Here’s another recipe to add to the “Ultimate” series I’ve been sharing from time to time with you. Curry shrimp is one of those simple dishes to make, but it’s very easy to overcook it and end up with shrimp the texture of leather. In this curry shrimp recipe I’ll show you how to have perfectly cooked shrimp that’s very attractive and full of that unique flavor from the way we cook curry in the Caribbean. Enjoyed with rice, roti or any which way you partner your curry dishes, this curry shrimp will definitely excite your taste buds and make an impression on family and friends.

You’ll Need….

1 lb shrimp (peeled deveined)
1 heaping tablespoon Madras blend curry powder (I like using a Caribbean variety)
2 scallions
1/2 habanero pepper (as much as you like)
1 medium tomato
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 bell pepper (sweet pepper)
4 tablespoon water for cooking the curry
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

* you’ll also need a couple tablespoon of lime or lemon juice to wash the cleaned shrimp.

Note: If you have the Caribbean style green seasoning mix, use a teaspoon instead of the thyme and cilantro. If you can source fresh shado beni, that would be ideal instead of the cilantro. Bell pepper is something new to this recipe but I like the added flavor, texture and overall look it brings to this dish. I like using a Caribbean style curry powder as I find it to be unique in it’s depth and flavor.

The first thing you need to do (if it’s not already done as some groceries sell already cleaned and deveined shrimp) is to remove the outer shell of the shrimp and devein them. Then squeeze the lime or lemon juice over it, give it a good stir, then rinse with cool water. Drain and get ready to season so it can marinate for a bit.

Chop the scallion, cilantro, onion, peppers, tomato and garlic… I like using the thyme on it’s sprig for the added flavor. When you’re done cooking you can them remove the sprigs. In a large bowl place the now cleaned shrimp and add the salt, black pepper, chopped peppers (habanero and bell), cilantro, thyme and scallions. Give it a good stir and allow it to marinate for at least 20 minutes.

In a large sauce pan, heat the oil over a med/high heat, then add the sliced onions and garlic. Allow that to cook on a med heat for about 3-4 minutes or until they get soft and edges start going golden. Now add the curry powder, give it a good stir and cook for a couple minutes. The goal is to heat the curry powder so it releases all those wonderful flavors. You will notice that the curry will go a bit darker and it will become very grainy. If you find that it’s burning, turn down the heat as we really need this to cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Now it’s time to add the water and make a sort of curry paste (be prepared for that burst of curry scent). It will be runny at first, but allow it to come to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. This step will cook the curry initially so we don’t get that ‘raw’ curry taste when the dish is done. After 4 minutes, turn up the heat to burn off all that water. you will now have a sort of paste.

Now it’s time to add the seasoned shrimp and give it a good stir to pick up all those curry bits from the bottom of the pan. Add everything in the bowl to the pan and have the heat at about medium. You can jump-start things by placing the lid on the pan if you want… this will cause the shrimp to spring a lot of it’s only natural juices (only keep the lid on for a minute or 2). With the lid open and the shrimp going at a rolling boil, you’ll notice the shrimp will start to curl and change color. All we want to do is cook the shrimp for 5-7 minutes from the time you add them. So if after 5 minutes you notice you have a lot of liquid in the pan, turn up the heat. I like my curry shrimp with a bit of gravy for dipping roti or to put on my rice. But that gravy must be somewhat thick. My mom would never leave gravy and to be honest, if you cook it down all the way… the taste will be a bit different.

Wasn’t that simple? I assure you this could well be the best curry shrimp you’ve ever had.. trust me! In the video below you can follow along in the event I was confusing above in my description.

Before you go I invite you to leave me your comments below.. even if it just to say hello. It’s always appreciated. And don’t forget to join us on facebook and do check out the cooking videos.

