While I’ve been told that our grandmother’s (maternal) version of this dish was unmatched, I’m sure she would be pleased with the excellent job I’m doing with this simplified take on a classic vegan dish from Trinidad and Tobago.
You’ll Need…
2-3 lbs eddoes 4 cloves garlic (chopped or smashed) 1 medium onion (sliced) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 1 green Scotch Bonnet pepper (sliced) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper water
Notes! If doing this dish gluten free, may I recommend that you go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements. May I also recommend that you watch the video below as I explain how to choose and peel eddoes and why it’s IMPORTANT that you wear gloves or coat your hands with oil before you handle them.
Peel, wash and cut the eddoes.
Heat the oil (your choice of oil) on a medium flame in a saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and black pepper. Turn the heat down to low and cook for 2-3 minutes.
It’s time to add the scotch bonnet pepper. I used an entire green one (not mature) as the heat level and flavor is somewhat unique. Should you prefer to leave out the “heat” element, you’re free to do so or use in amounts you can tolerate.
After about 2 minutes after adding the scotch bonnet pepper, it’s time to add the eddoes to the pot and stir well.
Add the salt and Caribbean green seasoning, followed by water and bring to a boil (turn the heat up). You need to add enough water to completely cover everything.
Reduce to a simmer and cook for between 20 and 25 minutes. The eddoes will start to break down and the sauce will thicken. Here’s where you’ll decide (once the eddoes are fully cooked – SOFT) how thick you want the gravy or sauce and adjust the salt to your liking.
I must admit that it’s not a pretty dish (maybe this explains why I was never a fan of it as a lil fella on the islands), however the flavor from such a simple dish is very surprising. I know the question on your mind is “what do we eat this with?” For me it’s got to be hot (thin) Sada Roti.
So what makes this version differ from my mom and her mom? Salted Cod! They both add flaked salted cod (say saltfish) along with the onion and garlic at the start.
Took a drive down into Buffalo NY a few weeks back and came across these Cherry Plums at the Trader Joes, intrigued… so a package came home with us. Unfortunately they were a bit to tart for my liking and the texture wasn’t what I expected. I hoped they would have been a bit firmer and not as soft. Childhood Chris kicked in and a chow was born.
You’ll Need…
1 package cherry plums 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 1 lemon (juice) 2 cloves garlic (crushed) Scotch Bonnet pepper (see notes below) thinly sliced 3 leaves shado beni(culantro) finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoon water
Notes! I used an entire Scotch Bonnet pepper including the seeds and white membrane around the seeds. Use as much hot pepper as you can handle and the variety you can access or prefer. Should you not have lemon juice, lime will work as well. Should you not be able to source Shado Beni (chadon beni , culantro), cilantro (coriander) will work – about 1 tablespoon chopped. WARNING! Wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water after handing such hot peppers as Scotch Bonnet.
Give the Cherry Plums (everyday North American Plums will work.. should I be able to source Caribbean type plums in the future, I’ll be sure to share that recipe) a wash, then (watch the video below) slice though the plums, hitting on the seeds inside as a guide. These cuts will allow for the spicy sauce to work it’s way inside.
Using a paring knife worked best for me.
Basically all you have to do now is place all the ingredients into a large bowl or jar and mix well. Remember to make it as spicy as you can handle. Yes, Habanero and Bird’s Eye peppers are great in this as well.
If there were stems on the cherry Plums, remove them at the start please.
Allow it to marinate or soak after you give it a good mix for about 30 minutes in the fridge before you dig in.
If you wanted to add some grapes (cut in half) or slices of apple in the mix, that would be delightful. Chow is meant to be spicy and the sort of spicy, herbal, citrus juice or marinade is prized to sip on at the end.
NO! I didn’t get a hint of Cherry in these Plums, however the Chow was excellent.
Summertime I look no further than my garden for inspiration for meals to make. With an abundance of chives and Jamaican Callaloo (chorai bhagi)and previously harvested garlic, I decided to put the leftover rice I had in the fridge, to use.
