Most recently I shared the Lychee Chow recipe, which became an instant hit with fans and those only now stumbling onto my little space on the internet. Like all of the other “Chow” recipes I’ve shared, they all have their own uniqueness based on the main ingredient used. However I came to realize over the years that apple chow is indeed my favourite.
You’ll Need…
2 lemons (juice) 1 lime (juice) 4-6 cloves garlic (crushed) 2-3 Habanero Peppers (sliced thin – adjust) 4 Chadon Beni leaves (sliced thinly) 7-8 small apples (crisp) 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 – 3/4 cup water
Notes! Please follow along with the video below as much more is discussed there. Including how many hot peppers to use (and types) and why peeling the apples gives a better result. Should you not be able to source the Chadon Beni (culantro), you may use 2 tablespoons of finely chopped Cilantro (coriander). If making this dish gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to ensure that they meet your specific gluten free dietary requirements.
In a large bowl, squeeze in the lemon and lime, then add the garlic and Scotch Bonnet peppers. Please wear gloves when handling such hot peppers and remember to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after.
I explained in the video that starting this way means that when you add the apple pieces, they will not discolor. Add the chopped Chadon Beni (culantro) at this point as well.
As I add the peeled and chopped apple pieces (be sure to use a variety of apples which are crisp as soft apples will take on a weird texture) I stir to coat with the juices in the bowl.
Once you’re done adding all of the apple pieces, sprinkle on the salt and black pepper.
At this point you’ll pour the water directly over the areas where the salt was added. This will assist in dissolving the salt.
Stir well, then into the fridge to marinate (or soak as we say) for 30 minutes.
It will keep in the fridge for a few days, but rest assured it will be gone before. Save the liquid and add a few more apples if you want. This is one of my fav snacks, especially during the hot days of summer when I have a cool drink in hand sitting out back in the garden. IMPORTANT! This will be very spicy.
Here’s yet another tropical fruit begging to made into a chow as we’ve done with pineapple, mango, Pommecythere and oranges. Essentially a quick sort of spicy pickle that as kids and even adults, we snack on. In the case of adults, it’s usually when we’re enjoying some ‘beverages’.
You’ll Need…
1 lb lychee (peeled) 1/3 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 lemon (juice) 1 large clove garlic (crushed) 1 teaspoon crushed chili flakes (Chinese) 1 large leaf Chadon Beni (culantro) – chopped 1 tablespoon chives (chopped finely)
Notes! Please follow along with the video below as much more about the recipe is discussed there. If making this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to ensure they meet your specific gluten free dietary requirements.
Wash the Lychees, peel and wash/drain again. Then into a large bowl.
Add all of the ingredients and mix well to combine.
If you cannot source the Chadon Beni (culantro), you may add 2 tablespoon of finely chopped cilantro (coriander). Should you have a lime instead of a lemon, that will also work. And if you don’t have access to that fine Chinese pepper flakes, you may use finely chopped Scotch Bonnet or any spicy pepper you like and in the amount you can tolerate.
You may enjoy it immediately after mixing, but may I recommend that you place it in the fridge for 30 minutes for the lychee to absorb the flavors.
Over the years I’ve shared many traditional (mango, cucumber, pineapple and Pommecythere), along with nontraditional type Chow recipes with you. Including ones made with Cherries, Grapes, and Strawberries. Surprisingly I’ve never shared my Peach Chow with you. Until today!
You’ll Need…
5 Peaches (firm) 3-5 cloves garlic 3 leaves Shado Beni (aka chando Beni or culantro) 1 scotch bonnet pepper 1 fatali pepper 2 lemons (juice) 1 lime (juice) 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 1 small red onion (sliced thin) * water
Note! Please watch the video below to see how easy it was to cut the peaches into wedges and why using firm peaches which are air-dried first, gives you best results. The type of hot pepper you use is up to you. Chow is supposed to be spicy, but you’re free to tailor this to your own liking and heat tolerance. Reminder – wash you hands with soap and water after handling hot peppers.
Give the peaches a rinse then remove the seeds (stone, pit) and cut into segments. At this point I like for the pieces to air dry for about 30 minutes.
Try you best to get firm peaches as the more ripe (softer ones) will have the tendency to go to mush easily.
Add the salt, garlic and hot pepper you decide on using to your mortar and crush until smooth. To control the heat a bit you may adjust the amount of pepper you use and should you want… remove and discard the seeds and white membrane surrounding the seeds. Be mindful that the smashing action may cause it to splatter and get to your eyes.
