Pelau........The Opus of the Pigeon Pea !

Pilaf (for an extended list of local names, see Other names) is a dish in which rice is cooked in a seasoned broth (zirvak).^[1] In some cases, the rice may also attain its brown color by being stirred with bits of burned onion, as well as a large mix of spices. The English term pilaf is borrowed directly from Turkish, pilav, which in turn comes from (Classical) Persian پلو, Bangla polaao (পোলাও), Urdu pulao (پلاؤ) and Hindi pulav(पुलाव), and ultimately derives from Sanskrit pulak (पुलाक).^[2] Depending on the local cuisine, it may also contain a variety of meat andvegetables.

Pilaf and similar dishes are common to Middle Eastern, Central and South Asian, East African, Latin American, and Caribbean cuisines.

Pelau: A dish of rice and peas cooked in a broth of meat,vegetables, spices and coconut milk which is extremely yummy and is probably the most veritable and versatile dish in Trini cookery!

Our friend Ylena told me that Plov as she calls it is also a popular dish in her native Khazakstan and the Paella of our Latin American neighbours is made in a similar way. The Indian version is known as Biryani and the West Africans call it Jollof Rice.

Pelau (pronounced Pay-Lao) is a Trini variation of what the world knows as "Pilaf" but what the world doesn't know is that Pelau is perhaps the most delicious version of the dish which incorporates "Pigeon Peas" also sold as "Gungo Peas" or "Toor Dal" but red kidney beans, black beans or even pinto beans may be substituted.

Perhaps pelau's greatest virtue, is that it is a one pot dish ( a big one though) and can be taken along to the cricket game or the beach just as easily and can feed the masses, but takes just one hour to produce from start to finish.

There is no wrong time to " eat ah 'Lao' " and in my opinion, it tastes even better the next day!

Pelau can be made with any type of meat (including cured salted pig tails or even fish) but the most popular versions are made with chicken or beef (or both together).

I will use chicken in this recipe as it cooks more quickly than beef but beef can easily be substituted in this recipe with a bit more stewing time.

My sons enjoy helping me prepare this dish and I'm pretty sure they can make it themselves by now..............hint hint boyos!

For a pelau to feed 10-12 people, you will need these ingredients:

One 5 lb chicken cut up into about 30 small pieces (or 4lbs of nicely marbled beef) seasoned with salt garlic purée and green seasoning purée

3-4 cups of long grained par-boiled rice

2 Tins of Pigeon Peas rinsed and strained

4 large Carrots peeled and diced

12 young Ochroes (okra)

1 lb of pumpkin peeled and chopped

Green seasonings chopped fine (chives, thyme and young celery etc)

One large onion minced

One medium head of garlic minced

6 Cups of hot water

1 cup of coconut milk (from powder is fine)

I large knob of salted butter

4-5 tbsp of brown sugar

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Salt and Black pepper

One hot pepper

In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat the oil and add the brown sugar. When the sugar 'melts' and begins to bubble but not burn, add the chicken pieces and allow them to caramelize stirring occasionally. After about 10 minutes, add the peas, carrots and minced onion and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Next we add the washed rice,the hot water, the coconut milk, the pumpkin and the okra. Float the hot pepper and bring the pot to a boil and then lower heat to simmer. Add the fresh chives, celery and butter taking care not to burst the pepper. Cover the pot and cook until the rice is tender.

Taa daaa!

Fish Broth (as requested by my Brother)

For the morning after the night before, there is no better cure than the hair of the dog that bit you....or so you think!
Trinis are party people and we do it well.
After such a night, Trinis like to spend the day in bed or loafing about in front the TV(and various promises are made to God and ones-self about never doing that again) and there is nothing better to feed the hangover than a large bowl of re-vitalising fish broth.
This simple dish is not only easy to make but also extremely nutritious and equally yum-licious!
Traditionally, fish broth is made with the less desirable bits of the fish like the head and back bones leftover from a filet, as well as ground provisions like dasheen and cassava and even green bananas (green fig), macaroni, and rice!
This recipe is a culmination of various methods that I have seen and eaten over the years.
My Sister-in-law Rachel, is not a big fan of "fishy" food and many kids dont like the taste and texture either so I developed this method to "cut" the fishiness and yet maintain the the value of the dish.
I enjoy fishbroth with quite a bit of hot pepper but we will compromise by making a little fire water on the side.