You’ll Need…
3 cups chilled pre-cooked rice (cooked in salted water) 1 lb Jamaican Callaloo (chorai bhagi aka spinach) 1 1/2 tablespoon grapeseed oil 6 chives (chopped) 1/3 red bell pepper (diced) 1/3 yellow bell pepper (diced) 1 1/2 tablespoon mushroom soy sauce 6 cloves garlic (sliced thin) 6-10 cherry tomatoes (1/4) Salted Cod (I used a little less than 1/4 lb) 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
Notes. Feel free to leave out the bell peppers if you wish. As explained in the video below, they were about to go bad in the fridge, so in the pot they made an appearance. Should you want this rice dish spicy, add some chili oil or finely diced hot pepper of your choice. I used par-boiled brown rice, but you’re ok using any rice you have on hand or enjoy. If doing this dish gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Wash the Jamaican Callaloo, remove the leaves and chop (explained in the video). May I recommend you prep the other ingredients in advance as well, as this is a very quick dish to put together. With the salted Cod, I poured boiling water over it, in a bowl. When it was cool to touch, I drained, squeezed out the water and flaked. I used boned (bones removed) salted cod, however I still looked for any bones which may still be present (remove and discard).
In your wok or frying pan on a medium heat, add the oil (I only used Grapeseed oil as that’s the only oil I had on hand – use olive, veg or coconut oil if you wish), followed by the salted Cod. Cook for 3 minutes, then add the sliced garlic and bell peppers. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the chives.
Cook for another minute then add the prepared Jamaican callaloo. It may look like a lot, but it will wilt down quickly. As it does, give everything a good mix.
About 3 minutes in, add the mushroom soy sauce.
Toss in the tomato and cook for about 5 minutes on a medium low heat. Natural juices will sprout. Turn up the heat at this point to burn off that liquid before adding the chilled rice. Yes, chilled rice will give you a more grainy fried rice at the end.
Top with the sesame oil and stir well to combine everything. Your heat should be on medium as all we need to do now is heat the rice through and we’re done. I’m not the biggest fan of sesame oil so I went in light, but you can add more if you wish. A little Oyster sauce would be nice in here, should you want to add a tablespoon or so.
Before you turn off the heat, taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Since the rice was cooked in salted water, the salted cod had remnants of the salt it was cured in and the mushroom soy sauce was a bit salty… I didn’t add any salt.
A wonderful summertime lunch, inspired by my lil kitchen garden.
Important! (save the hate)… I posted this recipe within the “Vegetarian” category as well. As explained in the video below, you may leave out the stewed chicken should you prefer for a fully vegan/vegetarian dish. With an abundance of Chorai Bhagi (aka, Jamaican Callaloo or Spinach) in my garden this year, naturally I could could not allow any to go to waste.
You’ll Need…
2 lbs Chorai Bhagi (prepared) 1 medium onion (sliced) 7 cloves garlic (smashed) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (optional) 2 tablespoon pure coconut cream Leftover Stewed Chicken (Caribbean style)
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. I used scotch bonnet pepper in the recipe, but you can leave it out should SPICY not be your thing. Additionally, you can use any spicy pepper you like or can access. Should you wish to add some diced tomato to the dish, it will add a lovely subtle flavor to things.
Wash and trim the leaves off the stems (I didn’t use any stems this time, but you can), then roll the Chorai into bundles you can handle and cut into ribbons 1 centimeter thick.
Heat the oil in a deep pot on a medium flame, then add the prepared Choria Bhagi to the pot and stir well.
Add the salt, black pepper, garlic and onion. Stir well!
It’s now time to add the coconut cream and scotch bonnet pepper should you decide to have the dish with a kick. Yes I kept the seeds.. trim off the seeds and white membrane around the seeds to control some of the heat (discard).
Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such HOT pepper.
Place the lid on the pot and cook for 10 minutes. It will wilt and lessen in amounts.
Add the leftover Stewed Chicken, stir well and place the lid back on for another 5 minutes.