I like squeezing the citrus juices directly into this mixture so I can somewhat rinse the mortar out with it and collect all that spicy garlic goodness.
In a large bowl with the peach wedges, add the thinly sliced red onion and top with the chopped Shado beni. Then pour the spicy juice directly over it all.
Since we air-dried the peaches for a bit, you’ll find that the chow base (juices) will soak in and get deeper into the peach and not just sit on the surface. Give it a good mix and allow it to sit for about 30 minutes in the fridge before you jump in to enjoy. Yea, taste for salt and adjust.
Providing you used firm peaches, it will keep in the fridge for about 1 week. Feel free to add a bit of water should you want more of the sauce. Yes, as a lil fella on the islands we enjoyed that juice as much as the actual fruit we used.
Should you not be able to source the shado beni, cilantro (aka coriander) is an excellent replacement.
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.
CHOW! That spicy pickle we make in the Southern Caribbean, which bring tears of joy running down our cheeks… and a rush for ice cold water to help with the onset of the heat from the ‘Caribbean Sunshine’ (scotch bonnet peppers) we use in making it. Our love for “Chow” is so strong, we find creative ways to make this when green mangoes are not in season. This time, I’ll quickly show you how I rock it in Canada when cherries are in season.
You’ll Need…
1 pineapple (cut into chunks) 2-3 cups cherries (seeded & cut in half) 1 large grapefruit (juice) 1 teaspoon sea salt bird’s eye pepper (as much as you can handle) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3-4 leaves shado beni (aka culantro) 4 cloves garlic (crushed) 1/2 medium red onion (sliced thin)
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. Please wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling hot peppers.
Peel and Core the Pineapple. Basically you trim off the top and bottom, then using your knife with a sawing motion, work your way down the side of the pineapple to remove the skin. Cut in 1/4s length-wise and remove the core. Watch the video below to see how I did it. Rinse with cool water, cut into 1/2 – 1 inch pieces and set aside.
It will take some time, but cut the cherries in half and remove the seeds. Place them in a deep bowl as all the other ingredients will go in here. I washed the cherries before removing the seeds.
Pour the grapefruit juice over the cherries then add the black pepper, salt and finely chopped Bird’s Eye Pepper. Yes keep the seeds for the kick.. chow is meant to be spicy!
Top with the finely chopped shado beni(culantro), if you can’t source it, use cilantro.
It’s time for the crushed garlic and thinly sliced red onions. Toss in the juicy pineapple chunks and give everything a good mix. In tossing I like to use my hands, so I can bruise the pineapple and squeeze out some of it’s juice to the mix. But be mindful of the hot pepper we added, so you may want to use a large spoon instead.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or do I as normally do and place in a glass jar with a lid and let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so to fully soak in all the flavors. Be sure to give it a toss before serving.
Pro Tip! The juice at the end is the real highlight for me. BTW if you don’t know what Chow is, it’s basically a spicy snack made with unripe fruit that’s in season (traditionally mango). Like a pickle or spicy salad.
Chow! That spicy sort of pickle we enjoy in the Southern Caribbean. Traditionally made with green mango (not ripe), but days when mango is not in season, you’ll get it made with a variety of local tropical fruits (and imported – like apples, pears, plums.. and even peaches) and in desperate times, cucumber is employed into service. Such is our love for chow. While I did share a smoked apple-wood pineapple chow with you a few moons back, today I give you my version of the Ultimate Pineapple Chow.
You’ll Need…
1 Large Pineapple (peel, cored, cubed) 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 jalapeno pepper (sliced thin) 2 scotch bonnet peppers (sliced thin) 3 large cloves garlic (crushed) 2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped fine) 2 oranges (juice) 3-5 clementines (juice) 2 limes (juice) 1 small red onion (sliced thin)
Note! Chow is supposed to be AS SPICY as you can handle, so I included the seeds of the peppers. Leave them out and cut back on the Scotch Bonnet if you want it milder. Additionally, you can use Habanero peppers if you can’t source the Scotch Bonnet. Please don’t use jalapeno from the can – fresh is the BEST in this case.
Peel, core and dice the pineapple into 1 inch pieces (bite size). Give it a rinse under cool water an drain.
Place the now diced pineapple into a large bowl, where we’ll assemble everything.
Important to slice the peppers, onions etc very thin so the salt and acid in the citrus juices pickle them and you get a lovely crunch.
Now add the salt, garlic, red onion and then the citrus juices – lime, orange and clementine. By adding the juice now (over the sliced onion), it will take away some of the raw pungency of the onion.. plus help to distribute the salt evenly.
