guyanese curry

While I didn’t grow up eating this dish on the islands (simply because I don’t ever recall mom having access to crayfish), it’s quite common to see me make it when I visit the Asian supermarkets and they have crayfish (frozen) in stock. The trick is to not over-cook the the crayfish, while using it a base for flavoring the entire curry.

You’ll Need…

1 lb crayfish (crawfish)
1 med onion (sliced)
4-6 cloves garlic (smashed/crushed)
1 1/4 teaspoon salt (divided)
1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder (divided)
3/4 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
4 -5 cups water
1 small habanero pepper (optional)
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning (divided)
2-3 tablespoon coconut oil
5 medium potatoes (1-2 inch pieces)
1 teaspoon roasted Geera (cumin)
1 tablespoon Cilantro (chopped fine)

Note: 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. Especially the curry powder you use, as some may have flour as a filler/thickener.

Wash the crayfish with 1/2 lemon or 1/2 lime (juice) and cool water. Drain and squeeze dry (especially if the crayfish was previously frozen as in my case).

Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 of the black pepper, 1/2 tablespoon curry powder and 1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning. Mix well and marinate for 10-115 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoon of coconut oil in a saucepan on a medium flame. Add the seasoned crayfish, stir well, then crank up the heat to high. Cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes, then remove the crayfish and set aside. I used a slotted spoon.

Turn the heat down to medium now (same saucepan), add the onion, garlic, remaining black pepper, habanero pepper (remove the seeds ad white membrane around the seeds to tame the heat a bit if you want) and the remaining Caribbean Green Seasoning. Stir to combine and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Once the liquid is burnt off and you can see the oil we started off with (add more coconut oil here if you wish), add the remaining curry powder and stir well.

Turn the heat to low so we don’t burn the curry. After 2-3 minutes, add 1/2 cup of water along with the roasted cumin (geera). Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the liquid burns off. This is your curry base.

Now add the potato and stir to coat the pieces of potato with the curry, then add 4 cups of water and remaining salt and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, lid on (slightly ajar) and cook for 20 minutes and the potato is falling-apart tender.

Once the potato is tender, you can crank up the heat and crush a few pieces of potato to thicken the gravy. Now add the pre-cooked crayfish to the pot. Do keep in mind that this dish is meant to have a sauce or gravy and that it will thicken considerably as it cools down.

Cook for a minute or two, add the cilantro and taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Enjoy!

Be sure to watch the video below if any of the steps seem confusing and be sure to serve this with your fav rice dish, sada roti or my fave.. buss-up-shut roti. Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Oh Yeh.. shrimp can be used a as a replacement for the crayfish.

Incredible Caribbean Curry Chicken With Potato.

May 27, 2025November 14, 20215 Comments

No you’re not seeing double! If you’ve been following my culinary exploits here from day one, you would have seen me share a similar Curry Chicken With Potato (aloo) recipe about 8 years ago. And while that recipe is timeless, the google indexing bots are no longer as kind to the website, so if you were do do a search online you’ll never find that classic (original) recipe.

You’ll Need…

3-4 lbs chicken
3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning (divided)
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion (sliced)
5-8 cloves garlic (smashed)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
5 1/2 cups water (divided)
2 heaping tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon roasted geera (cumin)
1 teaspoon anchar masala
5 medium potatoes (cut into 1/4’s)
3 tablespoon chopped cilantro

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. Especially the curry powder – read the label if you don’t make your own. I used an extra Habanero pepper (floated) in this dish as I enjoy my curry very spicy.

Watch the video below to see how I broke down a whole chicken for this recipe. Feel free to use thighs or drums if that is what you have on hand or prefer using. Additionally, you may use chicken breast, but IMHO you get better results with bone in/ dark meat.

Season the chicken with the salt, black pepper and 2 tablespoon of the Caribbean Green Seasoning. Stir well and allow to marinate for a couple hours in the fridge.

Heat your deep pot on a medium flame and add the oil. Followed by the onion, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper. Turn the heat down to low and gently cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the remaining Caribbean Green Seasoning and stir. 30 seconds later add the curry powder and mix well.. heat still on low please. This step will toast the curry powder and bloom the spices which makes up the curry powder.

4 Minutes later, crank the heat to high and add 1/2 cup water, stir and then add the Geera and anchar masala (you can get this on amazon or your local Caribbean market – or double up on the roasted geera aka cumin). The goal here is to do two things. 1 Cook out the rawness of the curry and 2. to burn off the water we added to intensify the flavor of the curry base.

It will go dark, thick and perfume the kitchen with all the curry niceness. As soon as all the liquid is gone and you can see the oil we started with, add the seasoned chicken and stir well to coat each piece.