Here’s when you personalize things to your liking. Taste and adjust the salt and you need to decide if it’s as ‘cooked’ as you like. In my case I removed the lid and cooked it for a further 3 minutes to burn off the liquid at the bottom of the pot.
Luckily I had some Sada Roti in the fridge my mom sent us home with the last time we visited, but it’s also EXCELLENT with Rice or dumplings.
Yet another version of String Beans as adapted from memories of growing up in the Caribbean. Pali (my nickname for Zyair Rook) and I were busy cleaning the weeds in the garden when we noticed that the beans we planted mid-spring had a bunch of beans ready for harvest. We harvested and cooked!
You’ll Need…
1 lb string beans 2 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 lb salted cod (prepared) 1 medium tomato (diced) 1 medium onion (sliced) 2 scallions (chopped) 1/2 bell pepper (sliced) 4 sprigs thyme 2 tablespoon water 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 4-6 cloves garlic (diced)
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 requirements. I used Salted Cod, but you can use your fav dry/salted fish. There were no spicy peppers (like Scotch bonnet) used in the recipe as explained in the video below.
Wash the string beans, then remove the ends and discard. Chop or break into 1 to 2 inch pieces and set aside. For the Salted Cod, I placed it in a bowl then added boiling water onto it. When it was cool to touch I squeezed out the water, rinsed with cool water.. squeezed out that water and shredded it into bits. Note that I used boned (boneless) salted Cod, but I still kept an eye out for any bones.
Heat the olive oil in a wide pan on a medium flame, then add the prepared salted Cod, followed by the onion, garlic and black pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 4 minutes. Add the bell pepper (optional), thyme, scallions and should you decide to add any spicy pepper, do so now. Cook a further 3 minutes.
Turn the heat back up to medium and add the prepared String Beans (French beans will work too) and stir well.
Add the water and bring to a boil with the lid on.
Toss in the tomato, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes with the lid on.
It’s now time to personalize things a bit. Check for salt and add if necessary, I didn’t add any as explained in the video, and should there still be liquid at the bottom of the pot, remove the lid (as I did) and cook a further 5 minutes with the lid off.
Personally I like the beans with a slight bit of body. We had it with Sada Roti in case you’re curious. But it’s just as delicious as a topping for steaming rice.
Pak Choi (Pak Choy or Bok Choy) as I recall, mom usually cooked when she had leftover Stewed Pork from the previous evening’s dinner to add to the mix. Rarely did she ever make it on it’s own or with salted cod (say saltfish) as I’m about to share with you.
You’ll Need…
5 lbs Pak Choi 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (optional) 1/4 lb prepared salted Pollock 8-10 grape tomato 1/2 large onion (sliced) 7 cloves garlic (smashed) 2 tablespoon olive oil
Notes. The Salted Cod (salted Cod will work, but it can be a bit more expensive) I used was packaged as ‘boned’, which means the bones were removed. Watch this video on How To Prepare Salted Fish for use. I used chopped grape tomatoes, but you can dice a whole large tomato should you not have any. If you’d like to keep this fully vegan, you can skip the salted fish step. IMPORTANT! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your gluten free dietary needs.
It’s very important that you remove all the leaves of the Pak Choi and wash them individually (explained why in the video below). Then trim off the bottom (discard), stack and chop.
Prep your other ingredients as well.
In a wide saucepan on a medium low flame, add the olive oil (use any oil you like using) followed by the salted fish pieces. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Then add the onion, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper (if you like things spicy) and black pepper. Cook for a further 3 minutes.
It’s now time to start adding the washed and chopped Pak Choi to the pot. It will seem like a lot, but in a few minutes it will wilt down and easily fit in the sauce pan. I try to not cover the pan as I find it develops too much moisture (apart from the moisture the pak choi will already release).
Keep adding the chopped pak choi as it wilts down, then add the salt. Note. The salted Pollock may still have a bit of salt left in it even after you prepare it, so please keep that in mind. Reduce your heat to medium low and cook for about 25 minutes.