Vegetarian

The Ultimate Dhalpuri Recipe

May 26, 2025September 23, 2011375 Comments

Over the past couple years I’ve shared a few recipes which I’ve coined as being “Ultimate” and with the popularity of this roti and the amount of requests for the recipe over the last few months I strongly believe it deserves to join the other cast members in the ultimate series. Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago dhalpuri was one of those special dishes which was made the occasional Sunday morning or when the first choice – pelau wasn’t made for a beach lime. I still recall the strong aroma of geera (cumin) roasting before it was ground and added to the dhal filling for the roti, emanating from my great aunt’s house next door. Not sure if I was one of her’s faves, but I do recall always having a portion reserved for me (her curry potato was ah bess). When I wasn’t causing trouble with my brother… I was a good boy and everyone loved me 🙂

For this recipe I got my mom’s help , so let’s give moms some props!

There are a few steps in making dhalpuri roti, so I do hope my explanation below is not too confusing. We’ll start with the filling, then the dough and close off with putting everything together and cooking the actual roti.

You’ll Need…

For the filling

1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ground roasted geera (cumin)
2 cups split peas (dhal)
1/4 of a scotch bonnet pepper (or any hot pepper you like)

For the dough (actual roti)

3 cups all purpose flour
pinch fast acting yeast
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon baking powder
water (see note below)
* 5 tablespoon vegetable oil (for brushing the roti while it cooks)

Notes: We ended up using close to 1 and 3/4 cups of water when making the dough. Start with about 1 cup and add as necessary… the goal is to achieve a smooth, tender dough which is a bit firm (hold it’s shape). With the roasted geera, traditionally that’s roasted the same time the roti is being made (grains are roasted then ground) to really release the oils and aroma. But in my case I used the pre-packaged ground (roasted) one.

Making this roti can be a bit messy, especially if you have any break while cooking and with the use of the oil you’ll be brushing onto it it cooks… it may splatter onto your stove. Be prepared for some cleaning when the stove cools.

The first thing we need to do is prepare the dhal, since it needs to cool before we can work with it. Quickly sort through the 2 cups of split peas to see if there’s anything foreign among them (twigs etc – remove), then give it a good wash. Place about 5-6 cups of water to boil in a deep sauce pan and add the split peas and turmeric to the boiling water. Reduce the heat so it’s at a rolling boil and cook for about 20 minutes. NOTE: If you’re using a food processor as I did, allow it to cook for about 25-30 minutes. If using a traditional food mill, cook for the 20 minutes I mentioned.

Then drain and set aside to cool.

After you’ve put the boiled dhal (split peas) to cool, it would be a good time to start working on the dough. In a large bowl (I’m sure you can use a food processor as well – providing it can make dough) add the flour, salt, yeast, baking powder and start adding water. Knead to a firm consistency… keep adding water as necessary. Work to form a huge dough ball, then cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and allow it to rest for about 20 minutes. (pay attention to time as you don’t want the dough to over-rest)

Let’s now work on the split peas filling. I used a food processor and ran into some problems as I tried to work all at the same time and it just wasn’t happening. So I then divided it into 3 batches which was a lot easier to get to the consistency I wanted.

Place all the ingredients for making the filling into the food processor or food mill and work until you have a no whole peas or large pieces. I guess the ground peas should look similar to bread crumbs… if you have any full grains of dhal in the mix it may rip the roti while cooking. If you’re using a food mill it will have a soft, smooth consistency as the mill really grinds it in a way the food processor can’t duplicate. If you’re not familiar with what a food mill is, see below- it’s the traditional device used in preparing the dhal filling.

The next step in to break down the main dough ball into six smaller balls, then fill them with the peas filling we just made. You will have enough filling left over to make about 4 more dhalpuri so you can either freeze this or make some more dough (or cut back on the amount of split peas you prepare).

Divide the main dough into 6 pieces and form six smaller dough balls. Here’s where it may get a bit messy… flatten out each dough ball in your hand (see pics below) to form a 6 inch circle, then dust with flour and add 4 tablespoons of the filling to each. You will have to make a sort of bowl shape as you keep adding the split peas filling. Then using your fingers, form to a ball shape and pinch to seal. I do hope the pics below helps with explaining this step.

