Vegetarian

watercress salad recipe Watercress is one of those things you couldn’t even force-feed us when we were kids. I still remember there used to be a small fella in the village further up the road from where I grew up, who would go door to door every Sunday morning selling the produce from the garden he made with his grandmother. Picked fresh that morning, you’d get cucumbers, lettuce and watercress. Small man knew that along with our BIG meal (Sunday lunch), just about everyone had a wonderful side salad. People in our village depended on him for their salad ingredients, since he was convenient and his produce was always tops!

Watercress is one of those “salad greens” that’s enjoyed throughout the islands and though this recipe is a bit more complex than the basic way we would normally have it, I just had to share this with you. The watercress gives it a nice peppery flavour and it’s well balanced with the sweet/tart mango.

You’ll Need…

1 bunch watercress
1/4 ripe mango (half ripe works best…make sure it’s still firm)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 small red onion
1/4 small red bell pepper
2-3 tablespoon cilantro chopped

* You can use shado beni if you have that instead of the cilantro, just use less as it’s a bit stronger in flavour.

* I didn’t use a dressing for this since I wanted to keep it diet friendly, but you can top with your favourite pre-made dressing. A simple oil and vinegar dressing would work great as well.

Start by rinsing the watercress under water, drain and trim off the stems. All you’re doing is removing the thick stems as they can be woody and really bitter (the tender parts can be included).

watercress salad

watercress salad with mango

how to wash watercress for salads

how to trim watercress for salads

trinidad watercress salad

BTW, discard the stems. Then the next step is to slice the red onion (thinly), julienne the red pepper and do the same for the mango. With the mango you’ll have to peel off the skin with a sharp knife or potato peeler, then cut off a face (if you’d like me to explain this, leave me a comment below) and then julienne. Then rough chop the cilantro. Add everything to a large bowl and toss.

sweet peppers for watercress salad

red onions for salad

mango for salad

making watercress salad

mango and watercress salad

I don’t usually add salt or pepper to my salads and I do enjoy them with NO dressing. I hate covering the true taste of the ingredients I use in my salad. however you’re free to add whatever you want at this point.. even some sliced almonds if you wish.

Please leave me your comments below. If you’d like a quick vinaigrette to go with this, leave me a comment and I’ll share one with you.

caribbean watercress salad

watercress salad recipe

caribbean watercress salad recipe

Couple TIPS!

1. When buying watercress look for a bundle that’s not dark green. The darker the leaves, the stronger the taste will be and it can be bitter at times. Look for leaves that are not bruised or yellowish. That’s a true sign that it’s either old or going bad. Watercress should be sitting (stems) in water in your grocery store or packed among shaved ice.

2. This salad can remain in your fridge for a few days as long as you put it in a sealed container. If you plan on putting it in the fridge, don’t add salt or dressing until you’re ready to serve. If you store with dressing and salt it will become soggy and break down the freshness of the salad.

Caribbean Pot on Facebook

Vegetarian

Let’s put the Pak Choi debate to rest now?

March 5, 2012February 17, 201021 Comments

vegetarian pak choi recipe This recipe is in response to all the comments I got to the Swiss Chard recipe I posted a while back. It seems there were a lot of people who were getting confused with Swiss Chard and Pak Choi. I could easily see why, as not only do they both taste great when cooked and the preparation is basically the same, plus the appearance is very similar. Normally I cook pak choi when I have some left over stew pork as it adds a great flavour to the finished dish, but seeing the nice selection they had at the grocers our last visit. I just had to get some, even though I had no leftover pork.

To understand what I mean when I talk about the confusion caused by the Swiss Chard recipe, you must also check out that recipe and read the comments directly below it. CLICK HERE > Swiss Chard Recipe. While there take a close look at the stems (white part) of the chard, now compare it to the white part of the pak choi (pics below). also note that the green part of the Swiss Chard has a bit more waxy look to it, very crinkled and can be very large. I’ll be sure to plant both pack choi and swiss chard this spring in my garden to get some better pics to show the subtle differences.