Add the scotch bonnet, jalapeno (yes, lil different but awesome flavor) and cilantro. Remember if you can get Shado Beni, use that as it’s a better favor and more traditional to chow.
Give the entire thing a good mix, then into the fridge and allow it to marinate and soak in all the citrus, garlic and peppers… but you can be greedy and eat it immediately.
If you find that you need a bit more liquid, add a 1/4 cup of water if you want, but you’ll have to adjust the salt.
I like storing mine in glass jars in the fridge, so when I need a quick spicy / juicy snack, it’s sitting there waiting to be devoured. Gotta love the presentation too. Do shake it up a bit so the pineapple bruise and you get that juice added to the overall flavor of the chow. BTW, that same juice is GOLDEN – so TASTY! Yea.. makes a killer Caesar (or Blood Mary) too.
CHOW! A beloved spicy pickle (quick) made in the Southern Caribbean with green mangoes or other tart fruit. Over the years I’ve shared several “chow” recipes with you all. From the traditional mango, to cucumber, orange, apple and the Applewood Smoked Pineapple(still a fav on the website) which was insanely tasty. Like the others, you’re sure to fall in love with this grape version too!
You’ll Need…
2 cloves garlic (crushed) 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 lime (juice) 1 orange (juice) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 medium red onion (sliced thin) 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro (chopped) 2 bird pepper (bird’s eye pepper – chopped fine) 1/2 lb each – assorted grapes (cut in half)
Important! Be sure to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers.
Wash the grapes and set them aside to drain/air dry. Then in a large bowl, add the salt, black pepper, thinly sliced onion, crushed garlic and bird’s eye pepper. Feel free to add more if you want this more spicy or use a hotter pepper. I did use the seeds of the peppers as well.. in case if you’re wondering.
Now slice the grapes in 1/2 and add them to the bowl. Feel free to use as many as you like (just adjust the salt later on). A variety of colors will make for better presentation and I find that different color grapes got their own specific flavor and juicy profile. Add them to the bowl.
Chop the cilantro (use shado beni Chadon beni or culantro…if you have that instead) and juice the orange and lime. Add everything to the bowl and give it a good mix.
Its ok if you’re a little rough when stirring as it will bruise the grapes and allow some of the juices to escape and add to overall flavor of the chow.
Feel free to adjust the salt to your own liking and enjoy right away. But may I suggest that you place the bowl (covered) in the fridge for an hour so to chill and allow the grapes to marinate in the spicy pickle sauce – you’ll thank me later. Remember, this is spicy, but you have the control in your hands to adjust to your own liking.
Served as a snack, as a side when enjoying grown people beverages or as a salad? If you can, please support. And should you have questions about this recipe or anything food related, be sure to Ask Chris.
If you grew up in the Caribbean, especially the Southern Caribbean, “Chow” would have been a key part of your childhood experience. A spicy pickle loaded with Garlic and Citrus juice, along with Scotch Bonnet Peppers. Usually half-ripe mango is the key ingredient, but we use just about any fruit we can find and when all fails, we even use cucumber. With a good batch of fresh strawberries from my garden (watch the video) and since they were a bit tart, I thought I’d rock a quick chow.
You’ll Need…
– 2 lbs strawberries (green and red mix)
– 1 clove garlic
– 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
– 1/2 orange (juice)
– 1/2 medium red onion (sliced thin)
– 1 scotch bonnet pepper (crush or sliced thin)
– 2 tablespoon cilantro
– 1/2 lime (juice)
Important: If doing this recipe Gluten Free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Be sure to wash your hands immediately after handling such hot peppers as Scotch Bonnets. I added some tomato to the chow (yellow cherry) but that is totally optional.
Since this is a pretty basic recipe I didn’t take the usual step by step pics you normally get. However there is the video below you can follow along with.
Wash and trim your strawberries. If they are large you can cut them in 1/2 if you wish and if you prefer to remove the stems, by all means do so.
Crush the garlic with the salt and juice of the orange.
It’s now time to assemble. Place the prepared strawberries into a large bow, top with the garlic puree, then add the thinly sliced onion, followed by thinly sliced Scotch Bonnet Peppers. Remember you can leave out the seeds if you’re overly concerned about the raw heat and you may also crush the scotch bonnet along with the garlic if you wish. I like leaving it sliced thinly as one can identify the pepper and avoid if necessary.
Add the cilantro (we’d normally use Shado Beni on the islands) along with the lime juice and give it all a good mix. Place in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes, then enjoy. Best enjoyed with adult beverages (Smile). Feel free to add some freshly ground black pepper if you wanted.