Now it’s time to heat your tawa (baking stone) on medium/high heat and brush some oil onto it’s surface. On a flour dusted surface, roll out one of the stuffed dough balls we made. Turn, flip and keep rolling until you have a pizza like shape that’s about 12-14 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick. Remember to consider the size of tawa you’ll be using, so you don’t end up with a roti that’s too big to fit on your tawa. I assume you could use a large non-stick frying pan if you don’t own a tawa but you may encounter a problem when trying to flip with the edges of the frying pan.

Be careful when placing the rolled out dough onto the tawa as it will be hot. After about 30 seconds, using your hand if you’re a pro or a couple spatulas flip the roti. Now give this side a quick brush with the oil. You may have to flip this a couple times. It will take a bout 4-6 minutes to fully cook and you’ll notice that it will start to “swell” or inflate as cooks. That’s a sign that it’s ready to be removed off the tawa. Repeat this step for the remaining 5 roti.

Yes, there are a few steps involved and you’re probably saying “this is exactly why I buy my dhalpuri”, but I assure you that it’s rather simple and I do hope the combination of my description and pictures above is easy to follow along. I would suggest placing these on paper towels to absorb excess oil and do wrap in paper towels or tea towel to keep them soft (the air tends to make them a bit stiff). For those of you who make dhalpuri may find that the instant yeast is a bit strange.. but I assure you that you’ll have a nice tender roti which will reheat as if they were just made. I’ve seen my mom not only wrap them in a tea towel, but place that into a plastic shopping bag to eat later that day. If you make a couple batches you can certainly freeze them. I usually place them (folded) into freezer bags and they keep for at least a month in the freezer. Then it’s just a case of nuking them in the microwave to reheat. However when reheating in the microwave, don’t put the full time at once. I usually do 45 seconds on high and depending on hot it is I then flip over and heat an additional 40 seconds.

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— Winner Wanted!—

It’s that time again – we’re giving away the following book (see below) to one lucky person for the month of September. All you have to do is leave me a comment in the comments section below (please say something about this recipe) and your name will be automatically entered to win this extraordinary book written by Ramin Ganeshram. About a year ago a reader called me (fella was like FBI finding my home number) to tell me about the wonderful work Ramin did with her book “Sweet Hands – Island Cooking From Trinidad And Tobago”. After some research I not only found out that this book is a best seller on Amazon.com, I was able to make contact with Ramin via Facebook. Long story short, she sent me this copy of her book to give to one lucky reader (along with an autographed copy for moi). Note: This is the 2nd edition so you can expect even more recipes.

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 food and if the recipes I share are helpful.

Here are the rules pertaining to winning the copy of “Sweet Hands Island Cooking From Trinidad And Tobago”…

– contest is open to everyone globally

– 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 September 23 – to midnight September 30.

– winner will be announced within 1 week of the official close date.

– the winner will have 1 week to contact us with 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 book out to you. It’s simple, free and a great way to experiment with some exotic and traditional recipes from Trinidad and Tobago in your kitchen. I’ not sure if you know how significant it is for someone to be a best seller (always sold out) on Amazon, but I assure you that it means that Ramin’s work is in great demand. Hopefully in the coming weeks I’ll be able to do a full review of this book, but there’s something more exciting from Ramin I’d like to share with you the first week of October. Stay tuned and good luck to everyone who enters.

Recipe Card

Print Recipe

Dhalpuri Roti

Cuisine: Trinidadian Courses: Side Dishes

Diet:

V Vegetarian

Instructions

Place Water (5 cup) to boil in a deep sauce pan and add Split Peas (2 cup) and Ground Turmeric (1/4 teaspoon) to the boiling water. Reduce the heat so it’s at a rolling boil and cook for about 25 minutes.
Drain split peas and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, add All-Purpose Flour (3 cup), Instant Dry Yeast (1 pinch), Baking Powder (2 tablespoon) and Salt (1/4 teaspoon) and start adding Water (1 cup) slowly.
Knead to a firm consistency. Keep adding water as necessary. Work to form a huge dough ball, then cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and allow it to rest for about 20 minutes.
Place Salt (1 teaspoon), Garlic (2 clove), Ground Cumin (1 teaspoon), the split peas, and Scotch Bonnet Pepper (1/4) into the food processor or food mill and work until you have a no whole peas or large pieces.
Divide the main dough into 6 pieces and form six smaller dough balls.
Flatten out each dough ball in your hand to form a 6 inch circle, then dust with flour and add 4 tablespoons of the filling to each.
You will have to make a sort of bowl-shape as you keep adding the split pea filling. Then using your fingers, form to a ball shape and pinch to seal.
Heat your tawa, (baking stone) on medium/high heat and brush some Vegetable Oil (5 tablespoon) onto it’s surface. On a flour dusted surface, roll out one of the stuffed dough balls. Keep rolling until its 12-14-inch in diameter and about 1/8-inch thick.
Be careful when placing the rolled out dough onto the tawa as it will be hot. After about 30 seconds, using your hand if you’re a pro or a couple of spatulas to flip the roti. Now give this side a quick brush with the oil.
It will take about 4-6 minutes to fully cook and you’ll notice that it will start to “swell” or inflate as it cooks. That’s a sign that it’s ready to be removed off the tawa. Repeat this step for the remaining 6 roti.
Serve with your favorite main dish.

Tell us what you think

Meat & Poultry

Simple Chicken Liver And Gizzard.

May 27, 2025November 27, 201063 Comments

how to cook chicken liver (4)

The majority of people I know are turned off by liver and when you mention chicken gizzards they have this look on their face as if they think I’m joking. People actually eat gizzards? I don’t blame the average North American for disliking liver as I too was turned off the first time I had liver at a local restaurant. A coworker insisted we go out for lunch at a pub that had liver and onions on special. The texture, smell and overall taste was not appealing. It was nothing close to the liver and gizzards that my mom would make with dhal and rice for dinner.

During my childhood on the islands I remember my mom having a bag in the freezer where she would put the chicken liver and gizzard from the weekly chicken we’d buy from the chicken farm, until she had enough for a meal. My job back then was to “feather” the chicken and I can safely tell you that I don’t miss that chore. Our mom hated the automatic “plucker” that the farm had, as she thought that it bruised the meat of the chicken. So little ole me had to hand pluck the chicken every Sunday morning.

Here’s my rendition of the recipe my mom would use back then.

You’ll Need…

1lb chicken liver
1 lb chicken hearts and gizzards
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of black pepper
1 small onion sliced
1/2 medium tomato sliced
2 cloves garlic sliced or crushed
1 scallion diced (green onion)
1/2 teaspoon green seasoning mix
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce (dark)
1/4 hot pepper (habanero or scotch bonnet)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
juice of 1/2 lime or lemon
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ketchup

Start off by cutting the gizzards into small pieces (about 1/2 inch), but cut the liver into bigger chunks (I’ll explain why later). Place in a bowl and squeeze in the lime or lemon juice, mix well and rinse with cool water. Drain off all the excess water and let’s season this so it can marinate. Add the following to the bowl.. salt, black pepper, green seasoning, tomato, hot pepper (optional – can use hot sauce as well), scallion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Mix well and allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

how to cook chicken liver

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Heat the oil on medium/high heat in a pan, then add the seasoned gizzard and hearts ONLY! This is why I suggested above that you keep the pieces of liver a bit bigger, so you can fish them out and keep them aside. Since liver cooks very fast we won’t be adding it to the pot until much later. So go ahead and add the gizzard and heart pieces, as well as any of the marinade. Give it good stir and add the ketchup and soy sauce. This will help it achieve some colour or it will be rather pale. Add the 1/4 cup of water and ring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a very gentle simmer, cover with a lid and allow it to cook for about for 25-30 minutes. The gizzard will take a while to get tender. Stir occasionally.