Bring to a boil (about 3-4 minutes), turn the heat down to medium and cover the pot. In the same bowl you marinated the chicken swish around the 5 cups of water and set aside for now.

After 4 minutes with that lid on, you’ll notice a lot of liquid sprouted. Turn the heat back up to high and burn off that liquid to intensify the overall flavor of the curry. (lid off).

3-4 minutes on high and the liquid should be gone. Add the potato, stir and add the 5 cups of water to fully cook the chicken and get the potatoes tender and falling apart.

As soon as it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to a rolling boil, lid on (slightly ajar) and allow it to cook for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. This is where I floated the Habanero pepper (not mentioned in the ingredient list) .. if you do, you can break it later on as I did, to release the fury or don’t break to get the flavor of the oil on the outside of the pepper and not the raw heat.

Here is where you’ll taste it for salt and adjust to your liking. Also, you can (up to you) use your spoon to crush some of the potato pieces to help thicken the gravy.

I allowed the pot to go for 4 minutes with the lid off and then it was time to turn off the stove, toss in the cilantro (better if you have shado beni) and get ready for an incredible curry dish. IMPORTANT! If it looks runny, please note that it will thicken up as it cools down.

Back to using chicken breast… be sure to check out my Curry Chicken Breast video if you like white meat and you don’t want dry, bland and tough curry chicken without bones and dark meat.

Serve with hot steaming rice or your favorite Roti! Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Coconut Curry Lamb With Potato.

May 28, 2025February 17, 20215 Comments

I’ll be first to admit that I’m not the biggest of fans of Lamb (terrible experience with overcooked grilled lamb a few years ago – my jaw still aches), plus I can’t get past the slight ‘gamey’ taste you get . However when slowly braised in a rich coconut curry sauce, I’m game lick a plate clean.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs Lamb (with bones)
1 lemon (juice)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust)
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning (divided)
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium Onion (sliced)
8 cloves garlic (smashed)
2 pimento peppers (optional)
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (aka geera)
1 teaspoon Anchar Masala
2 Tablespoon Curry powder
1 med tomato (diced)
3 1/4 cups water (divided)
2 tablespoon coconut cream
8 medium potatoes (1/4)
2 tablespoon chopped parsley

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

Cut the lamb (I used lamb with bones) into 2 inch pieces and included the bones (best flavor), so you’ll need a heavy cleaver to cut though them. Feel free to use boneless if you want. Wash with cool water and the juice of the lemon, then drain dry. Now it’s time to season with 1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt and black pepper. Mix well and allow to marinate in the fridge for 2-4 hours.

Heat your heavy pot on a medium flame and add the olive oil (or any oil you like using) followed by the onion, pimento peppers (sliced) and garlic (add more black pepper if you want). Turn the heat down to as low as it will go and gently cook this.

After 3 minutes, add the cumin (geera) seeds along with the Anchar Masala (use roasted cumin if you can’t get this) and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the curry powder and stir well – heat still on low.

After 2-3 minutes, add the diced tomato to add some acidity to balance the flavors and later it will help to develop that rich gravy. After 2 minutes add the remaining Caribbean Green Seasoning and stir. All this time the heat is on low.

Now crank up the heat to medium, followed by 1/4 cup of water. This step will cook out the ‘rawness’ of the curry. Stir well (scrape the bottom of the pot if necessary), then heat on HIGH to burn off that water, till we get back to the oil we started with.

Here is where you’ll add the seasoned lamb (yea marinade too), and stir well.

As you get a bubble going (boiling) turn the heat down to medium, cover the pot and allow the natural juices to develop.

After 10 minutes, turn the heat to high then add the coconut cream and stir well. Follow this by adding the remaining water, stir and bring to a boil.

Here’s where you’ll toss in the Scotch Bonnet Pepper WHOLE (don’t break or it will release the beast) and reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes (covered – slightly ajar).

At this point you add the potatoes to the pot and bring back to a boil. Be sure to tuck the potato pieces below the liquid and simmer (lid slighty ajar) until everything is tender. 45 minutes later and you’re done. Taste for salt and adjust to your liking, then top with the parsley.

Note! I cooked this for 45 minutes after adding the potatoes as I like my meat fork tender and I wanted a thick gravy. This would explain why my potatoes where cut into large pieces, as I knew the would melt down as they cooked. Additionally, you’re wondering why I didn’t finish with cilantro or culantro (Shado Beni), I find lamb can be very fatty and the parsley tends to cut some of that fat on your tongue. Brightens the dish actually.

Serve with hot steamed rice or roti! If you find the recipe difficult to read, be sure to watch the demo video below.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Seafood

The Ultimate Masala Shrimp (curry shrimp).