At this point, add the tomato to the pot and stir well. It’s now time to personalize this dish a bit. Taste and adjust the salt to your liking and in my case it still had a tiny bit of moisture on the bottom of the pan, so I cranked up the heat for 5 minutes, to get rid of that (fry it dong, as my mom say). However it’s up to you if you want that moisture as it’s fully cooked at this point.
This day I enjoyed it with rice, but my favorite is with Sada Roti fresh off the tawa.
Another version of this CLASSIC Caribbean dish – Stewed saltfish! In this adaptation we’ll add chopped cabbage and a few ochroes (Okra) for additional body and flavor, as my grandma would. As a lil fella growing up on the islands, I had no luv for salted Cod (fish) and to be honest I’m sure my siblings and I gave mom hell whenever she would cook with it. However as I grew older I found that I truly appreciate how it can stand on it’s own and/or how much flavor it can add to dishes.
I purchased boned (bones removed) Salted Cod, but as I prepared it, I did pay attention for any bones which may still be present (remove).
I’d recommend preparing all of the ingredients first. In the case of the Salted Cod (any salted fish you decide to use), you can watch this video How To Prepare Salted Cod For Use. Basically you need to rehydrate it and during the process, remove most of the salt it was cured with.
With the okra, I trimmed off the stems and sliced the larger ones down the middle. Heat a wide saucepan on a medium heat, then add the oil, onion, garlic, black pepper, thyme and hot pepper (should you decide to use any – any hot pepper you like or have on hand will work). As you get a sizzle going, turn the heat down to low.
After about 4 minutes on that low heat, add the prepared Salted Cod to the mix and stir well. Cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Turn the heat to medium (so it comes up to a boil) now and add the tomato, cabbage and okra to the pot. Stir well to combine and coat everything with that delicious flavored oil we created. Cover the pot if you have a lid large enough and allow it to cook on a medium/low flame.
SALT! I did not add any salt to this dish as the remining salt in the salted Cod was enough for my liking, but I’d recommend tasting near the end and adjust accordingly.
Basically at this point all you need to do is cook the okra to your liking and you’re done. I gave it 6-7 minutes after adding the cabbage and okra. Top it with the scallions and turn off the heat. The residual heat will heat up the scallion and give it a lovely finishing note. This day I had this stewed saltfish with boiled eddoes and dasheen… my idea of comfort food.
With an abundance of vegetables in my garden(last summer), it was only natural that I made this incredible vegetable fried rice when I came across some leftover rice in the fridge. I’m a huge fan of rice, that combined with the ability to put what I’ve grown into a dish, Uncle Chris was a very happy fella.
Wash and prep the vegetables. (watch the video below).
Heat the oil on medium flame in a wok or pot of your choice.
Add the onion, bodi and stems of the chard and kale as those are the more tough vegetables. Grate in the ginger, toss in the chili pepper (bird’s eye) and add the crushed garlic. Stir well.
Cook for 3-4 minutes then add the okra and sesame oil and stir well. Now add the leafy parts of the Chard and Kale. It may seem like a lot, but it will wilt down.
Add the Chinese Cooking Wine, Hoisin, dark Soy Sauce and light Soy Sauce. Mix!
As I’ve mentioned in past Fried Rice recipes, try to make sure the rice is cool or chilled (for a more grainy finish) . Fold in the rice, warm through and you’re done. Yes the rice was cooked in salted water, plus the 2 different soy sauces we used will be enough salt for me. Taste and adjust (add salt) if you wish.
Yet another recipe on here you won’t associate with the Caribbean, however it’s one I do quite often and felt the need to share with you. Slowly braised in the oven until the meat falls of the bones, it’s packed with deep rich and comforting flavors. Winters can be quite brutal in Canada, so a dish like this hits the spot on those cold nights and the leftovers can be frozen and reheated easily.
