One of the most popular recipes I’ve shared to date is a version of the chicken strips mom would make for us as kids, but I was asked recently via FaceBook if there was a gluten free version I had, that I’d be willing to share. With the Super Bowl just days away, I though it would be a great time to share this recipe as it’s a great party food idea. This coconut chicken tenders recipe is not only gluten free, super simple to make and quite tasty, it works well for people who are not fans of shrimp (similar to coconut shrimp).
Important:Please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Marinate the chicken tenders with the salt and Caribbean Green seasoning for an hour. You can also use boneless thigh or chicken breast, strips.
It’s now time to set a station to batter them for frying. In a small bowl, whisk the milk, lemon zest and paprika. Then place the shredded coconut (sweetened) on a plate and do the same for the coconut flour or any gluten free flour.
Dust the chicken tenders in the coconut flour, then dip into the seasoned milk and roll in the coconut. Set aside and repeat until all the tenders are coated.
If you’re lactose intolerant, you can use a couple eggs instead of the milk.
Heat the vegetable oil on a medium flame and fry (be gentle so the coconut does not fall off) for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Basically until the chicken is fully cooked and you get that lovely golden color. Set on paper towels to soak up the extra oil. Try not to over-crowd your pan when frying.
The dipping sauce is SUPER simple. Whisk together the ranch dressing and sriracha, until combined. Add more or less hot stuff to your liking.
Try to serve warm to really get the true flavors of these lovely coconut chicken tenders. If you make them in advance you can warm them up in a moderate oven for a few minutes. My daughters had these for lunch, so I left them fairly big. But if you’re serving these at your next party, you can cut the chicken tenders into smaller pieces before marinating etc.
With the success of the Pork Chow recipe I shared prior to the summer, I thought I’d share a quicker version using rotisserie chicken one can pick up at most supermarkets, being that it’s a great party food idea when visiting friends. As with the pork chow recipe, it’s based on the traditional method of making the spicy pickle usually with mango or other tart fruits. Typically I’d classify this as ‘cuttas’ or drinking food, usually served alongside adult beverages, but it’s just as great a side dish for your dinner.
You’ll Need…
1 roasted chicken (cut into pieces)
1 lemon
2-4 tablespoon water
1 scotch bonnet pepper
pinch sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic
3 scallions
2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
drippings from roasted chicken (if there’s any)
Finely chop the cilantro, scotch bonnet pepper (remember to avoid the seeds and white membrane around the seeds if you’re concerned about the raw heat and to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers), scallions and you can either crush the garlic or chop it finely as well. Put in all in a bowl, along with the water, salt, black pepper and the juice of the lemon (btw lime juice will work great as well). A good idea is to cut the scotch bonnet pepper into big pieces so people can easily identify them.. so as to avoid it if necessary. Place it all in a bowl and give it a good mix…set aside.
Allow the chicken to chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes so it firms up a bit (makes chopping easier), then cut into small pieces. You can keep or remove the skin.. with rotisserie chicken I find that the skin is quite attractive to some people, so I left it on. It’s now time to assemble the chicken chow. BTW, if you click on Recipe Index at the top we have a couple recipes for roasted chicken if you choose to make your over chicken from scratch.
Pour the marinade over the chicken pieces and gently mix it to combine all the flavors. That’s it!
You can allow it to marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes to really absorb the flavors of the marinade or serve immediately. The goal of ‘chow’ is to be spicy, but you can certainly tailor it to your own liking. I forgot to mention that should you have any dripping in the container the chicken came in, add that to your marinade for extra flavor!
At a recent dinner party I was challenged by friends to come up with a firecracker shrimp recipe, but with a Caribbean twist. Being that “challenge” is my second name.. I’m very competitive, a few days later I was in the kitchen loaded with ingredients to take that firecracker shrimp we enjoyed to a whole new level. They were good, but missing were a herbal note and true Caribbean sunshine (heat). Don’t call something ‘firecracker’ when there’s no actual heat but the sort of vinegar based hot sauce they market in North America. According to a pardna..”dem thing juss sour!.. no real heat”.
