one of my fav condiments to enjoy with curry dishes. Store in a clean glass container in the fridge for up to a week.
Besides the onions being the key to this choka, you’ll also love the oil drizzled over whatever you’re eating. As I mentioned above about adding as much onion as you want, the same goes for the heated oil. It will be one of the best pepper oils you’ve ever had.
No you’re not seeing double! If you’ve been following my culinary exploits here from day one, you would have seen me share a similar Curry Chicken With Potato (aloo) recipe about 8 years ago. And while that recipe is timeless, the google indexing bots are no longer as kind to the website, so if you were do do a search online you’ll never find that classic (original) recipe.
You’ll Need…
3-4 lbs chicken 3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning(divided) 3 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion (sliced) 5-8 cloves garlic (smashed) 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper 5 1/2 cups water (divided) 2 heaping tablespoon curry powder 1 teaspoon roasted geera (cumin) 1 teaspoon anchar masala 5 medium potatoes (cut into 1/4’s) 3 tablespoon chopped cilantro
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 – read the label if you don’t make your own. I used an extra Habanero pepper (floated) in this dish as I enjoy my curry very spicy.
Watch the video below to see how I broke down a whole chicken for this recipe. Feel free to use thighs or drums if that is what you have on hand or prefer using. Additionally, you may use chicken breast, but IMHO you get better results with bone in/ dark meat.
Season the chicken with the salt, black pepper and 2 tablespoon of the Caribbean Green Seasoning. Stir well and allow to marinate for a couple hours in the fridge.
Heat your deep pot on a medium flame and add the oil. Followed by the onion, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper. Turn the heat down to low and gently cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the remaining Caribbean Green Seasoning and stir. 30 seconds later add the curry powder and mix well.. heat still on low please. This step will toast the curry powder and bloom the spices which makes up the curry powder.
4 Minutes later, crank the heat to high and add 1/2 cup water, stir and then add the Geera and anchar masala (you can get this on amazon or your local Caribbean market – or double up on the roasted geera aka cumin). The goal here is to do two things. 1 Cook out the rawness of the curry and 2. to burn off the water we added to intensify the flavor of the curry base.
It will go dark, thick and perfume the kitchen with all the curry niceness. As soon as all the liquid is gone and you can see the oil we started with, add the seasoned chicken and stir well to coat each piece.
Bring to a boil (about 3-4 minutes), turn the heat down to medium and cover the pot. In the same bowl you marinated the chicken swish around the 5 cups of water and set aside for now.
After 4 minutes with that lid on, you’ll notice a lot of liquid sprouted. Turn the heat back up to high and burn off that liquid to intensify the overall flavor of the curry. (lid off).
3-4 minutes on high and the liquid should be gone. Add the potato, stir and add the 5 cups of water to fully cook the chicken and get the potatoes tender and falling apart.
As soon as it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to a rolling boil, lid on (slightly ajar) and allow it to cook for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. This is where I floated the Habanero pepper (not mentioned in the ingredient list) .. if you do, you can break it later on as I did, to release the fury or don’t break to get the flavor of the oil on the outside of the pepper and not the raw heat.
Here is where you’ll taste it for salt and adjust to your liking. Also, you can (up to you) use your spoon to crush some of the potato pieces to help thicken the gravy.
I allowed the pot to go for 4 minutes with the lid off and then it was time to turn off the stove, toss in the cilantro (better if you have shado beni) and get ready for an incredible curry dish. IMPORTANT! If it looks runny, please note that it will thicken up as it cools down.
Back to using chicken breast… be sure to check out my Curry Chicken Breast video if you like white meat and you don’t want dry, bland and tough curry chicken without bones and dark meat.
I was asked in an interview“if it came down to having to decide on a final meal, what would that be?”(kinda morbid when you think about the question), but without any hesitation I said my mom’s Curry Kingfish served with hot (steamed or boiled) rice or roti. And while the recipe I’m about to share is EXCELLENT, it still doesn’t compare to her masterpiece.