You’ll Need…
4-5 lbs beef short ribs 1 teaspoon black pepper (divided) 1 tablespoon sea salt (divided) 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion (diced) 3 cloves garlic (smashed) 6-8 sprigs thyme 2 tablespoon tomato paste concentrate 2 scallions (chopped) 2 cups beef stock (adjust if necessary) 1 large carrot (cut into wheels) 2 bay leaves 2 pimento peppers (sliced) 1/2 lb mushrooms 3/4 cup Port (or your fav wine) 1 tablespoon golden brown sugar zest of a lemon 2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
Note! Remember to taste at the end for salt and adjust to your own liking. Also note that if you find you have little liquid left and the ribs are not tender, feel free to add a bit more beef stock (warm it in the microwave first as you don’t want to add cold stock to the pot). I left the mushrooms whole as they were small, plus I wanted them to maintain their shape and not fall apart during the lengthy cooking process.
The ribs were washed and pat dry. Then I hit them with 1/2 the salt and black pepper. If you wanted you can dust them in all-purpose flour as that will help you develop a thicker gravy at the end. I didn’t.
Heat a heavy oven-proof pot (with a lid) on a medium high flame, then add the oil and (in batches) brown the pieces of beef ribs. Takes about 3-4 minutes on each side. Do in batches so you don’t crowd the pan and enable it to spring liquid. Then it will boil.
Remove and set aside. Then in the same pot (remove some of the fat – leave back about 1 1/2 tablespoon) and reduce the heat to low. Now add the onion, garlic, pimento peppers (optional as they can be difficult to source), scallions and the remaining black pepper. Cook on low.
After 3 minutes, add the mushrooms and stir to coat with all that flavor we have in the pot. Turn the heat to medium/low.
After 2-3 minutes, it’s time to add the tomato paste and spread so it gets in contact with the bottom of the hot pot. This will bring out the natural sweetness of the tomato paste.
3 minutes later it’s time to add the Port (or your fav red wine) and scrape the bottom of the pan to release everything (Fond – brown bits on the bottom of the pot)at the bottom of the pot. It will take a couple minutes for that alcohol in the Port to burn off and leave us with the deep rich flavor we need.
Add the stock and stir. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Bring this to a boil (turn up the heat).
As it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and tuck in the pieces of browned ribs into this liquid.
Add the remaining salt (be mindful that the stock you use will have sodium), bay leaves, thyme, sugar (helps to balance the acidity from the Port and Tomato Paste) and carrots. Bring back to a boil.
Place the lid on and onto the middle rack of the oven. Stir every 30-45 minutes.
Two hours and forty-five minutes later and they should be TENDER and falling off the bones, with a robust gravy. Tip the pot and remove some of the oil on the surface (my ribs were a bit fatty) and discard. Finish with the parsley and lemon zest to brighten things up.
I speak a LOT about comfort food and dishes which takes me back to a place and time in the Caribbean where life was GRAND. I was a carefree lil man, mommy spoiled us tremendously (especially at dinner time) and Caribbean everyday life was just joyous. I wish my children would have known/experienced that kind upbringing. Canada nice, but that life was SWEET (as we say).
You’ll Need…
5 lbs oxtails (trimmed) 1/2 lemon (juice) 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon Worchester sauce 2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 1 scotch bonnet pepper 1 seasoning pepper (pimento or roulette) 1 large onion (diced) 1 teaspoon grated ginger 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup 1 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil 2 tablespoon golden (light) brown sugar 1 large carrot (sliced) 4 sprigs thyme 2 scallions (chopped) 2 cups coconut milk 6-8 cups water divided 2 1/2 cups par-boiled brown rice 1 1/2 cup diced pumpkin 2 stalks celery (diced) 10-12 okra (cut in rings) 1 1/2 cups pigeon peas 1/3 lb baby spinach 2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
Important! Please get your butcher to cut your oxtail into 1 inch pieces as you home knife or cleaver will not be able to cut through the bones. Be sure to trim off all excess fat and discard. Wash your hands with soap and water after handling the Scotch Bonnet Pepper.