You’ll Need…
12 large shrimp (cleaned / deveined)
12 wonton wrappers (or 6 spring roll wrappers)
2 cups veg oil for frying
1 to 2 tablespoon pepper sauce (sriracha if that is your thing)
1 teaspoon Caribbean green seasoning
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/4 teaspoon Sesame Oil
1/2 lime (juice and zest)
1 tablespoon white sugar
Tip: to straighten the shrimp (from natural curve) make 2 small cuts on the inside of the curve on the shrimp so they are easier to wrap and will not curl when you fry them.
After you’ve cleaned and de-veined the shrimp.. do leave on the tail ends for presentation and get ready to marinate. Add all the ingredients mentioned above except the veg oil and wrappers, mix well and marinate for 10 minutes.
It’s now time to wrap up these into succulent little packages in the wonton wrappers and fry them till golden brown. If you’re using spring roll wrappers, which are considerably bigger than wonton wrappers, cut them in half (in two triangles). To better understand the wrapping process it may be best if you watch the video below. Basically I dip my finger in the same marinade (you can use water) and run it along the edges of the wrapper so the moisture helps to seal it. Wrap each shrimp in the wrapper, with the tails exposed.
Heat the oil on a medium heat in a wide pan, then gently add about 4-6 to the now hot oil. Please don’t crowd the pan. Takes about 3-5 minutes to fully cook, but do remember to flip them so they brown on all sides. Simply remove out of the oil, place on paper towels to drain off the extra oil and continue frying the rest.
Try to serve warm to really get the rich flavors of the Caribbean bursting in your mouth as you tuck into them. I like serving it with a basic homemade peppers sauce!
If you make these in advance, you can reheat them when your guests arrive in your oven on a low heat (do NOT microwave). If that is the plan, I would recommend not cooking them fully when you originally fry them as you don’t want to shrimp to go like rubber on you.
Back to the dinner party and the challenge.. I’ve noticed that since I’ve been getting a lot of recognition for my escapades in the kitchen through all forms of media and with the recent success of my cookbook.. people are scared to host me now. They’re intimated to have me eat anything they have cooked.
This being the holiday season I thought I’d take a classic recipe for making saltfish buljol and put a little festive spin on it, to serve at your holiday party or to take with you as you visit family this holiday season. We’ll follow the same basic rules of making traditional saltfish buljol (basically a fish salad) and add a few other ingredients to help balance and brighten up the overall flavors of this classic dish. You’ll notice that I did post this under the gluten free recipe section, but do keep in mind that you’ll need a gluten free bread or cracker to serve these on, to meet with your complete gluten free dietary needs.
You’ll Need…
2 cups prepared salted fish (cod / shredded)
2 scallions (green part only)
1 cup diced mango
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup diced tomato (seeded)
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 lemon (juice)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 sprig thyme (chopped)
2 birds eye pepper (bird pepper) seeded and diced
The first step is to prepare the salted cod – place in a deep pot with cold water, bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for about 20 minutes (you can watch this video : How To Prepare Salted Fish For Use. Then drain, rinse with cool water and flake/shred. This process removes the majority of the salt (or it will be too salty) and rehydrates the fish. I would recommend using deboned salted fish as it makes for less work. But do remember to still be on the lookout for tiny bones as you flake the fish after boiling. Tip – after preparing the saltish, you can add it to a food processor and give it a couple pulses to get a lovely shredded texture.
Basically all you have to do now is dice the mango, tomato (please remove the seeds), scallion and cucumber. If you want to add more pizzazz to the dish you can also add some chopped grapes or pineapple.. or basically any firm fruit you like.
It’s all about assembling now. In a large blow place all the ingredients and gently fold together so you keep the shape of the mango and any tender fruit you use. I would then allow this to marinate for about 30 minutes, then top on your favourite cracker or bread.. in my case I used slices of French Baguettes. Another great idea would be to use lettuce leaves as wrappers and scoop some of the buljol in the middle and wrap them like spring rolls.
