One Kitchen, Many Cultures

yam recipe

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Gluten Free Seafood

Boil And Fry Yam.

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This is CLASSIC as it gets, when it comes to comfort food in my home growing up in the Caribbean. While my sisters never really cared for ground provisions (yam, dasheen, cassava, eddoes etc), my brother and I were just as our dad or at least tried to copy him in any way we could. To this day, this is still one of my favorite meals.

You’ll Need…

3-4 lbs Yam (white yam)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
tomato (diced)
onion (sliced thin)
scallions (chopped)
3 sprigs thyme
1 cup prepared salted cod (shredded)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 cloves garlic (diced or smashed)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific #glutenfree dietary requirements.

Peel (use a pairing knife of potato peeler), wash and cut the yam into equal size pieces. Be mindful that the sticky sap may irritate your skin, so wear loves or coat your hands with vegetable oil to create a barrier. * Watch the video below to se how I did it.

Place in a pot covered with water and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and add the salt.

The variety of yam I used was tender in 12 minutes, others may take longer. Use a pairing knife to poke the yam and if there’s no resistance, its ready. Drain and set aside.

In a wide saucepan on a medium heat, add the oil, followed by the prepared salted cod. As you start hearing the sizzle, add the black pepper and butter (for a bit more rich flavor).

2 minutes later add the garlic, onion and scotch bonnet pepper. Stir well. Then add the tomato and the scallions.

5 minutes later, add the pre-boiled yam to the pan and stir well to coat the pieces of yam with the sauce.

At this point you’ll taste for salt and adjust.. keep in mind that while we did boil (prepared) the salted cod in water, it may still have a salty undertone.

As soon as the yam heats back through (about 5 minutes) you’re done! Enjoy as is.

However, when mom would make this for us, she would now crush the pieces of yam, so it’s like mashed (pong) yam and she’d serve it with hot Sada Roti. FURTHER! If you allow the yam to form a crust at the bottom by purposely keeping it on the stove and not stirring it. That crust is heavenly.

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Breakfast

Caribbean Breakfast Hash.

2 Comments on Caribbean Breakfast Hash.

I’ll admit that I have a weakness for all types of ground provisions, but I have a special attachment to yams.  In soups, steamed, boiled, mashed, scalloped, roasted.. I’m country to heart and love ground provisions (or “food” as my Jamaican brothers and sisters would say) in all forms. Moving to Canada all those moons ago I also fell in love with corned beef and potato hash, so the creative side of my brain thought it would be nice to have a Caribbean version.

You’ll Need…

2-3 cups cubed yam
pinch black pepper
2 tablespoon coconut oil (or olive oil)
1 med onion diced
1 tablespoon parsley (garnish)
2 tablespoon shredded salted fish
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper

Note: I’m using Caribbean style yams for this recipe and not the sweet potato that’s usually called yams in North American grocery stores. Go to your local West Indian, Latin Or Asian food stores and I’m sure you’ll find it being sold there. It may be called Jamaican or West Indian yam. Sweet potato is a good alternative for this recipe as well, but remember you may need to balance the natural sweetness of it. I started cooking this in a cast iron pan, but transferred it to a non stick frying pan for better results.

Using a potato peeler or sharp pairing knife, peel the yam as you would normally peel a potato. If there are any black spots or blemishes..cut and remove. The sticky residue from the yams may irritate your skin/hands so do wear gloves or coat your hands with some vegetable oil. Cube and set in cool water until you’re ready to cook or it will discolor quickly.

If you’ve never prepared salted cod fish before, you’ll need to soak it in cold water, then drain. Now place it in a pot with water, bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Then drain, rinse with cool water and shred. I got the boned variety, for less work (don’t have to search out the tiny little bones to remove). The soaking and boiling will remove the heavy salt it’s been cured in.

Dice the scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds) and onion, and get ready to cook.

Heat the coconut oil in a non stick frying pan on a medium flame, then add the onion and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Then add the black pepper, scotch bonnet pepper and shredded salted fish (salted cod). Allow this to cook for about 3-4 minutes, so we get the lovely accent of the salted cod. Now drain the cubed yam and add to the pot. Your heat should be at med/low now and cover the pot so it sort of steam cooks.

Remember to stir every 4 minutes and this should be fully cooked in about 20 minutes. The natural sugars in the cubed yam will cause it to get a lovely golden brown on the edges. You can remove the lid the last 4 minutes of cooking, and to test if it’s fully cooked all you have to do is pierce it with a sharp knife. If there’s no resistance.. you’re good to go. Garnish with the chopped parsley!

What a lovely way to start the day with this unique Caribbean style hash brown. There’s enough here for 3-4 people if serving as a side to eggs and toast.

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