Use the juice of the lemon and cool water (not mentioned in the ingredient list) to wash the pieces of oxtail and try your best to trim off as much of the fat as you can. The saw the butcher will use to cut it, will leave-back a gritty bone dust.
Place the washed and drained oxtail pieces in a large bowl and season with the salt, black pepper, ketchup, Worchester sauce, onion, scotch bonnet pepper (adjust to your preference), seasoning pepper (optional) and Caribbean Green Seasoning. Mix well and set aside to marinate for a couple hours. Overnight is best.
In a large heavy pot on high flame, add the coconut oil (use any oil you want, I just luv the flavor of the coconut oil in this dish) followed by the brown sugar. This is the ‘stewing” process and rest assured it will not sweeten the dish. The sugar will melt, go frothy, then deep amber (NOT BLACK), this is when you add the seasoned oxtails to the pot. Yea marinade and all. Add a few pieces at a time and stir to coat. Watch the video below to see this step.
As it comes to a boil, reduce to low and cover the pot. Yes it will spring it’s own juices.
After 15 minutes, it’s time to further develop color and flavor by burning off all that natural liquid. Heat on high now and lid off.
When all the liquid is gone and you see the oil we started with (it will take about 5-7 minutes), it’s time to add the fresh thyme, scallions, carrot and grated ginger. Give it a stir. please note that the ginger will have a fiery note. Pour in the coconut milk and 2 cups of water (swish that water in the same bowl you marinated the oxtail in to pick up any marinade remnants).
In about 5 minutes on high heat it will come to a boil, reduce the heat to low, lid on and allow this slowly cook.
2 1/2 hours later, the oxtail is tender. BUT.. be mindful, depending on the age of the animal when it was harvested, it may take longer to go tender. Adjust the cooking time to suit. I paid a bit expensive at the butcher for this batch as he said “tender – cook quickly”.. with his Eastern European accent.
Now add the pumpkin, okra (yes, not traditional… however you want this), pigeon peas, celery and carrot. Stir, then add the washed rice. Basically washing rice means to rinse with cool water, drain and repeat until the water runs clear.
Heat on high at this point. Add the remaining water and bring to a boil. Toss in the spinach as this point as well. As it comes to a boil, reduce to a rolling boil and lid OFF.
Basically all you’re waiting for now is the rice to go tender, plump and most of the liquid to burn off. It will take about 25 minutes or so. BUT.. here is where you get to personalize things a bit. Check the salt and adjust to your liking and once the rice is tender you have the option to burn off all the liquid and get a “Dry” Pelau, or do like me and go ‘Wet”. Meaning it’s a bit moist and runny. In the pics below it’s WET, but it did dry up a bit more as the residual heat from the pot further thickened things up. As you turn off the stove, top with the parsley.
Besides having Team “Wet” vs Team “Dry” when it’s comes to this classic one-pot masterpiece from the Caribbean, the overall color is also a major talking point when it comes to Pelau. Some people like it much darker than what you see in the images, but in my defense the 2 massive overhead camera lights did brighten up the pics more than what they were naturally. Getting it darker is something we’ll discuss in another Pelau recipe. Serve HOT!
At the beginning I talked about how much I enjoyed being born and growing up in the Caribbean.. know that I do enjoy and give thanks for my life in Canada as well.
With an abundance of peppers from my garden at the end of every Summer, this method of preserving them for the COLD winter months is one of my go-to tasks. On average I grow at least 5-8 varieties of the hottest peppers in the world every year in my small Canadian garden.. such is my luv for heat! Now I pointed out “Canadian” garden as I know most people associate growing such peppers in tropical countries.
You’ll Need…
Peppers (choice is yours what you use”
IMPORTANT: Oven drying slowly dehydrates food at around 140 – 200 degrees Fahrenheit (60 – 100 degrees Celsius). In the event you don’t have access to a food dehydrator, feel free to use your oven. Line baking trays with parchment paper and space out the cut peppers on them.
WARNING! Before you start, wear gloves… and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handing such hot peppers.