You’ll Need

1 bundle of Pak Choi 1 1/2 – 2 lbs (also known as bok choi or Peking cabbage)
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of black pepper
2-3 cloves of garlic (sliced tin or crushed)
1 medium onion sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices of hot pepper – optional (I use habanero or scotch bonnet – adds great flavour and some heat)

Start by separating the leaves of the pak choi and rinse thoroughly under running water to remove all the sand and dirt that can accumulate there. Pak Choi is usually planted in sandy soil,as as the leaves develop, sand and dirt can get trapped between the leaves.

tasty pak choi recipe

trini pak choi recipe

vegetarian pak choi recipe

The next step is to cut the leaves and stems into smaller pieces (cubes and strips) to allow for fast and even cooking. You’ll notice that in the pak choi I got there’s a lot of stem (white part) and not as much green leafy part. In the Caribbean the leafy part is much bigger, but I have to use what I can find 🙂 What I usually do is cut the white part length-wise into 1/2 thick strips (see pic below). Then I roll the leafy part into a somewhat tight bundle and slice the entire thing. So I get the white parts cubed and the leafy part comes out is shreds.

how to cook trinidad pak choi

bok choy recipe

trinidad pak choi recipe

caribbean pak choi

Lets get to cooking now. Heat the oil in a fairly wide pan and add the onion, garlic and slices of pepper. Allow that to cook over medium heat until the onion is soft and the oil is infused with the garlic. Takes about 4-5 minuets. Now start adding the pak coi to the pot (you’ll think it won’t fit at first.. but it will cook down). Stir and keep adding. Then add the salt and black pepper. With the heat between med and low, cook covered for about 5 minutes.

cooking trini style pak choi

pak choi

trinidad pak choi

Now remove the lid and allow all that liquid that accumulated to cook off. I turn up the heat a bit and it takes about 5-10 minutes to cook off. Now depending on the texture you like ( soft or with a gently crunch) you may have to experiment with the final cooking time (after you’ve removed the lid).

how to cook pak choi

simple pak choi recipe

trinidad food recipe

TIP!. As mentioned above for an extra level of flavour you can add left over pieces of stewed pork the last couple minutes of cooking. And another way to flavour this is by adding some pieces of salted cod when you’re cooking the onions at the start.

So can you tell the difference between Swiss Chard and Pak Choi now? They both taste very similar, except I find that the Swiss Chard has a bit of a more bitter taste and the Pak Choi seems to be a bit smoky.

I’d love to hear from you, so I encourage you to leave me your comments below. Maybe you have a different version of this recipe you’d like to share?

Caribbean Pot on Facebook

Vegetarian

Rice and peas without peas?

March 5, 2012February 7, 201055 Comments

caribbean recipe peas and rice Though you may know it as rice and peas or peas and rice, peas is not actually used in this dish. Instead red kidney beans is the actual “peas” of choice used. And though we may associate this dish as being uniquely Jamaican, it’s also enjoyed throughout the Caribbean. However there are limited restaurants in Trinidad and Tobago that serves it and I’m still to find a home where it’s part of their weekly menu. Our choice for a rice dish with peas is Pelau.

This recipe is a modified version of a recipe that was passed on to me from a good friend from St Vincent. According to him, he makes the best rice and peas in the Caribbean… we’ll leave it as that for now!

You’ll Need…

2 cups brown rice (not instant)
3 cups water
1 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)
2 cloves of garlic
1 scallion (sliced)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 can red beans (kidney) 19oz
1 teaspoon salt
Dash black pepper
1 whole hot pepper (scotch bonnet, habanero or whatever you like) * This is optional.
1 medium onion diced

Start by dicing the onion and scallion and smash the garlic so it’s crushed but not in many pieces. This way you can remove it from the finished dish easily. Also remember to remove the thyme off the sprig or you can leave it on the sprig and take the spring out when the dish is done cooking.

ingredients for peas and rice

jamaican recipe

Then we’ll put a deep pot on medium heat and pour in the oil to heat up. When the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, thyme and scallion. Allow this to cook on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.

