Two Plantain Recipes that I cooked from Original Flava

I mentioned in one of my previous blog post that I've been cooking from the cookbook  Original Flava Caribbean.  Here are two recipes that I made a little while back using plantain. 

The first was this Plantain and Chickpeas Curry.  I have to admit, I can take my heat, but the quantities of some of the spices had my heart beat racing -1 tablespoon chilli powder, 6 tablespoons curry powder suffice to say I did reduce the amount of these, but everything else I followed to the recipe.    Oops better mention, that I also forgot to pick up a Scoth Bonnet so added some of the red birds chillies.

I've found the recipe online to share the link with you, but I must point out there are some inconsistencies  between the cookbook and the online version.  The book serves four, but the recipe on the website serves a large crowd and was made with 8 plantains, not the 4  in the cookbook Plantain and Chickpeas Curry  from Original Flava Caribbean Recipes , 

For me the Plantain and Chickpeas Curry. was intensely curried in flavour, D enjoyed it.  We had it over two days. I would make it again, but perhaps use the on-line reicpe next time as no changes would be necessary as it makes a larger batch. 

The other recipe was for Coconut Curry Stew .that I adapted as I didn;t have all the ingrednets such as chocho (chayote and yellow yam and okra.  

My version has butternut squash, sweet potatoes and spinach and of course plantains.  Here is a link to the originak recipe for Coconut Curry Stew.

I am sharing this blog post featuring Original Flava Caribbean Recipes from Home by Craig and Shaun McAnuff  with Weekend Cooking Event hosted by Beth Fish Reads, a weekly event that is open to anyone who has any kind of food related post to share. 

Not 'Corned Beef' and Cabbage

Ah loving October so far, the changing colours of the dancing trees, the falling crisp leaves beneath my feet.  I like this weather as long as it stays dry, I  just don't want it to rain and feel like a soggy wet sock.  I am looking forward to wrapping up warm in my snugly jumpers, knitted and crochet scarves and hats, but right now its just blooming beautifully fresh and I am liking it.   

Its been a day of house-cleaning, scrubbing, laundering and vacuum cleaning, but then it was time for a late, late brunch.  

This  Not 'Corned Beef' and Cabbage is adapted from  Caribbean Modern by Shivi Ramoutar,  and made suitable for vegetarians (and vegans if you omit the fried egg).  In place of the thick flakes of corned beef, I had reconstituted soy mince, I think it worked very well.  

When I placed this plate in front of D I have to say, he didn't think much of it.  The cooked strands of cabbage did not enthuse him either, but once he started tucking in.  I could see that he was in fact really enjoying this dish, I have to say that I enjoyed it too.  It hit the right spot and got me all energised to continue with the reminaing house-work - what a lovely Sunday!   

Caribbean Coconut Vegetable 'Rundown': Squash, Peppers, Sweetcorn and Greens

I've read about 'Rundowns' in a number of my vegetarian cookbooks, to name a few: Delicious Jamaica;  Caribbean & African Cookery, and The Rasta Cookbook, but never got round to making any of the recipes in these cookbooks at home.  

But when I saw it on the menu at a restaurant in the big, bustling and diverse city of Bristol, England, I just had to have it.  We went there a couple of years back with friends from Brittany.  I had the Rastafari Rundown with butter beans, corn cob, greens carrot, sweet potato, herbs, coconut milk served with Rice'n'peas and fried dumplings.  It came in an oval shaped enamel pot.  It was my first time and it was really good.  However, the second time we went there, it was not so good - the rice was not good at all and sadly the dumplings were stale, we never went back again. 

Anyway, a 'rundown' is a method of reducing coconut milk slowly to achieve a thick creamy sauce, it is usually cooked with meat, fish or saltfish, but there are plenty of vegetarian variations around. Rosamund Grant, the author of Caribbean & African Cookery writes 'Rundown' could have been taken to the Caribbean from Indonesia by the Dutch.  They have a similar dish called 'Rendang' which has almost the same pronounciation'. 

I have been wanting to make a vegetarian 'Rundown' at home for a long while, and it only happened because I had most of the ingredients and more coincidentally Vegan Mofo prompt was to 'recreate a restaurant meal'.  And what is good, is that this recipe is naturally vegan. 

Its packed with loads of colourful vegetable: butternut squash, sweet potato, red and yellow peppers, greens from my garden and my favourite part of the whole meal was actually the sweetcorn, that were grown locally.  Pretend you enjoying this on a sandy beach somewhere in the Caribbean, not where I am - wet, windy Wales, but it is home and I wouldn't be anywhere else right now. 

Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Sweet Potato and Spinach Curry

I picked up some ground Trinidad Moruga Scorpion reputed to be one of the worlds hottest if not the hottest chilli pepper in the world.  With my chilli tolerance being quite high, I was just curious to try it and with a name like Trinidad Moruga Scorpion got me even more interested - a bit like Chocolate Habenero Chilli Pepper.  

It had been in my kitchen for over a month as I was unsure what to make with it, but then one evening after work I just decided to make a straightforward Sweet Potato and Spinach Curry, but this one had attitude.  

Ooh 1 teaspoon of the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion would have been enough, but I got a little gutsy and added a 1/2 teaspoon more and my oh my, it was hot.  Thankfully, we could both eat it without too much hissing and reaching for something cooling like a natural yogurt.

This dish is so much better a day later though, as the flavours of the spice permeate through the texture of the vegetables.  The following day I did decide to thrown in a can of cooked chickpeas too for two reasons to tone down the chilli heat, but also to bulk it up a bit more.

I would certainly make this again (especially as I still have some ground Trinidad Moruga Scorpion to play with), but next time it will be with different vegetables like peppers, plantain, this time though I stayed within my comfort zone using vegetables that I often use for my African Sweet Potato, Kidney Bean and Ground Nut Curry, though the flavours of this sauce was completely different - proper spicy with heat on the tongue and signs of warmth on the cheeks.   