You‘ll Need…
3 lbs King Fish (sliced 3/4 inch) 1 lime (juice) 1 tablespoon salt divided (adjust) 1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green seasoning 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3/4 teaspoon curry powder (seasoning fish) 1 medium onion (sliced) 1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced – remove the seeds and white rib to control the heat a bit) 1 cup all-purpose flour 2-3 cups veg oil for frying the fish 6 cloves garlic 2 1/2 tablespoon curry powder 1 cup water (cooking out the curry) 1 teaspoon ground roasted Geera (cumin) 1 teaspoon Anchar Masala 1 large tomato (diced finely) 2 cups water (gravy) 2 tablespoon Shado Beni (or cilantro)
Note. If you cannot source the Anchar Masala double up on the ground roasted cumin. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling Scotch Bonnet peppers. You’ll notice that while I had the fish sliced about 3/4 inch thick, I left the tail part about 4 inches long (as it tapers). I grew up appreciating that that was the prized part of the fish.. which mom always reserved for dad. I prefer sliced though.
Wash the fish pieces with cool water and the lime or lemon juice, rinse, drain and season. This means adding the onion, Scotch Bonnet pepper, black pepper, 3/4 of the salt, Caribbean Green Seasoning and 3/4 teaspoon Curry Powder (your fav). Mix well and allow to marinate for about one hour.
I like making this dish outdoors as I’m not a fan of the fried fish scent inside my home. Basically I set up a frying station that included the seasoned fish, flour on a large plate, wire rack lined with paper towels and the pot with oil heating on a medium/high flame for frying the fish.
Shake off any extra marinade off the fish pieces (reserve) and dust each piece of fish in the flour to coat evenly (the flour will do a couple things for us.. 1. Help to form a crust on the fish which later on will suck up the curry sauce and 2. It will help to thicken the gravy at the end). Then into the hot oil for about 2 1/2 – 3 mins on each side. We’ll cook it to about 80 % cooked as it will cook further in the curry gravy later. Remember to flip them for even cooking and set on the paper towels to drain when fried.
Take 2 tablespoon of the oil you fried the fish in (or use fresh oil) and place it in a deep pan on a medium flame. Then scrape off the remaining marinade (onion etc) into the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, along with the garlic.
After which you’ll add the curry powder (2 1/2 tablespoon) into the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 3-4 minutes. This step will allow the spices which makes up the curry blend, to bloom. Stir well.
In the same bowl you marinated the fish, swish around 1 cup of water to pick any remaining goodness, then into the pot with the curry base and turn the heat back up to medium. Stir/scrape the pan, then add the Anchar Masala and roasted Cumin (geera), stir well and bring to a boil. This step will cook the rawness out of the curry (a gritty taste you get when curry is not allowed to cook off). Here’s where you’ll also add the tomato. The tomato will do two things for us. 1. Help to thicken the final gravy and 2. It will bring and acidity to the dish to help balance the overall flavor.
We now want to burn off all that liquid and intensify the curry flavor of the entire dish. Crank the heat to high. The goal is to get a thick sort of paste and for you to start seeing the oil we stared off with as you move your spoon.
We’re almost done. When you get to this point (heat on high), add the 2 cups of water, then gently tuck the fired fish pieces into that gravy.
As it comes to a boil. reduce to a simmer and cook for 6-7 minutes. Add the remaining salt (adjust to your liking) and remember to flip (be VERY gentle) the pieces of fish so they all get an even opportunity to take a bath in that lovely curry gravy.
Once your salt is good, the gravy thickness to your liking.. toss in the Shado Beni aka culantro or if you can’t source it, use cilantro (coriander).
Note. It will thicken further as it cools, so be mindful of that. Now get ready to serve up with your fav rice, roti or if all fails.. even sliced bread yea. Mom would be proud of my take on her dish. Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/
BLISS! When two culinary worlds collide, you get what I refer to as the Ultimate Comfort Food! Curry Stew Chicken and Pelau are two of my fav dishes out of the Caribbean. Anyone close to me will tell you that I can eat either on a daily basis. Such is my love for them. Served with a side/s of Tomato Choka, Coleslaw, Salad, even just sliced Avocado (zabouca) and/or cucumber.
