One Kitchen, Many Cultures

mango sauce

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Grilling Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Mango Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce

5 Comments on Mango Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce

After posting the Homemade Tamarind BBQ Sauce recipe a while back, I got a message from the Crucian Contessa (a talented Caribbean food blogger) that she had an out-of-this-world mango BBQ sauce and it turns out she was willing to share it with me/us. In the past we’ve been guilty in the Caribbean of not being as creative with the abundance of fresh local ingredients we’re blessed with, but I’m seeing a huge shift in the culinary culture of the islands, which is very positive. The trouble with that is, we’re now seeing a lot of traditional recipes being lost to more modern fusion type cooking. It’s always an interesting balancing act when I try to keep traditional recipes alive and at the same time let my creative side go wild.. but with a Caribbean twist.

I urge you to check out the tasty offerings the Crucian Contessa stirs up on a regular basis on her website at: http://www.cruciancontessa.com/ But please don’t visit when you’re hungry as her creativity in the kitchen, along with her beautiful pictures will surely get the drool on.

This mango bbq sauce is excellent on grilled meats and fish and we quickly found out that it was just amazing as a dipping sauce for chicken strips. I tried to stay as close to the original recipe to show respect for the work CC put into developing such an exciting sauce… but in true Wicked Chef fashion, I tweaked a couple things to give it a sort of personal touch.

You’ll Need…

3 Sweet Seasoning Peppers
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups chopped mango (ripe)
1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger
3 green onions
A pinch of allspice
1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
½ cup Lime Juice
¼ cup Dijon Mustard
¼ cup Honey
2 Tablespoons Ground Mustard
¼ cup Light Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Worcester Sauce
1 Tablespoon Molasses
2 Stalks Shado beni (aka culantro)
½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar (organic)
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
1 cup mango juice
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds)

Notes: If you’d like to add a bit of a smoky undertone, you can add some chilli powder or chipotle peppers to the sauce. I used the paprika for the rich colour and I like the smokey element it brings. To add a kick to this mango bbq sauce, use an entire scotch bonnet pepper and include the seeds. If you can’t get shado beni, use about 5 tablespoons of chopped cilantro.

Wash, peel and dice your mango (you can probably use frozen mango chunks as well) and set aside. Then give your green onions (aka scallions or spring onions) and peppers a fine chop. Now heat the butter in a heavy pot (distribute heat better) and start building a flavor base. Add the green onion, peppers, spices, black pepper and grated ginger to the pot and turn your heat down to low so it cooks very slowly. Stir and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Turn up your heat and start adding the mango chunks, give that a stir and add everything else to the pot. It’s important that you stir well and bring up to a boil.

After it comes to a boil, reduce the heat so you have a gentle simmer going and place the lid on the pot and allow to cook for about 25 minutes. You will have to stir every 4-5 minutes as it may start to stick to the bottom of the pot. Your kitchen will have a very intoxicating aroma and your sense of smell will get confused. The same will happen when you taste this mango bbq sauce… you won’t know if it’s the mango, the mustard or the mellowness of the honey that’s attracting all that attention from your taste buds.

After 25 minutes, you should taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Since no 2 mango are the same (can be tart  at times), you may have to add a little more honey or mustard.. the goal is to have a wonderful blend of flavors, but keep the present of mango as the key subject of the sauce. By now your sauce should have started to thicken up and the mango should be dissolving. You can certainly play around with the consistency (if you want it chunky, runny or thick). I then turned off the stove and used a submersion blender to make my mango bbq sauce a bit smooth. You can use a wire whisk or potato masher as well with pretty much the same results. If using a blender as I did, try not to over work it or risk it going frothy.

Crucian Contessa was quite correct when she said that this mango honey mustard bbq sauce is out of this world..as we had it the same night with some Caribbean Style Chicken Fingers and Caron was raving how delicious it was. So delicious, she packed my share for lunch at work the next day.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Seafood

Coconut Shrimp With A Spicy Mango Dipping Sauce Recipe.

24 Comments on Coconut Shrimp With A Spicy Mango Dipping Sauce Recipe.

 

Here’s one of those recipes where tourists to the Caribbean may have more experience with than everyday islanders. When I posted the video (see below) for this coconut shrimp recipe on facebook, a fan mentioned that this is something more common in the tourist areas in the Caribbean. Though I tend to agree, I must also point out that any sort of fusion restaurant you go to in the Caribbean you may find this on their menu and I’m sure these restaurants are not in business to only cater to tourists (open to the public).

Whenever we’re in the Caribbean it’s our mission to search out restaurants with coconut shrimp on their menu as nothing beats having this made with freshly caught shrimp and flakes of coconut done earlier in the day. Rather than the frozen and prepackaged stuff we get in North America. Additionally, with the cool Caribbean breeze… along with an ice-cold Stag (any Caribbean larger) and a spicy mango dipping sauce.. time to relax and take it easy island style.