For this soup, you will need:

1 medium (3 lbs) cleaned and sliced Carite/Kingfish or Salmon (or whatever fish you like as long as it is as fresh as you can get it. Using fresh de-boned filets (skin on) are also quite acceptable and will be well received by those who are picky about heads and bones! Season with salt, black pepper, minced garlic, minced green seasoning, lime juice (1 lime) pimentos and mustard.
1 large Onion Chopped
1 head of garlic minced
15 small ochroes (okra) trimmed
3 large carrots peeled and chopped into chunky pieces
2 medium potatoes peeled and quartered
1 firm plantain peeled and chopped chunky
2 lbs of pumpkin peeled and chopped into medium pieces
1 large sweet potato peeled and chopped chunky
12 green figs
1 cup chopped chives
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons stripped fine leafed thyme
2 medium cassavas (yucca) peeled chopped and frozen if possible.
1 medium dasheen root (Tarot) peeled and chopped large
5 or 6 limes
3 pimento peppers
3 tablespoons minced green seasoning
3 or 4 tablespoons of prepared mustard (American style)
1 packet of seafood or vegetable stock, maggi soups work too! (or make your own by boiling the fish head and back bones and/or shrimp shells and heads adding salt and pepper to taste then strain)
1 tablespoon of butter or margarine
1 Hot pepper (Of course!)

Okay, so once the starchy veggies and carrots have been peeled and chopped, put them up to boil in a large deep stock pot, about half filled with water and about a tablespoon of salt.
The green figs should be boiled until their skins turn dull green and soften enough to peel easily in a separate pan with a tablespoon of oil to make the pan easier to clean because they get really sticky, this should take about 20 minutes.
When the potaoes just begin to soften, add the whole pepper, ochroes, plantain and pumpkin and continue cooking, add most of the minced garlic and chopped onion as well as the stock (Maggie Vegetable soup works great) don't let the pepper burst in the soup or there will be tears.
When the pumpkin becomes to soft and breaks up easily, gently add the fish, the fresh seasonings ie, the chives, thyme, celery, the rest of the onion and garlic and then the butter (Gloden Ray Margarine is traditionally used)
Turn off the fire. The fish will cook quickly in the hot broth.
Using a ladel, lift from the bottom of the pot rather than stirring (to avoid breaking up the fish)and taste, adding salt as required.
Remove the pepper and place it into a small bowl, adding the juice of 1 lime and some finely chopped onion and other herbs as well as one ladel-ful of just the broth from the pot
Crush the pepper into the mix and Ta-daa: Firewater!
Finally add the juice of three or four limes to the soup and serve piping hot!
Add the firewater drip by drip to your own serving, this stuff is HOTTTT!
Toasted hops bread is my favourite accompaniment to this soup, followed by a large hammock to share!
Enjoy!

Smoked Mackerel Salad or as we Trini call it: "Buljol" PHOTOS COMING SOON!!

Having Moved to the UK a few months ago, I began to crave many of the dishes from "down home"

Walking through the supermarket, I came across these beautiful smoked mackerel filets and knew right away what I was going to use them for........Buljol!

Buljol comes from the patois "Bruler Gueule" or translated as Burned Mouth, which means, as you may have already guessed that this is intended to be a peppery dish, but not necessarily so.

As with many traditional West Indian dishes, pepper is a key ingredient and can be used in any quantity as the "end user" sees fit!

I make mine fairly hot, but not unbearably so, as this dish is well liked by my kiddos as well (who are incidentally getting accustomed to, and appreciating the flavor of raw pepper)



This is a quick and easy and extremely healthy dish (due to high Omegas from the fish oil) which can be served as a snack which goes well with bread, roti or crackers or as a compliment to your scrambled eggs at breakfast time!




You will need:

5-6 smoked Mackerel filets

One medium onion rough chopped

Three plump medium tomatoes rough chopped

One yellow sweet pepper rough chopped

One small cucumber de seeded and chopped

2 Tbsp Olive oil

Juice of One lime or lemon

Fresh milled Black pepper

I Tbsp chopped Chives

Coriander leaves rough chopped

One Red Hot Habanero Pepper de seeded and quartered



Method:

Steep the mackerel filets in boiling hot water for five minutes to help soften them up, then drain and crush them with a fork.

Sprinkle fresh ground black pepper, add chopped onion and tomatoes, sweet peppers and cukes, chives and cilantro, lemon juice, olive oil and the hot pepper.

Mix and tumble with a fork.

Serve on Crackers or refrigerate in a re-sealable plastic container for later.

Keeps for at least two days but it neve sticks around our house that long!