You’ll Need…
3-4 lbs chicken 1 1/2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 1/2 tablespoon Curry Powder 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce (optional) 1 med onion (diced) 1 med tomato (diced) 1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar 1 tablespoon oil (I used olive) 1 teaspoon grated ginger 1 1/2 cups coconut milk 6-8 cups water 2 1/2 cups long grain par-boiled rice 1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced) 2 pimento peppers aka seasoning pepper (optional) 2 tablespoon chopped shado beni (culantro) 1 stalk celery (diced) 1 medium carrot (diced) 1 can pigeon peas (1 1/2 cups)
Season the chicken (cut into serving sized pieces) with the Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt, black pepper, curry powder, onion, tomato, Worcestershire Sauce, pimento peppers and scotch bonnet pepper. Allow this to marinate for at least 2 hours. Overnight in the fridge may give best results.
Tips! Wash you hands with soap and water after handling such spicy peppers. Do not use the seeds and white membrane of the pepper if you’re overly concerned about the raw heat. Yes, use you fav spicy pepper if you cannot source Scotch Bonnet. If you’re doing this gluten free pay attention to the ingredient list on the curry powder and Worcestershire Sauce you use. Some curry powder may have flour as a thickener and filler.
Please watch the video below to follow along with this step. Heat the oil on a med/high flame on a deep and heavy pot (one with a lid). Then add the brown sugar and stir (dry spoon). I suggest stirring as some spots in your pot may have HOT spots and the sugar may BURN there. The goal is to NOT BURN the sugar or you’ll end up with “bitter” tasting Pelau.
The sugar will melt, go frothy, then a dark amber color. This is when you’ll add (be careful when adding) the seasoned chicken to the pot. Add about half the seasoned chicken, stir well, then add the rest. The goal is to coat the pieces of curry-seasoned chicken with this lovely caramelized sugar. Do NOT get the sugar black. Should this happen, turn off the stove, cool the pot completely, wash and start over. NO this is NOT a sweet dish.
Now place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil. In the meantime, add 6 cups of the water to the same bowl where you marinated the chicken in, to pick up any remaining marinade which may be in there. Set aside for later.
3-4 minutes later and it will come to a boil and start sprouting it’s own natural juices. Now it’s time to develop that rich color. Remove the lid and allow that liquid to burn off. Here’s where I like adding my grated ginger and stir well.
As the liquid burns off, add the pigeon peas (rinse and drain), followed by the celery and carrot. Stir to coat with the ‘stew’ niceness and continue cooking on high to burn off that liquid. Takes about 5-6 mins in total.
Add the coconut milk (stir), followed the water we reserved in the bowl earlier and bring to a boil.
Wash the rice (see the video below), drain and add to the pot (as it comes to a boil), stir well and bring back to a boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer and allow the rice to fully cook, go plump and soak in all the stew/coconut goodness. BTW my lid was on but slightly ajar. Add more water should the rice not fully cook at this point. In the ingredient list I mentioned we’ll need 6-8 cups of water.
Couple things, should you want a more wet and creamy pelau I’d suggest stirring the pot a few times. This will brake down the rice and it will release more starch. Should you want a more grainy pelau (team dry), don’t stir too much.
25 minutes later and it’s time to personalize things. 1. Taste and adjust the salt to your liking. 2. You need to decide if you want a ‘wet’ or ‘dry’ pelau. For a more wet (creamy) pelau you may need to add a bit more water and cook longer. For team dry, burn off that liquid, cover the pot completely (after you turn off the stove) and let it sit in it’s own residual heat to dry-up. Flake/fluff with a fork after about 20 minutes and serve.
Top with finely chopped shado beni (culantro), should you not have access to culantro, you may use cilantro or parsley.
SERVE PIPING HOT! No, but I do enjoy a massive plate as soon as its off the stove. One of those things you got to suck air in as you eat, to help cool it down or you risk 2nd degree burns in your mouth. (smile.. I’m just a greedy) Add a little kuchela on the side if you want a little extra heat or spice flavor.