how to cook peas and rice

rice and peas recipe

While this cooks, let’s get the rice ready. I usually wash my rice before cooking to get rid of any grit and dirt. I do so by putting the rice into a bowl and let warm water cover it. Then using my hand and fingers I massage the rice. You’ll notice the water will go a bit gritty/white (see pic below). Drain that water out and rise a couple times again. Be sure to drain out the water well the final time. Now the onion should be soft and the oil infused with the other ingredients we added to the pot. Empty the wash rice and give the pot a good stir.

brown rice for making peas and rice

recipe jamacian rice and peas

jamaican rice and peas

I’ve seem people empty the can of red beans directly into the pot, but I hate the liquid it’s packaged in. So I drain and give a quick rinse before emptying into the pot. After that I add the water, coconut milk, dash of black pepper, salt and the whole pepper. By putting the pepper whole, I can remove it at the end… plus it will get some of the flavour of the pepper without the actual heat. I then bring it up to a boil, turn it down to a simmer and cover the pot. This will then cook for about 25 minutes.

cooking peas and rice

jamaican peans and rice

trinidad peas and rice

Stir every 5 minutes or so, and play close attention to the level of liquid. If you find that the liquid is drying up too fast, turn down the heat a bit. The final 10 minutes is crucial, since you want the rice to to cook, but not overcook and go mushy. If after 20 minutes you find that the rice is plump, turn up the heat (remove the lid) and cook off any remaining liquid. TIP: Here’s a simple way to test the rice to see if it’s done. Take a couple gains out of the pot and place on the counter top or on a side dish. Now gently press your fingers down and across the grain of rice. If there’s no solid texture (grainy feel), it means the rice is fully cooked.

As mentioned the last 10 minutes is crucial, since this is where you can control the desired texture of the rice. With the use of coconut milk and the fact that the rice contains starch it’s very easy to go creamy and sticky. I like my rice grainy so I burn off the liquid very fast once I determine that it fully cooked. Most times I under cook it (means the rice could use about 5 minutes more cooking) then I remove it off the heat with the lid covered. The residual heat in the pot continues to cook it while not on the heat of the stove.

* If you find that your rice is not fully cooked and your liquid is gone, simply add some boiling water to the pot and continue cooking.

caribbean peas and rice

The finished dish with some curry chicken wings.

peas and rice recipe

I’d love to hear from you, especially if you have a different way of preparing rices and peas. Please leave me your comments in the area provided below.

Happy cooking

chris…

Caribbean Pot on Facebook

Vegetarian

Making bhaji with tender baby spinach and coconut cream.

December 7, 2016January 30, 201036 Comments

One of my favorite side dishes to eat with sada roti as a kid growing up on the islands was dasheen bush bhaji. But living in North America in the early years meant that we had to improvise in the ingredients we used in many of our normal dishes. Dasheen bush (leaves form the dasheen plant) was not readily available, we started using any other type of “greens” we could find. Like spinach and swiss chard to fill the need for some traditional food. Over the years things have changed a bit and we can now get dahseen bush and many of the other ingredients we couldn’t before. However they’re usually quite expensive and the quality lacks a bit. The long voyage from the Caribbean and the Far East takes it’s toll on the fruits and vegetables (even though there’s overnight shipping).

Here’s my version of bhaji made with baby spinach and cooked gently in coconut cream.

You’ll Need…

11 oz baby spinach (pre washed)
1 medium onion sliced thin
3 cloves garlic sliced
1/4 hot pepper (optional) I used habanero
dash of black pepper
salt to taste (I used a little less than 1/4 teaspoon)
3 tablespoon olive oil (I like using extra virgin – love the additional flavour)
1 can coconut milk (5.6 fl oz)

Even though I purchased the pre-washed spinach (please get baby spinach for best results) I still wash it before cooking. Blame our mom for that.. she believes in washing just about everything. Then in a wide sauce pan heat the olive oil on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the sliced garlic and allow to cook for a few minutes to infuse the oil with the flavours of the garlic.