I use my homemade chile oil instead of the plain E.V.O.O. to really crank up the heat (that way the kids eat less, so more for me!)

Bon Appetit!

Garlic Pork

One of the things that defines a West Indian Christmas is the variety of gastronomical delights brought from our Spanish and Portuguese heritage!
The traditional parang music tells many lovely tales of "La Anuncion" and "Alegria" but none brings me closer to home than the naughty but nice " Ah want a piece ah Pork" by the calypsonian "Scrunter"



No parang party is complete without Rum, pastelles and warm "hops bread" stuffed with ham or roast pork and laced with Chow chow ( piccalilli relish) and hot pepper sauce.
Every year, my family "The Sheppy/DeSouza" clan get together on December 22nd,for an evening of Garlic Pork making, which is always accompanied by much "Ole Talk" and Grog and general good cheer. We even cook up some of the freshly marinated pork on the very night of preparation but we all agree that it reaches its finest by day three. Anything beyond that just gets a little too acidic for our liking and has to be boiled before use, it freezes well though!
Carne Vinho Da Alho (Meat Wine and Garlic) is an old Portuguese method of preserving meat in wine or wine vinegar, garlic and herbs prior to the days of refrigeration. I have been told that a carefully prepared batch, kept in an airtight container in a cool dark cupboard can achieve a vintage of over a year... I wouldn't attempt it!
This garlic pork recipe was passed on to me by my second cousin Kirk, who learned it from his Dad "Uncle Sunny" who passed on in October of this year.

I joyfully dedicate this post to the living memory of our dear Jacinto "Uncle Sunny" DeSouza

What You will Need for 1 large Jar (4-5 servings) :

1 Large Jar (typically a caterer sized Mayonnaise Jar or any large jar 3-4 Quarts), Washed with hot water and properly dried.
5-6 Lbs of pork belly and ribs cut into 2 inch cubes ( get the butcher to do this for you)
Lots of Salt (having about a cup on hand will be safe)
1 lb Large garlic peeled ( Soak in warm water for about 20 mins, they peel easier this way)
Lots of fresh fine leafed thyme stripped (about a cup of leaves)
3 liters of apple cider vinegar
1-2 liters of white vinegar for washing (get the cheapest you can)
5 Hot Scotch Bonnet Peppers (These need to be de-seeded and quartered, and will lose most of their heat in the brine)

The Prep:

Trim the rind and wash the pork and sit in a colander to drain off as much water as possible as water makes the stuff rot. Now wash with the white vinegar, drain and wash again with more white vinegar and set to drain once more.

Meanwhile (we get the kids to do this),

peel all the garlic

and strip all the leaves off the thyme stalks. Blend up the garlic with enough apple cider vinegar to make it a quite a bit runny (you may have to do this in two or three batches unless you have a really BIG blender).

Pour the garlic/vinegar puree into a large clean basin ( wash with white vinegar) and add a large handful of thyme leaves.
Now comes the really fun part, the Salmuera (salt/garlic/vinegar mix) has to be tested to balance the salt/acid ratio. This is strictly a matter of taste.
Begin by adding 1&1/2 tablespoons of salt to the mix and stirring with very clean washed in white vinegar hands, yes with the hands! This is importatant if you want to get it perfect.
Form the fingers into a "Meggie" by placing all the fingertips onto the tip of the thumb, stir into the Salmuera and insert the entire meggie as far into your mouth as it will safely go! I am not joking!

Get everyone involved but make sure all hands are washed and rinsed in white vinegar first. Have a photographer on standby for great memories.
The burning on the lips and around the mouth comes from the garlic, the sides and middle of the tongue sense the salt and the sour, the back and the tip taste the bitter and sweet.
Wait a few minutes and discuss, add another tablespoon of salt and taste test again (don't forget to wash your hands), now compare the flavors, you may need to repeat, adding more salt or vinegar until you all agree that you have the right balance.
Once you've gotten the mix right, you need to rinse the jar ( or jars, we usually do about twelve jars) with a little white vinegar.
Now put a ladelful of the salmuera into the jar and add a layer of pork and a couple pieces of hot pepper,

continue in alternating layers of salmuera, pork and pepper until you have filled the jar.
Use a wooden spoon or a chopstick to poke the stuff down and pack the jar fairly tight ensuring that there is enough liquid to completely cover the pork.
Place a piece of cling film over the mouth of the jar and put the lid on nice and tight.
Wash hands well and enjoy another rum!

