stirfry Archives | CaribbeanPot.com

The splendor and simplicity of quickly cooked vegetables is very much highlighted in this recipe. I grew up eating vegetables fresh (organic) from our little kitchen garden at the back on the house. So even as a lil fella on the islands, mommy never had a problem getting us to eat stir fry. Okra and bitter melon (caralie), now that’s a different story.

You’ll Need…

1/2 small savoy cabbage (chopped)
1 carrot (julienne)
1/2 red bell pepper (cut 1/2 inch pieces)
1/2 yellow bell pepper (cut 1/2 inch pieces)
1/2 Christophene (cho cho or Chayote)
1/2 medium onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (diced fine)
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
10 string beans (trimmed & cut 1 inch)
1/4 large broccoli (cut into florets)
1 teaspoon veg oil
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Hoisin Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Sesame oil
1-2 tablespoon water

Wash and core the Christophene, then cut into strips (watch the video below). You may remove the skin if you want (with a pairing knife or potato peeler).

Prep the other vegetables we’ll be using. I like cutting them into different shapes as it gives the finished dish wonderful textures.

Heat a pan of medium/high heat and go in with the oil, followed by the onion, garlic and ginger. Add the black pepper, sesame oil (I’m not a huge fan of it, so you can add more if you wish) and cook for about 1 minute.

Now go in with the more tough vegetables… Christophene, carrot and string beans. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add the broccoli and water. The water is to create a bit of steam to cook the vegetables without burning.

I didn’t add any salt as I’m cutting back on my sodium intake and the soy sauce is enough to season this for me. However, you may want to add about 3/4 teaspoon salt.

Now add the bell peppers and stir well.

Three minutes later add the Hoisin and mix well to make sure all the vegetables are coated with it. Toss in the cabbage, give it 2 minutes and you’re done. For additional favor you’re free to add a teaspoon of Oyster Sauce.

I maintained a med/high heat and at no time did I cover the pan. I used a non-stick pan so I didn’t have to use much oil. You’re also free to add any of your fav vegetables if you wish. Be creative!

NOTE! I like my vegetables with a slight crunch, so you may need to cook an extra minute or two if you like your vegetables cooked longer.

Jerk Chicken Stirfry.

May 27, 2025August 29, 2016Leave a Comment

After sharing a pic of this Jerk Chicken Stirfry on Instagram, I had someone comment “what is leftover jerk chicken?” I do agree, there are many Caribbean dishes which always seems to be gone by the end of the meal. Keeping in mind that I make additional dishes with leftover jerk chicken (chicken salad, fried rice and stirfry) I purposely make extra every-time I make jerk chicken (same can be said about Stew Chicken as well). This an absolute WINNER in my home and I’m sure it will make a delicious impression on you and your family.

You’ll Need…

1 tablespoon veg oil
1 cup diced Jerk Chicken
3-4 cups cabbage
1/2 medium bell pepper
1/2 med carrot
1 stalk celery
1 clove garlic
thin piece of ginger (diced)
1/2 medium onion
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
jerk marinade or pan drippings

optional – few drops of sesame oil

* Important. If doing this recipe gluten free, do go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs – especially the sauces (soy, jerk, Hoisin and sesame oil)

I usually use chicken pieces with bones when I make Jamaican jerk chicken as I love the additional flavor you get from the bones. In my case I had to remove the meat off the bones (I used a leg and breast) and gave it a rough chop. Set aside. IMPORTANT! If you have any pan drippings from your jerk chicken SAVE it and add to this dish.

Prepare the vegetables and set aside. Try to keep them the same size so they cook evenly.

Heat the oil in a wide pan on low and go in with the garlic for 20 seconds.

Turn up the heat to medium and go in with the peppers, onion, ginger and celery and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add the soy and Hoisin sauces and toss.

Now go in with the pieces of jerk chicken, mix well and then the cabbage. At this point you can add all of the other ingredients.

Remember to add any pan drippings you may have and for a MORE intense jerk flavor you can add a tablespoon of your fav jerk sauce/marinade. Please don’t cover the pot as we want the vegetables to maintain a slight crunch. That is unless you like soggy vegetables, then do your thing. The soy and salt we added should be enough to properly season this dish, but you can adjust to your own liking.

Now you have a reason to make extra jerk chicken!

Meat & Poultry

Jerk Chicken Noodle Stir Fry.