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After 30 minutes there should still be a bit of liquid in the pot and the gizzard should be tender. Here is when we add the seasoned liver we set aside earlier. After adding the liver, turn up the heat to medium, give it a good stir and cover the pot. Let that cook for 3 minutes. Then remove the lid and cook for another 3 minutes. My mom would turn up the heat if at this point the gravy was thin, since we enjoyed it with little or no gravy.

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how to cook chicken liver (10)

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Check this observation I made over the years. I remember when I first moved to Canada way back when… you could get a huge pack of chicken liver and gizzards at the grocery store for under a dollar. Today, you have to be lucky to even find it in the meat section and if you do, the price is almost as high as buying chicken breast. The influx of immigrants created a huge demand for such things. And butchers are only too happy to cash in. The same can be said for pig feet, oxtail, goat, etc.

If you’re not daring enough to try the gizzards and hearts, do try the liver only. Just season as above and cook no more than 6 minutes in total on high heat, or you’ll wreck the liver. And before you go I’d like to ask you to leave me a comment below – even if it’s just to say hello. It’s appreciated. BTW, have you connected with us on facebook yet?

Sauces & Condiments

An Ambrosial Pepper Sauce Recipe.

May 28, 2025August 13, 201035 Comments

recipe for homemade pepper sauce

It’s been a sticky summer with just about everyday being extremely hot and humid, but I’m not complaining except for the havoc all this heat is doing to my habanero plants. If you’re connected to the Facebook Fan Group, you’d know that a few weeks back I was seeking advice on what to do with my plants. They were dropping their leaves and not holding on to the flowers or baby peppers. Good news is that I finally got some peppers, but the yield is about 70% lower than in previous years. I’m hoping that the cool weather we get in mid to late August will see the second crop be better.

As we’ve discussed in previous hot sauce (pepper sauce) recipes, in the Caribbean just about everyone makes their own sauce and have some sort of secret family recipe or the other. But if we were to define our hot sauces, one word comes to mind – HOT! This sauce is not a traditional Caribbean pepper sauce, since we’ll be using canned peaches and the texture is a but more liquid than the ones we make down the islands. Traditional stuff is a bit more thick or chunky, with the use of carrots, papaya, chunks of ripe limes and other native ingredients.

* NOTE: If you’re using scotch bonnet or habanero peppers and you want the flavour without all the heat, discard the seeds and inner white membrane. This is where all the real heat is in peppers. Additionally, when cutting up the peppers be sure to use a disposable gloves or rub cooking oil over your hands to form a a protective shield from the oils from the peppers. And don’t forget to wash your hands thoroughly with soap after you’re done with this recipe.

You’ll Need…

16 hot peppers (Habanero, Scotch Bonnet or whatever you consider to be hot)
1 can peaches in syrup (trust me on this one my Caribbean people) 14oz
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup distilled vinegar
2 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
3 tablespoon chopped cilantro (use shado beni if you have instead)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon mustard

trinidad peppersauce recipe

Remove the stems from the peppers and give them a rough chop so it’s easier to puree in your blender or food processor. Basically all you’re doing is adding all the ingredients to the blender as in my case and puree until you have a smooth consistency.

habanero peppers for making hot sauce

recipe for homemade pepper sauce

homemade caribbena hotsauce

new trinidad peppersauce recipe

caribbean pepper sauce recipe

making hot suace from habaneros

habanero hotsuace recipe

Don’t ask me why as I can’t explain, but if you allow the finished sauce to rest for about 1 day or so in the fridge, the flavour changes for the best, compared to if you started using it the very same time you’re done making it. However, I’m a hotsauce addict so I started using mine seconds after it came out of the blender. In true Caribbean style I saved my old bottles (pasta sauce etc) just for these occasions. After a good wash in boiling hot water and soap, I allowed them to dry and then I topped one with the hot sauce. Hey, I’m just doing my part to keep this earth we call home greener by reusing!

caribbean hot sauce

This sauce is very savory with a bold kick of heat as it makes it’s way around your tongue. As I mentioned above, it’s not a traditional Caribbean style hotsuace and it’s a bit runny. It makes a great topping for grilled meats, hamburgers, hot dogs and on sandwiches. I would bet my last dollar that it would also make a great dipping sauce for wings. Directly below you’ll find links to other hot sauce (pepper sauce as it’s know on the islands) recipes that I’ve done in the past.