Now I'll describe my favorite recipe for cooking Stewed Garlic Pork.
It's best done early in the morning as this gives the kitchen the rest of the day to ventilate!
Every time I'm about to put on a batch, I can hear my Dad saying " Now de house smellin' like Christmas!!"

You'll need:

A deep heavy bottomed pan
1 Tbs Brown Sugar
1 Cup of Sherry (more if you're like me)
A dollop of honey

Using tongs, remove as much pork as you need from the jar and set aside in a bowl.
Heat the pan and add the sugar. Just as the sugar begins to melt and caramelise, drop in the pork and smell the magic!
After a minute or two, stir around the meat and reduce heat to med. You may want to add some of the salmuera from the jar if you like other wise add some water and stew down for another 5- 10 minutes. There is a magic moment where the sauce goes almost transparent, that's the fat being rendered down. Turn off the fire and add whatever sherry you didn't drink while cooking!
Allow to rest for a few minutes and serve with "Hops bread" ( Bun with texture of a baguette) or just as it is with the fingers!


Merry Christmas All !!

Turkey Biryani

Biryani is to India as Pelau is to The West Indies!
The main difference between the two is that the rice is cooked separately for biryani.
The biryani is also a much more aromatic and exciting experience of delicate and explosive flavors derived from the many spices used in this traditional Indian Dish
My family loves a good turkey Biryani which is a satifactory compromise between the "chicken again" and the " holy cow" dilemma. I use a ready made biryani paste in this recipe and add a few spices of my own liking to the mix! I also use my own home brewed chili oil in this recipe which is made by simply soaking dried chilis and a clove of crushed garlic in olive oil for about a week, and it keeps well for months in a cool dry place.



You will need:

1 & 1/2 cups Basmati Rice
2 & 1/2 cups water
2-3 lbs cubed turkey thighs
3 Tbs of Biryani Paste
1 Tbs curry powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp roasted geera (cumin seeds)
1 tsp cayenne pepper powder
1 Tbs chili oil
1 Tbs Olive oil
1 red sweet pepper chopped
1 leek chopped
1 tomato chopped
1 courgette chopped
1 spring onion chopped
10 whole peppercorns
10 cloves
10 cardammon pods
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp tarragon
1 small handful toasted and chopped almonds
1 large red onion chopped
4 cloves garlic crushed and minced

Method:
Soak the rice in 2 cups of water for about ten minutes and add the peppercorns, cloves, cardammon, fennel, tarragon and a pinch of salt then put on the boil then simmer until the rice just becomes tender. Meanwhile season the turkey with the biryani paste, curry powder, cayenne powder and salt.

Pan roast the almonds,
...and then the geera.


Chop the leeks, onion, garlic, spring onion, sweet pepper and courgette, set aside. Heat a large saucepan and sautee about half the onion and garlic in the chili oil.

Add the seasoned turkey and lower heat to medium.

In a small pan, gently fry the remaining onion and garlic in olive oil until the onion just begins to crisp up. When the turkey begins to dry down, add a half cup of water and set heat to minimum.

Add the chopped vegetables minus the tomato.

Spread the rice over the top.

Sprinkle the chopped almonds and crush and sprinkle the geera over the rice.

Add the chopped tomato and fried onions. Cover and let simmer until the water steams away.

Fold the rice in well and cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve!

Guest Post: Nan Tells The English Side Of The Story

Since we came to England, I've been eating... differently. You know, nice chocolate. Lots of coffee and tea. Double cream. Chocolate Volcano Cake made from scratch (curse you, Wacky Mommy!) with ice cream. The last week, a half-term holiday here, has been worse: huge breakfast fryups ending in croissants and a blueberry muffin. Long, long lunches of several courses, where by the time you get to the yummy cheeses, you have digested the first course and you suddenly have room again for those last few lonely pieces of prosciutto. Tea, with cream please. Supper, enormous and divine, along with more wine than the recommended daily allowance and followed by large helpings of apple-berry crumble and MORE DOUBLE CREAM.

One problem with eating so much is that there is no way you can exercise at any point because you are TOO FULL all the time. After supper, it's all you can do to drag yourself to the living room floor, snuggle your toes under a warm friendly animal or human, and watch the entire first season of "The Muppet Show". Contrary to popular belief, laughing till you cry does not burn enough calories to count. (My sister and I laughed so much her fiance threatened to call off the wedding. He tried to tell a joke "These two bats..."

"Walked into a bar?" sez my sister.

"No, silly, FLEW into a bar" sez I. And we fell about in hysterics. We calmed down enough to say "Sorry, sorry, please tell us the joke. Come on. Two bats..."