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!
As a young fella on the islands my brother and I would always volunteer to go help dad in the garden whenever we knew cucumbers were in season. We had a stash of salt and a few cloves of garlic in the make-shift shed, where dad would take his breaks from the midday sun. With scotch bonnet pepper (congo as we’d say) and shado beni fresh from the garden.. we’d always make a huge bowl of this ‘chow’ with the ‘baby’ cucumbers (always the sweetest). Immediately after we’d hit the river to go fishing, followed by hours of swimming in the cool refreshing waters of the Guaracara river. Funny thing is dad never got our assistance, but he never peeped a word to mom!
You’ll Need…
6 Dill cucumbers
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 lemon (juice)
8-12 cherry tomatoes
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds)
2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
1 clove garlic (crused or diced fine)
1/2 small red onion (optional)
Note: you can use any cucumber you have on hand and the option to peel or not is totally up to you. Remember to wear gloves when handling scotch bonnet peppers and to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. You can cut back or use more of the pepper if you wish. Traditionally we would use shado beni (culantro) instead of the cilantro.
It was early summer when I did this recipe so I had access to what’s called dill cucumbers (basically small cucumbers) for this recipe, but you can use any cucumber you have on hand. You have the option of peeling or not. In my case, these small cucumbers are quite sweet and I find that the skin adds a lovely texture to it all. What I would recommend doing is not only washing them very well, but to soak them in cool water to make sure all the dirt and sand drops of them.
Cut the stems and bottoms off and cut into spears and place in a large bowl. I also had some cherry tomatoes, so I opted to add them to the salad/chow for some added flavor, color and texture. You can use any tomato you have.
Crush or dice the garlic very finely, chop the cilantro and you can dice the scotch bonnet or cut it into large pieces so when you serve it, your guests can easily identify the pieces and avoid them.
Basically all you’re doing at this point is assembling everything together and giving it a good toss. For best results, allow it to chill and marinate in the fridge for about 1/2 hour.
If you’re new to Caribbean cuisine or this website, ‘chow’ is basically a spicy pickle we make with tart fruits.. in most cases green mangoes, pineapple etc. In this case we used cucumbers with the same sort of effect.. except, you’ll get a more juicy and refreshing finish.
If you don’t have lemons you can use lime or orange juice for a different flavor profile and if spicy is not your thing.. you can leave out the scotch bonnet pepper. In the video below you’ll notice that I didn’t add any red onions.. so that is totally optional.
Let’s get the disclaimer out of the way to prevent the traditionalists from becoming active with the hate comments. Yes, this not a traditional Trinbago chow recipe, however your taste-buds will be gratified from the different levels of flavor both the grilling and the apple-wood smoke adds to this classic Caribbean salad. Chow is cross between a salad and pickle, usually made using a tart fruit (like green mangoes | mango chow) and is popular in the Southern Caribbean.
You’ll Need…
1 ripe pineapple 1/2 medium red onion 2 cloves garlic 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 scotch bonnet pepper 2 tablespoon shado beni (or cilantro) 1/2 lime (or lemon) Pinch fresh black pepper
Before we get to the recipe, I’d like to say thanks to Chef Marc from http://www.menufortheweek.com for sharing his personal touch in making pineapple chow. In the coming months we’ll have some exciting news to share with you, as Marc and I explore a new dimension to Caribbean cooking. Please be sure to review all the ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
In this recipe we’re using a propane grill, but you can use a charcoal bbq or an indoor grill if you like. If you don’t have access to a grill, you can place the pineapple slices on a lined baking sheet and broil for a couple minutes on each side. You won’t get the rich flavor of the apple wood smoke, but you will enjoy the caramelized flavor of the cooked pineapple.
Create a pouch with a piece of sturdy tin foil with the applewood chips, wrap and poke some holes with a fork. Place it on the side of the grill area (or directly on the hot coals or flame) and cover the lid. Allow the smoke to develop before you begin grilling. There’s no need to soak the wood chips in water as we’ve done in the past as we want immediate smoke.
Peel and slice the pineapple into 1/2 inch slices. Marc didn’t core the pineapple and to be quite honest.. I much liked the texture of the core when grilled.
With your grill on a medium heat (you can oil the grates so the pineapple pieces don’t stick), place the pineapple slices over a medium heat and cover the grill immediately (you don’t want to loose that lovey smoke you created). Grill for 2 minutes, then flip to the other side and grill for another 2 minutes. The goal is to NOT over-cook the pineapple pieces, but to get grill marks, warm for the natural sweetness to come through and to infuse it with that smoke. Also grill the scotch bonnet pepper for a minute or two for a totally different flavor than using raw scotch bonnet.