I’d love to get your feedback or just say “hi” in the comments box below – it’s appreciated. And before I go I’d like to remind you to check out the latest cooking videos, pictures and if you’ve not already done so, join our select group on Facebook. Where we discuss all things related to the Caribbean Cooking Culture.

Vegetarian

Tantalizing Red Kidney Beans For Sunday Lunch.

March 5, 2012June 16, 201027 Comments

redbean with rice and stew chicken What would Sunday lunch on the islands be without either Callaloo or stewed red beans as part of this cherished meal? A time when families get together to share good food, thoughts and good times after a long and hectic week. Add in some stewed chicken and macaroni pie and you’re set to have one of those meals that takes you back to places you’ve not been to in years… for me it’s like traveling back in time to a happier place. Since I’m the only one who enjoy this dish in our household, I tend to make a fairly big batch (enough for about 8 people) and freeze the leftovers in freeze containers for future use. Packaged well, they can last up to 3 months without getting freezer burned. Then all I do is take it out of the freezer and allow to thaw and reheat on very gentle heat and I’m set for another awesome meal.

I must mention a couple things before we get to the actual recipe. 1. Try to get the sort of pinkish colour beans, as it cooks much faster than the dark red version. 2. You’ll notice that it does take a while to cook, but you can save on time by cooking in a pressure cooker if you wish. Just keep checking to see when the beans are tender as I don’t know how long it would take in the pressure cooker.

You’ll Need…

3 cups of red kidney beans (dry)
3 cloves garlic
2 sprigs thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
dash black pepper
hot pepper (as much as you like) I used a small habanero
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion sliced
2 carrots (diced) optional
1 bell pepper (sweet pepper) diced – optional
water (see in directions)
1 teaspoon Caribbean style “browning”
2 table spoon chopped shado beni or cilantro
1 scallion (diced thin)
1/2 tablespoon Golden Ray butter (optional, but adds that true island flavour so I could not leave this out)

* The “optional” ingredients mentioned above were not used in my recipe today, but it does add a bit more flavour and body to the dish so I do recommend using them.

For best results I recommend soaking the dry beans overnight in water, but before you do so quickly go through the beans to check to see that there are no foreign objects within the beans. In the past I’ve found little pebbles and twigs that had to be removed. Then wash the beans with running water and place in a fairly deep bowl. Now cover with water so all the beans are under water and allow to soak on the kitchen counter overnight.

trinidad redbean recipe

The next step is to pour the beans and water it’s been soaking in, into a deep pot and add some more water so it’s covered by at least 2 inches of water. Then add the salt, black pepper, hot pepper, garlic (whole.. it will melt away as it cooks) and sprigs of thyme to the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a gentle simmer, with the pot covered.Allow this to cook for about 1.5 to 2 hours or until the beans are plump and tender. BTW… If you’re adding the carrots and bell peppers to the dish, this is when you add it as well.

trinidad and tobago stew beans recipe

*TIP! After the beans are tender you can remove the sprigs of thyme from the pot and discard.

Since I used the sort of pinkish coloured beans I mentioned above, my beans were tender in about 70 minutes or so. The final step is to now heat the oil in another deep pot and add the sliced onion and cook for a couple minutes (until the edges start going golden). Using some care… take a large spoon and start adding the now tender beans to the pot with the cooked onions. The idea is to pour everything into the pot with the onions. Remember you’re adding liquid to a pot with heated oil, so please be careful. Stir this around a bit and now add the “browning” as this gives it a sort of nutty caramel flavour and it also adds a lovely rich colour to the overall dish. Then I add the scallion, shado beni or cilantro and the Goldenray butter to the pot.