May 27, 2025January 16, 20157 Comments

Here’s another dish I enjoy making when we have leftover jerk chicken (something not too common in this house). From the flavors of the residual jerk marinade on the chicken to texture of the slightly cooked vegetables, this is an ideal one-pot dish. As I’ve mentioned in the past, after slavery was abolished on the islands, many indentured laborers from China and India were brought in to facilitate the shortage of labor. So you’ll find that our culinary culture reflect this infusion of Asian flavors and technique in cooking. This dish is the perfect example of how the Caribbean and Asia comes together for something absolutely mouthwatering.

If you can, try to get a “Guyanese” chow-mein type noodle – can be found at most West Indian markets.. it works best for this dish in my opinion.

You’ll Need…

1 package Noodles (about 340 G | 12 oz)
1 stalk celery
1/2 carrot
2 scallions
2 cups jerk chicken (cubed)
2 birds eye pepper (optional)
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups cabbage
1 teaspoon Oyster sauce
1 teaspoon Hoisin Sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon veg oil

* Cook the noodles according to package directions “but”.. if it says to cook for 5 minutes, try to under-cook it by a minute or so, so you don’t end up with soggy noodle when it’s stir fried.

Prepare your vegetables (cut, dice etc). I had leftover jerk chicken breast, so all I did was cube it into bit sized pieces. If you don’t have leftover jerk chicken, take 2 large chicken breasts, marinate in your fav Jamaican jerk marinade and broil in the oven for about 15-20 mins (depends on the thickness). Be sure to keep as much of the jerk marinade on the chicken as you cube it as it will add that wicked jerk flavor to this noodle stirfry.

Cook the noodles,drain and set aside. Be sure to have all your ingredients prepped as this is all about cooking fast!

In a deep pan heat the oil on a medium flame then go in with the diced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the celery, cabbage and carrot and cook for another 1-2 minutes. At this time you can add the two birds eye pepper (whole) so we get some flavor and not the raw heat.

It’s now time to add all the sauces and stir well, then go in with the cubed chicken.

Stir well so we get that ‘jerk’ flavor throughout the dish. If you wish you can add a tablespoon of jerk marinade to the pot for that extra kick of Caribbean goodness. Finally it’s time to add the pre-cooked noodles to the pot, stir well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Then top with the chopped scallion and you’re done!

It will be normal for the noodle to clump a bit when it’s cooled, but as you add it to the pot and stir.. it will loosen up. Remember to remove the whole peppers (or leave it for those who like heat) before serving. If you want an additional kick (remember the jerk marinade will have scotch bonnet) you can always break the birds eye pepper.

You can personalize this dish by adding your fav vegetables and that’s also a great way to stretch this dish for more people. Bell pepper, bean sprouts, broccoli, zucchini and Christophene (Jamaican choc cho | chayote) will all work well in this dish. NOTE: You will notice that I didn’t add any salt as I’m trying to cut back on the amount of sodium in my diet and the soy sauce will be enough to season this for me. But do taste near the end and adjust to your liking.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

How To Make A Quick Beef Stir Fry (gluten free).

December 17, 2014September 15, 20143 Comments

This recipe takes me back to a time when I was in my early teens and I’d go to watch movies on the weekend in San Fernando (Trinidad) with my bother and our dad. There was a Chinese restaurant on Mucurapo Street where we’d usually end up as I’ve had a weakness for Chinese food for as long as I can remember and they had a delicious beef stir fry I craved (they enjoyed the food too). This beef stir fry recipe is very different from that one, but it’s just as satisfying and a good fix for my friends who are on a gluten free diet.

You’ll Need…

3/4 lb beef (thinly sliced across the grain)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 scallions
3 cups bell peppers
3 thin slices of ginger
2 cloves of garlic diced
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 teaspoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Caribbean browning

* Be sure to get “Caribbean Browning” that’s gluten free (read the label). It can be purchased at most west Indian type grocery stores.

Thinly slice the beef across the grain and marinate with the Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt and black pepper for about 1/2 hour in the fridge.

Prep the other ingredients so when it’s time to cook everything will be ready. Chop the bell peppers and scallion, slice the ginger and dice the garlic and scotch bonnet finely. Remember to NOT leave any seeds from the scotch bonnet and be sure to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water.

Now heat a heavy wide pan (or wok) on medium high heat and toss in the seasoned pieces of beef. Stir well to cook though quickly. It will cook for about 4-6 minutes and as it does, make a space in the center of the pan and add the diced scotch bonnet, garlic and slices of ginger.