October 30, 2020September 3, 20205 Comments

The biggest PUNCH of flavor you can do to any dish, is to rock it Masala style! We’ve done fiery geera shrimp, curry shrimp with potato and curry shrimp in the past, however this version is my ultimate favorite. Quick seasoning, develop that rich masala base and quickly cook the shrimp in the deliciousness.

You’ll Need…

2 lbs medium shrimp (cleaned)
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
1 medium onion (diced)
2 medium tomatoes (chopped fine)
2 scallions (chopped)
6-8 cloves garlic (diced fine)
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
3/4 tablespoon cumin seeds (geera)
1 tablespoon Anchar masala
4-6 wiri wiri peppers
2 tablespoon chopped Shado beni (culantro)

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.. Especially the curry powder you use. The Anchar masala can be found at your local West Indian market or feel free to use roasted cumin powder if you cannot source it. The Wiri Wiri peppers came from my garden via my freezer. Use as much of any spicy pepper you like or can source.

Season cleaned shrimp (shell removed, deveined and washed with the juice of a lemon or lime and cool water – drained) with black pepper, salt, Caribbean green seasoning and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir well.

I enjoy cooking curry type dishes outdoors, so I employed the use of my propane stove in the back yard. However, on a wood fire you’ll get exceptional flavors (or you can certainly cook on your stove-top indoors). In a heavy pan on a medium heat, add the remaining oil, then the onion and garlic and set you heat on low for 1-2 minutes. Then add the geera seeds (cumin) and stir well (heat still on low), followed by your fav curry powder. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes, then add the water and bring to a boil on a high flame.

Add the finely diced tomato and scallion. Two minutes later add the Anchar Masala and stir it well. Now and add the Wiri Wiri peppers (whole). And allow this masala gravy to cook down.

After all the liquid is burned off and you start seeing the oil we started with as you stir (it will be thick), it’s then time to add the seasoned shrimp to the pot and stir well to coat.

Remember that you are to avoid breaking the peppers or you will release the beast (heat).

On the high heat the shrimp will fully cook in 3-4 minutes. Top with the chopped Shado beni aka culantro (or use chopped cilantro if you cannot get Shadon Beni) and enjoy.

An incredible way to prepare and cook shrimp packed with bold flavors. Break a couple of the peppers and make this spicy. Sanctification on a different level for pepper heads.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Coconut Curry Rabbit.

May 28, 2025March 17, 2020Leave a Comment

Growing up on the islands this dish would never be a reality, since my brother had rabbits (among other animals and fish) as pets. However since moving to Canada and having access to rabbits at most grocery stores (without guilt of seeing them as pets), combined with my attraction to ‘game’, this dish is somewhat of a norm for me. Especially during the warmer months when I can use my outdoor wood burning stove in the back yard.

You’ll Need…

3 1/2 – 4 lbs rabbit
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 tablespoon Cocopine Pimento Sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon Amchar Masalla (for seasoning)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (adjust)
8 cherry tomatoes (any tomato will work)
2-3 tablespoon veg oil
1 medium onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (smashed)
2 heaping tablespoon curry powder
3/4 teaspoon amchar massala
2-3 tablespoon water (for making the curry slurry)
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
4-6 wiri wiri peppers (optional)
2-3 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
* use ground roasted cumin if you cannot source the amchar massala

Important! If doing this dish gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs (especially the curry powder you use as some may contain flour as a thickener). For the Cocopine Pimento Sauce, please check my friend Chef Barry Bartholomew at @Cheffinbar on Instagram.

Cut (small pieces), wash with lemon or lime juice and drain (how you’d normally wash meats). We’re using the entire rabbit (liver, heart and kidney).

Then season with salt, green seasoning, Caribbean green seasoning, coco pine sauce, anchar massala, scotch bonnet pepper, cherry tomatoes and black pepper. Mix well and marinate for about 3 hours in the fridge.

Today we’ll be using my outdoor wood burning stove, so it’s time to get that fire started. Basically you want a low heat to start. Heat the oil on a med/low flame then add the onion and garlic and cook on LOW for 2-3 minutes.

In the meantime mix the curry powder (use your fav), along with the remaining 3/4 teaspoon anchar massala with the water, to form a slurry. Now add that to the pot and mix well. This will help us bloom the spices which makes up the curry powder and ultimately cook-off that raw curry taste and texture.

The curry mixture will go darker in color, clump and you should burn off all that liquid.. until you can see the oil we started with. Now crank up the heat and go in with the seasoned rabbit (not the liver, kidney and heart – yet). Be sure to toss around well, to coat each piece of the rabbit with the curry base.