bhaji recipe

spincah cooked in coconut

how to cook spinach

If you look closely at the edges of the garlic you’ll notice that it’s starting to go golden in color, this is a good indication that it’s time to add the spinach. Since we washed the spinach, make sure to drain it well before adding to the pan with the hot oil and garlic. At first you’ll doubt that the entire batch of spinach will fit in the pan, but as it wilts… everything will fit. Just keep adding as needed.

trini bhaji recipe

how to cok bhaji

The next step is to add the black pepper, sliced onion, hot pepper and salt. As mentioned I used a little less than 1/4 teaspoon of salt, so I suggest you add a similar amount and at the end add additional if needed. TIP BTW, if you have a heavy hand and add more salt than necessary, feel free to add a sliced tomato to the pot to try and diffuse some of that salty taste. I then pour in the coconut milk into the pan, cover, turn down the heat to low and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. You’ll notice that the spinach released a lot of it’s own liquid. No worries.. we’ll burn all that off later.

caribbean spinach

how to cook trinidad bhaji

bhaji from trinidad

After 20 minutes cooking with the cover on the pan, you’ll notice that there’s still a bit of liquid left in the pot. After-all we added coconut milk as well to the natural juices of the spinach itself. Remove the cover and turn the heat up to medium/high to cook off all that liquid. Keep a close eye.. if you notice the spinach starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, turn down the heat. It must cook off the liquid evenly.

trinidad bhaji recipe

bhaji with coconut

Note: I like my spinach cooked as we do with dasheen bush bhaji.. melted to a sort of smooth paste. But if you prefer, you can cook this much faster with the lid off the pan for about 7-10 minutes (instead of 20) or until the liquid (coconut) milk dries off. On a higher heat setting. This way you’ll have a finished dish with more texture.

As the liquid dries off, you’re done. It will look a bit mushy, but trust me.. this is packed with flavour and healthy goodness.

I was cooking stew chicken with rice for our daughters, so I added the spinach bhaji to my plate. Still trying to get them to eat bhaji.

spinach recipe

vegetarian spinach recipe

I’d love for you to leave me your comments and questions in the area provided below. Maybe you have a different way of preparing this dish?

Don’t forget to join us on Facebook.

Caribbean Pot on Facebook

Side Dishes Vegetarian

A Spicy Pineapple Salad Inspired by Mangoes.

May 27, 2025January 21, 201016 Comments

trinidad pineapple salad One of the things you’d look forward to as a child on the islands is mango season. This is the time of the year when mangoes are mature and starts to ripe on the trees. If you had patience you’d wait for a strong gust of wind to blow the ripe mangoes to the ground or if patience was not your strong suit you’d get a long stick or bamboo rod and gently tap on them so they’d fall. If all failed, you could always get a small rock or stick and toss it at the mangoes. One way or the other you were going to enjoy some of those juicy ripe mangoes.

This was also the season for making mango chow. Slices of green (but half-ripe) mangoes with crushed (or sliced) hot peppers, garlic, shado beni, salt and fresh lime juice. When we moved to Canada sourcing mangoes was not an easy chore, so we had to find another fruit to make this fiery treat (green apples also works great). Not only could we not get mangoes, the other key ingredient which is shado beni was not easy to find either.

So my aunt who I lived with at the time suggested we use pineapple (something she had enjoyed on the islands on one of her trips back), thus started this pineapple salad or chow. And since we couldn’t get fresh shado beni, we started using cilantro. To Trinbagonians this will be considered a form of “chow”, but to others it’ll be a spicy pineapple salad.

This is so easy and full of wonderful flavour, you’ll wonder why you haven’t had it yet.

You’ll need…

1 ripe pineapple (cubed)
1/4 teaspoon salt
fresh cracked black pepper
1 clove garlic sliced thin
juice of 1 lime or lemon
3 tablespoon cilantro
1 small red onion sliced (optional)
1/2 habanero pepper sliced thin (scotch bonnet or any pepper with some heat)

* if you can get shado beni, be sure to use that instead of the cilantro for a true “chow” taste. However if you want to enjoy it as a mild salad, use the cilantro.