You’ll notice that we didn’t add any salt to this dish as the remaining salt from the salted cod (or whatever salted fish you use) will be enough to season this dish. Be carefully when handling the hot pepper and be sure to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after. I would not recommend assembling these (on the bread etc) until you’re about to serve it as the bread or cracker will go a bit soggy after about 30 minutes.
With just 3 recipes left in the “party food” theme we have going for November, I thought it was time to do something with bold Caribbean flavors. These jerk chicken wraps are excellent as everyday sandwiches for your family or watch your guests make a dash for the platter when you present these at your holiday gathering. You’ll be astonished at how moist and juicy the jerk chicken will be and with the fresh tropical fruit.. your taste buds will achieve a level of excitement reserved for food your mom makes which you still crave.
You’ll Need…
3 lb chicken breast (boneless)
1 1/2 cups jerk marinade
1 tablespoon veg oil
1 1/2 cups carrots (julienne and blanched)
1 1/2 cups lettuce
1 1/2 cup mango julienne
1 1/2 cup cucumber (ribbons)
1 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
10 inch flour tortillas (about 8-10)
Notes: I used my favorite packaged jerk marinade and suggest you do the same to save time. There’s been many requests since posting the video for this recipe, for the sort of garlic spread I used when putting it together. Directly below this recipe I’ll share that with you and since I don’t have a video for it, I’ll get one posted in the coming weeks.
The first step in making these jerk chicken wraps is to broil the chicken. Wash, drain and pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then pour in the marinade and allow to marinate for at least 1 hr. Set your oven on the broil setting and move the rack so it’s about 6-8 inches away from the main heat source. Line a baking pan with tin foil (easy clean up after) and brush on the oil or you can certainly use cooking spray. Now place the chicken on the tray, pour remaining marinade onto them and broil for 10 minutes. Then remove from the oven, flip over and broil for another 8 minutes. If you’re using thick chicken, broil an additional 4 minutes. Set aside to cool as you prepare the other ingredients.
As the chicken cools, it’s time to prepare the mango, carrots, cucumber and lettuce. With the carrots, you’ll need to bring about 3 cups of water to boil and toss in the julienne carrots into it for 25 seconds. Then place immediately into a bowl with ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Shred the lettuce (I used iceberg) and make sure the mango is firm and not over-ripe or it will be difficult to julienne .When the chicken is cool, slice into1/4 inch strips and if you have any drippings in the pan you broiled it in, pour it over the sliced chicken and give it a good mix.
It’s all about assembling the jerk chicken wraps now. Open out one of the flour tortillas, then spread about a teaspoon of the garlic spread across a 1 inch strip across the tortilla. Now place (across one end) a bit of the chicken, mango, pineapple, lettuce and cucumber ribbons and roll (try to tuck in everything as you roll) tightly. Then slice on a bios in the middle so you have two pieces of jerk chicken wrap. You’ll need toothpicks to hold these together.
If you’re wondering if we need a dipping sauce for this, the answer is no. The flavors of this will be enough to captivate everyone’s appetite on it’s own. You can make these ahead of time, cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge.
For the garlicky spread you’ll need:
2 (8 ounce) containers plain Greek yogurt
2 cucumbers – peeled, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
3 cloves garlic
Directions: In a food processor or blender, combine yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dill and garlic. Process until well-combined. Transfer to a separate dish, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour for best flavor.
* you can add a drop or 2 of honey as well if you want.
Winner Wanted!
Yes, it’s that time again. I’ve got a cool Keith Haring tote bag to give away to one lucky reader and I’m hoping it’s you. Over the past few months we’ve been giving away a lot of cookbooks on the site, so we thought we’d do something a little different tonight. This wicked looking tote bag is very stylish and I’m sure you’ll find use for it on your grocery shopping trips. All you have to do is leave me a comment below and your name will be automatically entered to win. Yea.. it’s that simple.
There are two bonus ways you can have your name entered in the contest, giving you 3 chances at winning. Along with leaving a comment below, go to the Facebook fan page and/or the Youtube cooking channel and leave a comment there. I don’t care what your comment is, but it would be nice if you could tell me what you like about Caribbean cuisine.