"Fly into a bar..." and we were off again. It's that bad.

And Dan walked off in disgust to find some men to talk to. My sister and I cannot fold a towel together without getting the giggles. We never did find out what happened to the two bats.)

My jeans have been getting tighter. And now, when I suck in, my tummy still sticks out. Disaster! It's time for drastic action. Yoga. Smaller portions. Muesli for breakfast. Situps, even. I feel sluggish, like I've finally overdone it. I don't like feeling like this. But man, it was worth it. What a holiday. Thanks, family! I love you guys.

Dhal and Rice.

Dhal and Rice is probably one of the first solid foods most Trini countryside kids ever eat!
It is a staple dish in just about every East Indian household in the West Indies.
Dhal is a pea soup, usually made from yellow lentils, Masoori dhal or similar pulses.It can be served as an accompaniment to steamed rice, roti, meat and vegetable dishes or as a warm cup of soup on its own. Sometimes dhal and rice are cooked simultaneously and in the same pot together with spices and vegetables to make a dish called Kitcheree.
I enjoy dhal for its melodious aroma and the fond memories of growing up in Trinidad that follow.

My recipe demonstrates a traditional Trini style dhal and introduces the technique we call "Chunkay", by which garlic, onions and other herbs and spices are charred in a ladel (also called Kalchul) of oil to impart a bold smoky flavor to soups and vegetarian dishes(Chokas).I will also share my version of fragrant Spiced Steamed Rice.

You will need:
For the Dhal Soup

1 & 1/2 Cups of Yellow Split peas or similar
2 Cups of Water
3 tablespoons of olive oil (any cooking oil will do though)
4 Cloves of Garlic crushed
1 Medium onion finely chopped
1 Tablespoon of fresh chopped Cilantro leaves (or Chadon Beni "Bhandaniya" if you can get it)
1 Teaspoon Salt(or to taste)
1 Teaspoon whole roasted Geera (Cumin seeds)
1 Teaspoon Turmeric (Saffron Powder or Haldi)
1 Teaspoon Curry Powder
1 Pinch of Garam Massala
1 Pinch of coriander seeds
1 Pinch crushed chilis or Chili Powder (or to taste)
A slice of fresh hot pepper(Optional)

Method:

Place the peas into a soup pot and fill with cold water, discard any floaters or discoloured peas, rinse and drain. Add 2 cups of water and put on to boil.

Add 2 cloves of crushed garlic, half the chopped onion, the curry powder, turmeric, crushed chilis and coriander seeds.Once a rolling boil has been achieved, cover pot and reduce heat to simmer until peas soften and burst apart. Swizzle the pea soup with a "Dhal Ghutney" (or run through a blender) until desired consistency achieved,






(I like mine a little lumpy). Now add the salt, the remaining chopped onion save one teaspoon full and the fresh hot pepper if desired..
The Chunkay:Now heat a metal ladel (or small saucepan if you're nervous about handling hot oil) directly over a small burner and add the cumin seeds until they start to pop and turn dark chocolatey brown.
Set them aside and add to the ladle,the cooking oil, 2 cloves of crushed and rough chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon of onion and a pinch of the freshly roasted geera.

Fry on the burner until the garlic just goes dark brown Carefully "chunkay" the dhal by pouring this boiling hot oil into the soup and listen for the satisfying "chunkay" sound!

Add the chopped cilantro and the remaining roasted geera by crushing with the fingers, add water if you like it runny or reduce to thicken. Sometimes a chopped tomato is added right at the end which gives adds another lovely colour to this multi-dimensional dish.
Serve youself a cup and enjoy the goodness. You can add your favorite boiled veggies to the soup, serve over steamed rice or add a spoonful of rice right into the cup like my Dad does!





To Make my favorite Fragrant Spiced Steamed Rice you'll need:1 & 1/2 Cups of Basmati or Jasmine rice
2 Cups of water
1 Pinch of salt
10 Whole cloves
1 Pinch of fennel seeds
1 Pinch of coriander seeds
5 Whole peppercorns
1 Pinch of dried tarragon
1 Teaspoon of Sesame oil

Add the rice, all the other ingredients and the water to a small pot with a fitted lid and leave to sit for about ten minutes with the lid on. Next place on the smallest burner on a medium to high setting . As soon as the water begins to boil, turn the heat down to the lowest setting and simmer until the steam just about stops coming out. The trick is to steam off all the water without ever taking the lid off, this is where a see through glass lid comes in very handy.Fluff up the cooked rice with a fork and serve hot!