* In most grocery stores you can get the fresh pineapple already peeled and cored (usually packed in a plastic container). If you can’t, I’ve created a short video below showing how it’s done. If all fails I guess you can use a can of pineapple chunks. However I can’t promise that the results would be the same as using fresh pineapple.

Basically all you’re doing in combining all the ingredients is a large bowl, mix thoroughly and allow to marinate in the fridge for about 15 minutes.

quick pineapple salad

pineapple salad

pineapple salad recipe

how to make pineapple chow

trini pineapple chow recipe

trinidad pineapple salad

spicy pineapple salad

pineapple chow recipe

I told you it was simple! Give it a try, it’s a great way to spice things up a bit with some pineapple. Here’s the short video showing how to peel and remove the core from a ripe pineapple.

Caribbean Pot on Facebook

Vegetarian

A simple recipe for fry aloo (potato).

March 5, 2012December 21, 200918 Comments

Trini fry aloo One of the best things about growing up in a multi-racial country is the amount of different dishes you’re exposed to. Not just that we share in everyone’s culture (like around religious holidays etc) we also experiment with each others food. This resulted in dishes that are uniquely Trinbagonian as we’ve added our own touch (even KFC). Take fry aloo for instance. I’ve come across many “Indian” food blogs where the name of the dish is the same but the preparation and ingredients somewhat differs.

Even locally I seen recipes differ a bit, with people adding their own signature touch to enhance the final product. Personally I love me some fry aloo, but with left over corned beef (still have to post that recipe for you) added at the end.

This is the recipe for the traditional “Trini” way of making fry aloo and it just happens to be the way our daughters like it.

You’ll Need…
5 medium potatoes (I like using Yukon Gold)
1/2 onion sliced
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
dash black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
5-6 table spoons vegetable oil (olive oil works great – adds a nice flavour)
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (or any pepper you like using) * Optional but really completes the dish)

Start by peeling the potatoes, then wash and slice (not too thick – cut down the center and then slice about 1/8 to 1/4 inch). Also peel and crush the garlic, slice the onion and pepper .. set aside.

how to cook fry aloo

fry aloo trini recipe

In a heavy pot, add the oil and allow to heat on medium to high heat. As the oil heats up add the onion, garlic and pepper and allow to cook for a couple minutes. We’re trying to infuse the flavours into the oil before we add the sliced potato. As the onions start going brown, drain (if you had it sitting in water as I did) the sliced potato and start adding it to the pot.

fry aloo

This can be a very greasy dish, so if you can use oil that’s not full of saturated fats and cholesterol, it would be best. Also note that depending on the potato you use, you may be required to add a bit more oil as it cooks.

After you’ve added the potato, turn down the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Allow this to cook for about 20 minutes and try to stir every 5 minutes or so. You will notice a couple things as it cooks.. It will start to stick to the bottom of the pot (that’s normal) and it will start going golden brown. When stirring, try to scrape off any bits that’s stuck to the bottom of the pot. If you find that it’s to the point where it’s burning, turn down the heat to low. As mentioned cook covered for 20 minutes.

Trini fry aloo

After it’s been cooking for the 20 minutes, it will start to break apart and it will change in colour. The final step is to remove the lid and cook for another 5 minutes. Check to make sure the potato is fully cooked (should be soft) and double check for salt.

fry aloo recipe

fry aloo trini style

So simple, yet very tasty. The best way to enjoy this fry aloo is with Sada Roti or with any type of flat bread or if all fails.. everyday sliced bread.

I’m sure many of you have a different way of preparing this dish and I’d love to hear from you.

Happy Cooking

Chris…

Note: I mentioned that there’s the chance that you may need more oil. But I don’t think I mentioned how you can tell. If you find that midway through cooking it starts to stick to the bottom of the pot to the point where it’s burning and it’s overall dry.. add another tablespoon or two of oil.

Caribbean Pot on Facebook