Bring to a boil (it will spring it’s own natural juices), then simmer for about 20 minutes on med/low. Be sure to stir occasionally. Do not cover the pot. Then crank up the heat to burn off that liquid – this step will give us the color we’re looking for and intensify the curry flavor of the completed dish.

Once it’s dry, add the coconut milk + water and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a gentle simmer, to allow us braise the rabbit until it’s tender.

1 hour and 30 minutes later, taste for salt and adjust to your liking, Burn off the gravy to the consistency you like and be sure to make sure it’s a tender as you like it. Now add the liver, heart and kidney and cook for a further 5 minutes. Then toss in the wiri wiri peppers, along with the chopped cilantro and you’re DONE!

Birds Eye Peppers (bird pepper) is a great substitute to the Wiri Wiri peppers or you can leave that out if heat is not your thing. If you’re based in the Caribbean and cannot source the cilantro (coriander), be sure to use Shado Beni (chadon beni or culantro)

The curry on it’s own is just magnificent, however should you have the ability to cook this over a wood fire – the taste is just INCREDIBLE! The smoke adds a lovely layer of flavor you can never achieve on the stove-top.

If you can, please support. And should you have questions about this recipe or anything food related, be sure to Ask Chris.

Gluten Free Vegan

Curry Chataigne (breadnut / Katahar) The Best Vegan / Gluten Free Dish You’ll Ever Eat.

May 28, 2025February 20, 20203 Comments

I’ve talked about it before! In the Caribbean we do #vegan naturally and what I mean by that is.. we don’t take 15 grains and try to make a burger. We would take those 15 grains (for example) and make several dishes out of them. This Chataigne (aka breadnut) is a delicious example of how we do vegetarian dishes naturally – just part of the commonplace culinary landscape. And to be honest, until the recent Vegan/Vegetarian movement, we didn’t even notice how many of our everyday dishes fall into the “category”.

You’ll Need…

3 medium Chatagine (breadnut)
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion (sliced)
3 tablespoon curry powder
3/4 cup water to cook the curry
1 scotch bonnet (sliced)
5-8 cloves of garlic (divided)
1 tablespoon anchar masalla
1 1/2 tablespoon roasted geera / divided (cumin)
1 1/2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust)
3 cups coconut milk
3 pimento peppers (diced fine)

Important! If doing this recipe #glutenfree please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the curry powder as some may contain flour.

I’d recommend that you watch the video below featuring my mom and dad along with following with this recipe. As some elements may be better described there.

Rub your hands with coconut or vegetable oil (not mentioned in the ingredients list above). This will form a protective barrier so the natural sap off the Chatainge will not stain and discolor your hands. Using a sharp knife, peel the Chataigne, then cut into segments. Remove the core and discard. Then peel or shred off layers of the inside (very cabbage-like at this point). There will be seeds that you can include in the dish. If you choose to use the seeds (we used about 30%) you will need to remove the tough outer skin (discard) and slice the seeds in half.

Give everything a good wash in cool water and drain. Then heat the oil in a large heavy pot on a medium flame. It’s now time to add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now add the curry powder cook 2 minutes to cook off any rawness (you’ll get this rawness at the end if you don’t cook it off now). Add 3/4 cup water, stir well. Go in with the scotch bonnet pepper and 3 cloves garlic grated… followed by 1/2 of the Geera and Anchar Masalla. Stir well, then add the Caribbean Green Seasoning and cook for 2-3 minutes. You will have a lovely thick slurry with a captivating aroma.

It’s now time to start adding the cleaned and prepared Chataigne along with any seeds you decide on using to the pot. As you do, please try to stir. It will seem like a lot at the start but it will wilt down. Do remember to add the salt at this point as well.

Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the coconut milk. My dad grated a couple dried coconuts from which my mom made freshly squeezed coconut milk (watch the video).

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook gently with the lid on. 1/2 hr later, we topped it with the remaining garlic (whole cloves) and continued on that gentle simmer (lid on).

Be sure to stir the pot every 15 minutes or so. After 2 hours, add the minced Pimento peppers, mix in well and continue cooking. Yes it does take a while to cook until it’s tender and bursting with flavors. You’ll appreciate the time it takes to cook once you taste this Curry Chataigne.

Bearing in mind that it took 3 hours on that gentle simmer to cook, the last 10 minutes is when you’ll add the last of the roast Geera (ground cumin) and mix in well.

At the 3 hour mark you will have burned off all the liquid and the Chataigne will be tender and ready to enjoy with Sada or Buss-Up-Shut Roti. A CLASSIC Caribbean vegetable curry courtesy of my mom and dad. Much luv and thanks to them for sharing such a traditional recipe with us.

If you can, please support. And should you have questions about this recipe or anything food related, be sure to Ask Chris.