Please add the Caribbean Browning (if you cannot source it, use 1 teaspoon soy sauce and the same amount of oyster sauce – be sure it’s gluten free if you want to maintain a gluten free recipe) and mix it well to add color to all the pieces of beef.

Add the bell peppers and scallions and cook for about 3 minutes (depends on how tender you want the peppers). taste for salt and adjust accordingly.

You’ll notice that I tried to keep this recipe as “Caribbean” as I could, but I must confess that the Chinese version with the Chinese cooking wine, Soy, Oyster Sauce and a bit of Hoisin sauce is till my fave! I also like add a bit of chopped bok choi and thinly sliced carrots when I want to stretch this beef stir fry to feed more people. If using soy be sure to keep that in mind when seasoning the beef with salt as the soy will add a salty element to the dish.

Meat & Poultry

Spicy Beef Noodle Stir Fry.

May 6, 2013January 20, 20138 Comments

One of the first things I look forward to when I visit my homeland (besides doubles and bake and shark sandwiches) is the island influenced Chinese food, which is a huge part of our everyday culinary landscape. As I’ve talked about in the past, the Chinese (workers who came to the Caribbean after slavery was abolished) contribution to our melting pot is tremendous and on islands like Jamaica, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago as well as Guyana it’s quite evident in the passion we have for such dishes.

This spicy beef noodle stir fry is yet another one of those dishes where you’ll see a Caribbean stamp on a classic Chinese dish.

You’ll Need…

1/4 lb beef (sliced thin)
1/4 teaspoon 5 spice powder
8 oz egg noodle (cook according to package directions)
1 carrot
2 cups bean sprouts (or cabbage)
1 large onion
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 scallions
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (diced fine – no seeds)
2 cups sweet pepper (bell – different colors)
1 cup broccoli
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 table spoon vegetable oil (divided)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup snow peas

For the sauce….

2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soya sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Tip: To get thinly sliced beef, firm it a bit in the freezer. If it’s fully thawed it may be difficult to handle.

It’s important when doing a stir fry that you have everything prepped as the goal is to cook fast on high heat. So with your beef sliced thin, season it with the salt, grated ginger and the five spice powder (see Asian and West Indian grocery stores for this) and allow it to marinate for about 10 minutes. In the meantime peel, chop and cube your vegetables. Remember to try and keep them uniform in size so they cook evenly.

Tip 2. I usually cook the noodles before and allow it to drain and cool a bit. Follow the package cooking instructions, but cut back on the boiling time a bit. So if it says to boil for 6 minutes, only do so for 4 minutes. You don’t want to risk it being overcooked and soggy when you add it to dish.

In a wok or huge non-stick frying pan heat 2 tablespoon of the veg oil and add the seasoned beef. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then remove and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and heat for a minute. Now add the sliced onion and grated garlic.. cook for a minute, then start adding the vegetables, except the bean sprouts and scallions. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

The idea is to soften up the vegetables, allow it to release it’s flavors, but still have a little crunch to them. Move the vegetables to the side to form a sort of hole in the middle of the pan and add all the ingredients for the sauce. We need to heat it a bit to really release their flavors. Now mix everything well so the vegetables are coasted with this lovely sauce. The orange juice may seem a bit strange, but trust me on this.

Add the pre-cooked beef back to the wok, top with the cooked noodles and toss well. Now it’s time to top with the bean sprouts and chopped scallions and mix well.Cook for a further minute or 2.

This is one of those one pot meals, where you’ll have your vegetables, protein (beef) and carbs from the noodles.. the flavors from the ingredients in the sauce we made will be outstanding and the fact that we cooked this quickly on high heat will give it a wonderful texture. Don’t sleep on the ginger and 5 spice powder we marinated to beef with as it will certainly get your taste buds exploding with excitement.

Remember when handling hot peppers like scotch bonnet to wear gloves, wash your hands immediately after with soap and water and don’t include any seeds. The seeds and white membrane surrounding the seeds is where the killer-heat will be.

There was enough here for 4-5 people in case you’re wondering.

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.

stirfry

Quick And Tasty Vegetable Stir Fry.

Jerk Chicken Stirfry.

Jerk Chicken Noodle Stir Fry.

How To Make A Quick Beef Stir Fry (gluten free).

Spicy Beef Noodle Stir Fry.

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