The last thing you do is to get a “swizzle stick” or whisk (don’t use one of those electric ones) and whisk everything a bit so some of the beans break up and form a sort of creamy consistency (but remember to not over crush the beans… you still want to see whole beans). If you find that it’s overly thick, feel free to add some water and if it’s too thin, turn up the heat and thicken it up a bit. It should be almost the consistency of a thick soup or chili.

From the time you add the cooked beans to the pot, it will take about 10 minutes on medium heat to finish cooking.

stewing redbeans in trinidad

how to cook red beans

how to cook kidney beans

seasoning for red kidney beans

browning for stew red beans trini style

trini recipe for cooking stew beans

caribbean kidney beans recipe

trinidad stew red beans recipe

trini stew redbeans

In the pick above I have a wonderful plate of the red beans, with long grain brown rice, stew chicken and a couple slices of zaboca (avocado) on the side. Just need some plantains and I’d be in heaven.

I’m sure there are different ways of making this dish, but this is a simplified version that’s just as tasty as any you’d find on a table for Sunday lunch on the islands. Before I go I’d like to remind you to leave me your comments (there’s no need to register..simply add you comments) in the area provided below and don’t forget to join our Facebook fan page. Remember, it’s my goal to have the largest FB fan page dedicated to the culinary culture of the islands and I can’t do it without YOU!

TIP! Before I leave… remember that this will thicken up with it cools down, so if it looks a bit runny when it’s still hot, don’t thicken.. it will have a great consistency when it cools down a bit.

Seafood

Scrumptious Slices Of Fried King Fish.

March 5, 2012June 13, 201014 Comments

recxipe for fry king fish As kids growing up on the islands the only way our mom could ever get us to eat fish, was when she made this recipe. Looking back I believe her fish of choice was carite (sp), but today I much prefer using King Fish (very meaty and holds it shape great when frying). I still remember breaking apart the slices of fish and dipping it into a mixture or pepper sauce, ketchup and mustard and my mom warning us to be aware of the center bone of the fish. This fry fish recipe is very simple and quite classic throughout the islands, so I’m sure it will be a hit with your family and friends.

You’ll Need…

1-2 lbs of King fish (sliced about 3/4 inch thick)
1 teaspoon green seasoning
1/4 small onion – sliced
1/4 hot pepper sliced thin (I used habanero)
1/4 teaspoon curry powder (your fav)
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash black pepper
lime or lemon for washing the fish
oil for frying (about 1-2 cups)
1/2 cup all purpose flour

* if you don’t have the green seasoning paste, use I teaspoon each : thyme, shado beni or cilantro, garlic and scallion.

Get the people at the fish market to cut the King fish into 3/4 inch steaks for you, but ask them to use the part closer to the tail (than the belly) so you get full slices and not slices with the belly part missing. Then place the slices (I used 4) in a bowl and squeeze the juice of a lime or lemon over it and cover with cool water. Wash and rinse, then season with everything mentioned in the ingredient list, except the flour and oil. Allow this to marinate for at least an hour in the fridge.

trinidad seasoned fish

After its been marinating, take it out about 15 minutes or so from the fridge before frying, so it can come back to room temperature. The next steps are very simple.

1. Heat the oil in a fairly deep pan. Since it was a nice day outside, I opted to use the burner on my BBQ (also keeps the “fry” smell outdoors).

2. Take each piece of fish and shake off any large pieces of tomato etc and dust in the flour, to coat evenly. Shake off any excess flour.

3. Add to the hot oil and cook for about 4 minutes on each side (until you get a lovely golden brown colour). Remember to be careful when flipping so you don’t splatter hot oil onto yourself.

4. Remove and place on paper towels to soak up as much of the oil it was fried in.

5. That’s it.. enjoy!

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This is just as good in sandwiches and served as you would any other fish dish. Remember to be aware that the fish will have a huge center bone (you may call it something else) so be very careful when eating. If you’re making sandwiches or giving this to your children, you can easily remove that bone by poking it out with a fork or by using your fingers. Other than eating this as we did as children (on it’s own) I also enjoy it with a plate of rice and dhal.

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