Slice the onions very thin, crush or dice the garlic (very small) and chop the shado beni (chadon beni or culantro). If you cannot get shado beni double up on cilantro. Remove the roasted scotch bonnet off the grill, deseed and chop finely. The grilled pineapple should be cut into bite sized pieces (like little pizza slices).
It’s now time to assemble everything. Place everything (except the lime juice) into a large bowl and give it a good mix, now top with the lime (or lemon) juice and give it a final spin – taste for salt and adjust. Try to use fresh ground black pepper!
You can serve this up immediately, but Marc recommends that you have it chill in the fridge for about an hour or so to allow the flavors to develop and marry together. I quite agree as I had it the next day with by eggs at breakfast and it was stunning!
I do hope you give this recipe a try and for you traditionalists, be prepared for a whole new take on the beloved Trini chow.
Again… special thanks to Chef Marc for his wicked Applewood Smoked Pineapple Chow recipe.
A Caribbean twist on classic Trini chow with grilled pineapple, applewood smoke, and roasted Scotch Bonnet pepper.
Ingredients
Instructions
Create a pouch with a piece of sturdy tin foil with a handful of apple wood chips, wrap and poke some holes with a fork. Place it on the side of the grill area (or directly on the hot coals or flame) and cover the lid.
Peel and slice the Pineapple (1) into 1/2 inch slices.
With your grill on medium heat, place the pineapple slices over a medium heat and cover the grill immediately (you don’t want to loose that lovely smoke you created). Put Scotch Bonnet Pepper (1/4) on the grill as well.
Grill for 2 minutes, then flip and grill for another 2 minutes.
Slice the Red Onion (1/2) very thin, dice the Garlic (2 clove) very finely. Chop the Fresh Cilantro (2 tablespoon).
Remove the roasted Scotch Bonnet off the grill, deseed and chop finely. Then slice the grilled pineapple into bite sized pieces (like little pizza slices).
Assemble everything and place everything into a large bowl and mix well. Drizzle with juice from the Lime (1/2). Season with Sea Salt (1/4 teaspoon) and Ground Black Pepper (1 pinch), then stir.
Serve immediately, or let chill in the fridge for an hour, which would allow the flavors to develop and settle together.
This Trinbago (Trinidad and Tobago) style Pommecythere Chow (pickled ambarella) is so simple to make that you really don’t need a recipe. However, for those of you not familiar with the whole concept of ‘chow’ will find this helpful. Chow in Trinidad and Tobago and many of the southern Caribbean islands is simply fruit (tart) or citrus, marinated in a spicy liquid. Green mango is certainly the fruit of choice, but you can use Pommecythere as in this or pineapple, sour cherries, cucumber, plums, apple, oranges and other citrus with great results.
Notes: Green pommecythere are used for the slight tartness. pommecythere – Spondias dulcis (syn. Spondias cytherea), known commonly as ambarella, is an equatorial or tropical tree, with edible fruit containing a fibrous pit. It is known by many other names in various regions, including pomme cythere in Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, Guadeloupe, and Martinique, June plum in Bermuda and Jamaica, juplon in Costa Rica,golden apple in Barbados, jobo indio in Venezuela, cajá-manga and cajarana in Brazil, quả cóc in Vietnam, manzana de oro in Dominican Republic.
Wash and peel the pommecythere using a pairing knife or potato peeler, then slice into 1/4 inch pieces. Watch the video below to see how I cut through them – keep in mind that there’s a spiny seed in the middle. Place in a large bowl for mixing.
Then it’s just a matter of finely chopping the peppers, garlic and shado beni. If you can’t source shado beni, you can use cilantro. Traditionally, the pepper, garlic and shado beni is crushed in a mortar and pestle, but I like the chopped small pieces – excellent when you get bits as you eat the chow.
Then it’s just a matter of placing all the ingredients in the bowl, squeeze in the lemon juice and top with salt. Mix well and allow to marinate for a bit before diving in!
Remember that if you include the seeds of the pepper it will increase the heat level and if you choose (much better in my opinion) you can use scotch bonnet pepper. This chow can also be placed in a glass jar, top with water (adjust the salt to compensate for the added water) and leave to really preserve (soak as we say) for a few days. The Pommecythere will absorb the flavors of the garlic, lemon juice and shado beni, plus the heat of the hot peppers for a more unique and traditional flavor.
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