Here’s a quick coconut shrimp recipe you can whip-up the next time you have friends coming over or you’re attending a company potluck and something “island like” is expected from you…

You’ll Need…

2 eggs
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 tea spoon pepper flakes (see note below)
1 lb shrimp (16-20)
1-1/4 cups coconut flakes (I used sweetened)
vegetable oil, for frying (about 3-4 cups)

*Lime juice for washing the cleaned shrimp (lemon juice works just as well)

Note: I used 16-20 tiger shrimp since that’s what I got on sale. Tiger shrimp tends to be a bit more expensive, so use what’s affordable. Instead of using the pepper flakes I mentioned in the ingredient list, I opted for habanero pepper (freshly chopped), as I love the flavor and heat from it. You may also use scotch bonnet, cayenne powder or any flavorful hot pepper you like. If that sort of heat is not your thing, use fresh grounded black pepper. BTW, check your Asian grocery store as they usually have the bets deals on shrimp.

We’ll start off by preparing the  shrimp. I was lucky enough that my shrimp was already deveined, so all I had to do was remove the sort of shell-like outer layer. But I kept the tail part for appearance and handling. Then using a pairing knife, I cut a deeper slit along the same line as it was deveined (around the natural curve) to butterfly the shrimp. The idea is to cut deep enough, but not cut all the way through. The video at the bottom should help you better understand the technique. Wash with the juice of 1 lime and cool water. Then drain/pat dry.

Next up we’ll make the batter. In a bowl, place the eggs, salt, pepper (I diced my habanero pepper very small) and flour.. then give it a good whisk. You should have a smooth, but runny batter.

The next step is to set up a sort of assembly line with the cleaned shrimp, coconut flakes (on a plate) and batter. I also lined my chopping board (you can use a cookie sheet) with parchment paper. The idea is to batter all the shrimp before you start, as they will cook very fast and you may not be quick enough when frying.

Holding each shrimp by the tail we left back when cleaning, dip them into the batter (coat evenly), then pat onto the coconut flakes. You may need to pat it on a bit to stick properly. Then place the now coated shrimp onto the parchment lined chopping board. Repeat until all the shrimp are coated.

I don’t use a thermometer to check actual temperature, but the oil should be heated to about 375°F (190°C). Start adding the shrimp (about 5-6 at a time) and try not to over-crowd the pan. They will start curling in and change color as they cook. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, then take out and drain on paper towels to get rid of the excess oil. If you’d like to prevent the shrimp from curling, see the video below to see how I used a skewer to help them keep their shape. The idea is to get the coconut golden brown that the shrimp is coated with.

This coconut shrimp is best enjoyed hot. However, you can cover them with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for about 4 hours. Then heat in a warm oven at 350F/180C oven until crisp and hot, about 6 minutes. The mango dipping sauce to accompany these tasty coconut shrimp is very easy to make and the full recipe for that can be found in the video below.

Though not a traditional “Caribbean” dish, this coconut shrimp is very tasty and be warned that you will get hooked the very fist time you try it. 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.

Sauces & Condiments

An insane hotsauce for the brave and daring!

74 Comments on An insane hotsauce for the brave and daring!

hot sauce recipeLooking to spice things up a bit in your life? I have the “recipe”. This one was inspired by my “mango chow” post a few weeks back. I remembered the days when as a kid I would chase down the doubles man on his bike for hot steamy “doubles” These vendors reinvented what we know as pepper sauce on the islands. Each had their own signature sauce that would attract many of us as we craved the fiery pleasure that a good hotsauce can be. These artisans would flavour their sauces with things such as mango, coconut, shado beni, lady finger (sour cherry), pomme cite′, tamarind… whatever was “in season” was usually the base.

Here’s my take on a sauce where I use ripe mango and ginger to add some flair to the insanely hot habenero peppers. You’ll soon see this featured at your local grocers or online, but with an added twist. I’m hoping you’ll be too lazy to make it yourself and get a few bottles when it’s launched 🙂

You’ll need…

1 large ripe mango – peeled / diced
10-14 habanero peppers (use less if you’re chicken) – diced
1 onion – diced
2 cloves of garlic – crushed
2 banana peppers – diced
1 red bell pepper – diced
3 tablespoon cilantro – chopped
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon salt
2 limes – juice
1 tablespoon crushed ginger ( I used the bottled stuff)
1 tablespoon mustard – optional (I didn’t use it this time)

This is a simple 3 step recipe.

Step 1. Cut, dice, squeeze and crush as necessary.

hot sauce recipe

world hottest pepper

mango hot sauce

Step 2. Place all the ingredients into a pan, bring to a boil then cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.

hot sauce trini

insane hotsauce

Step 3. Allow to cool, then add to a food processor or blender and puree. Feel free to leave it a bit chunky if you’d like some texture to it.

spicy hot sauce

caribbean hot sauce

trinidad pepper sauce

spicy mango pepper sauce

So simple, yet amazingly tasty! Don’t be fooled by the title of this post as it’s not one of those pure habanero sauces that’s all about heat. With the mango, ginger and orange juice used in this recipe, you’ll be amazed by the different level of flavours you’ll experience. WARNING! When this first hits your mouth it’s rater mild, but like a “pop rock” candy, there will be a delayed explosion and you will feel a “punch” as it makes it’s introduction to your taste buds.

TIP! Start off with 4 habaneros with the first batch you make, so you can then judge the heat level for future batches.

BTW, this makes about 4 cups of sauce, so you’ll have enough to share with your friends. They’ll be amazed at your creation – trust me! Remember to leave me your comments below.