Here are the rules pertaining to winning this tote bag
– contest is open to everyone globally (even if you won something here before)
– there are 3 ways to enter your name (see above)
– 1 winner will be chosen at random (if you left 3 comments, your name will be entered 3 times)
– contest is open from November 28– to midnight December 10.
– winner will be announced within 1 week of the official close date.
– the winner will have 1 week to contact us with their mailing address
– we will cover all shipping expenses (standard mail)
I hope you take a moment to enter your name as I’d really like to mail this Keith Haring tote bag out to you. It’s simple, free and fun
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.
Though a very popular side dish/snack sold by many road-side vendors in Trinidad and Tobago, our only encounter with these tasty treats came yearly. Our mom’s cousin would always invite us to her home for Divali, where she would have a buffet of Indian influenced dishes and treats waiting for us. I can still remember that distinct scent of coconut oil burning in the deyas and the lovely aroma from the variety of dishes she prepared earlier in the day. Cousin Ivy is no longer with us (sadly), but the wonderful memories we have of her and the influence she’s made in my culinary journey will never be forgotten.
As part of the ‘party food’ theme for the month of November, I know you’ll be greeted with rave reviews after serving up a batch of these.
* In Trinidad and Tobago eggplant is sometimes called baigan.. maybe that’s where we get baiganee from?
You’ll Need…
I large eggplant (baigan.. about 1.5 lbs)
1 cup split peas powder/flour
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 teaspoon salt (for eggplant)
1/4 teaspoon salt (for batter)
Pinch curry powder
1/4 teaspoon tumeric powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup allpurpose flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (minced)
Water (see notes)
2 cups veg oil
Notes: I ended up using close to 1 1/2 cups of water in making the batter. You may have to adjust this slightly as the flours you’ll be using may be a bit different than the one I had. I used 2 smaller eggplant as I wanted them to be somewhat slim so the slices would not be like huge tires.
Wash, trim and dry the eggplant (cut off the stems and discard). Then cut into wheels about 1/4 inch thick.
The eggplant (baigan) usually has a sort of bitter aftertaste and contains a lot of moisture, so we need to remedy this. Line a cookie sheet or cutting board with paper towels (or tea towel), then arrange the sliced eggplant one layer thick. Now sprinkle the 1 teaspoon of salt over the cut surface (press into it), then flip over and do the other side. Allow this to sit for about 1 hour. You’ll have soaked paper towels and beads of liquid on top of each slice of eggplant. Using a towel or more paper towels, blot (press) and soak up this moisture.
Set aside and lets make the batter. Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl and give it a good whisk, to incorporate everything. Start adding water and whisk until you have a thick, well mixed batter. It’s important that the batter is thick (but runny enough) so it can coat each piece of eggplant.
It’s very important that the slices of eggplant are dry for the batter to really hold on to them. Tip: You can certainly dust each piece in flour before placing then into the batter if you wish. Heat the vegetable oil on a medium high flame, then set up a sort of frying station. You’ll have the slices of eggplant, the batter, the heated oil and a basket (or bowl) lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil after they’re fried.
Dip each slice into the batter and coat evenly. Shake of excess batter and gently place into the hot oil. Cook for a minute on one side, then flip and cook for another minute. Cook for a minute or two after and flip for an even golden colour. They will float as they cook and will only take about 3-4 minutes to fully cook. Fish out with tongs and allow to drain on the paper towels.
Depending on the size of frying pan you use, only fry about 3 slices at a time. Try not to over-crowd the pan, or you will alter the temperature of the oil and end up with soggy baiganee. These are best served warm and with a spicy dipping sauce. On the recipe index page, there’s the mango chutney, tamarind sauce and other spicy condiments you can serve these with.
After further thought I think our mom never made these at home since we were not fans of it as children… oh how that’s changed over the years. This is a wonderful vegetarian treat to pass around during the holiday season and if you’re having guests over for Divali (or have no friends to invite you these days like me), you can whip up a batch of these… they’re sure to be a hit.
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.