Wash and dry the peppers (remove the stems). Then cut each in half to make the dehydration process faster and most effective. You may remove the seeds if you want to tame the heat a bit, but as with all pepper flakes… I want seeds and everything.
Place on a single layer with a bit of space between each on the trays. I started with cut side down.
Set temp to 145 F
TIP! rotate trays – basically spin them around during the process as I found that the front was dehydrating faster that the back of the tray (poor circulation in my dehydrator maybe).
It can take up to 18 hrs to be fully dry and moisture free. However there will be some which will finish faster, so you can remove those (use gloves or tongs) and set aside.
Basically all you have to do now is place them in your food processor and PULSE until they break down to the size flakes you like. WARNING! Be mindful that these are HOT peppers and the dust etc will want to cause you to choke.
Store in an airtight container in your spice rack. ENJOY!
Here’s another classic dish we make with Pigeon Peas, especially when they’re in full production from early January in the Caribbean (harvest/production last for about 3 months if memory serves me right). In my case I’m based in Canada where the growing season is not long enough for us to have it in our garden. However, we do get quality stuff in the freezer section of major grocery stores.
You’ll Need..
3-4 lbs chicken 3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust) 2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 3/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 scotch bonnet pepper 1/2 medium tomato (chopped) 3 cups pigeon peas 2 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoon curry powder 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 medium onion (diced) 1 teaspoon of Anchar Masala 7-9 cloves garlic (rough chop) 2 1/3 cups water (divided) 2 medium potatoes (sliced thin) 2 tablespoon shado beniculantro (or 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. I used pigeon peas from frozen, but the recipe works with fresh pigeon peas just as well. If you can only access canned pigeon peas, there’s no need to pre cook them. Drain, rinse and add when I do in the cooking process.
Thaw, rinse and place the peas in a deep pot covered with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 45 mins to 1 hour. This will help to precook the peas and get rid of a ‘weird’ taste you get if you don’t pre boil them. After 1/2 hr of cooking, drain the water and repeat for another 30 minutes with new water. Then drain and set aside for later.
In a large bowl ad the cut chicken (serving size pieces), add the salt, black pepper, Caribbean Green Seasoning, scotch bonnet and tomato. Stir well and allow it to marinate for about 1-2 hours.
Heat the oil on a medium flame in a deep pot, then add the onion and garlic and cook on LOW for 2-3 minutes. Add the cumin seeds, stir and cook for 2 minutes, then add the curry powder. Keep the heat on low.
3 minutes after adding the curry powder, turn the heat to medium and add the 1/3 cup water, followed by the Anchar masala and stir well. The goal is to cook out the rawness of the curry and allow the spices to bloom. Additionally with the heat on medium we’ll burn off all the liquid and try to get back to the oil we started off with.
Turn the heat to high and start adding the seasoned chicken to the pot. Stir well to coat the chicken pieces and deglaze the bottom of the pot with the chicken pieces. Side note – put the water in the same bowl we marinated the chicken in to pick up any remaining marinade.
Bring to a boil and it will start releasing it’s own natural juices after about 5 minutes. The goal again here is to burn off that liquid to intensify the overall flavor.
Once the liquid is gone, it’s time to add the pre-cooked pigeon peas, sliced potato and water (stir well). Bring to a boil.
After it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to between a simmer and a rolling boil (medium – low heat). Cook with the lid on, slightly ajar.
After 20 minutes its time personalize things. Adjust the salt and get the gravy to consistency you like. Finally top with the chopped shado beni (culantro) or cilantro if you cannot source shado beni. To thicken the gravy, you can crush some of the potato if you like. I usually use the back of my spoon to crush some of the pigeon peas to thicken things up.
Pigeon Peas (Cajanus cajan) whose cultivation can be traced back more than 3,500 years, is known by a variety of names: Congo pea, Angola pea and red gram.LA Times.
This Curry Chicken with Pigeon Peas is a dish which screams for hot roti, but just as enjoyable with steamed or boiled rice.