Butternut Squash and Peanut Butter Curry

Work has been keeping me distracted, so blogging about my vegan eats in the month of Veganuary has been low priority, but I have continued with the challenge and have to say I am doing very well indeed.  

I am very tired when I get home, I think the early morning starts are getting to me now, especially when it is unwelcoming outside.  The weather has been blustery, wet, icy, snowy and windy which is absolutely fine when your in a warm home or wrapped up well before stepping outdoors, but it has been playing havoc with our garden.  The garden pergola has moved a bit more, its looking more like the 'leaning tower of Pisa', but unlike the Tower of Pisa this pergola will be falling down the next time we get a strong gust of gale force winds, we are certain of it.  The greenhouse has lost a window pane.  You lose one and its impacts on the rest of the greenhouse.  We can only hope the weather calms down.

So back to food.  Of course I have been cooking and eating, just not blogging about it.  I have been making large one-pot meals.  The most recent was a Butternut Squash and Peanut Butter Curry.  I apologise in advance that there is no photograph as its just way to dark in the evening to take a photograph that would do the recipe justice.  The recipe for the Butternut Squash Curry is exactly the same as the African Sweet Potato and Groundnut Curry. I just substituted the Sweet Potatoes for Butternut Squash. It was delish!

Peanut butter is a fabulous natural thickener.  I do tend to buy the Meridian brand, but was recently tempted by this Mother Africa Peanut Butter jar as the colourful packaging and name grabbed my attention.  Sometimes I am a sucker for labels, not designer labels though - I have never ever been a follower of fashion or trends, I know its not the case, but I do sometimes think that I must be among a small minority of people living in the U.K, and more specifically Wales who has not done a selfie?! 

African Sweet Potato, Kidney Bean Groundnut Curry

I make this African Sweet Potato, Kidney Bean Groundnut Curry every so often.  The sauce is both sweet and spicy, thickened by the groundnuts. Sometimes I will make this African Curry with butternut squash, or throw in a bag of baby spinach to bulk it up when cooking for other people.   Its very popular with friends and acquaintances, except for one....

Vegan Jamaican Patties Pies

I have to say when the sun is shining and the weather is hot hot hot, pastry pies do not appeal to me, they seem more suited to colder days, but these ones dyed yellow from the spice turmeric remind me of the sunshine glow.  I have also got to admit, I don't often go for curry powder or curried flavoured dishes, (which may be a surprise to some of you as I do like my chillies )but I've made an exception for these as they are completely different, as well as the fact these contain the headiness of cumin. These Jamaican Patties are well packed with well flavoured vegetables that sing summer-time: how can I resist. Its both sweet and mildly spiced, not heat hot, just lightly spiced. I hope traditionalists will forgive me for making these British style, compact and round instead of the typical half moon shaped ones you often see.  

I think these Jamaican Patty Pies are perfect to make and take on beach picnics.  Sit your bum on the sand, open up your picnic hamper and behold these golden hand pies.  Now to eat them, just hold them in your hands between a napkin , close your eyes and bite in.  Nice.

I know what you are going to say, we can't see whats on the inside. I am so sorry, sometimes greed comes first.  I promise the next time I make these to try and remember to take a photograph of the colourful filling: gold, red and green. 

Trini Black Eyed Peas Rice with Butternut Squash

On New Years Day, I mentioned that I had some black eyed peas on the simmer.  

Well once those black eyed peas were well cooked.  I decided to cook Trini Black Eyed Peas and rice with squash. Trini being Trinidad.  

Jamaican Butternut Squash Stew

You will have to forgive me for what will be a short post, I am a little distracted at the moment with things that are taking a little bit more priority than blogging at the moment, but before I go, I thought I'd share this Jamaican Butternuts Squash Stew that I made for our supper this evening.

Oh my it was really flavourful.  I really liked the gravy and the heat imparted from the scotch bonnet.  If the thought of Scotch Bonnet frightens you, then please feel free to exchange it for a milder red chilli. The stew was served with some plain white rice. 

Sunny Caribbean Vegetable Patty Pies

Along with the vegan Garlic Mushroom and Parsley Pies these Sunny Caribbean Vegetable Patty Pies were second to sold out when I held my first food and crafts fayre a few months ago.  I have not seen these on market stalls in Wales yet, but I know it won't be long to appear.  So watch this space.

 

I really like the sunshine yellow glow of the pastry, its calling out for summer and the filling is not that bad either.

These particular Sunny Caribbean Vegetable Patty Pies are made with vegetables, but I have also made them with soy mince otherwise known as textured vegetable protein so that it mimics minced meat. 

I am sharing one of these vegan Sunny Caribbean Vegetable Patty Pies with My Legume Love Affair 60 as it contains kidney beans.  MLLA as it is known to its fans, is a popular, legume-centred event was created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, and is now run by Lisa of Lisa's Kitchen. This June it is being hosted by One Hot Stove. It is the 60th edition  - the diamond anniversary!

 

Vegan Caribbean Vegetable Patty Pies
Makes 6 - 8
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
1medium onion, peeled and finely sliced
200g carrots, peeled and diced
250g sweet potatoes or butternut squash, peeled and chopped into cubes
3 peppers, red, green and yellow, deseeded and diced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
200g can sweetcorn, drained and rinsed
400g cooked kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder for pastry dough
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
Heat oil and then add in sliced onions and saute until translucent.  Then add in the diced carrots and sweet potatoes or butternut squash if using.  Cook on moderate heat, stirring constantly until beginning to appear translucent, stir in the peppers and thyme leave and continue cooking until all the vegetables are tender.  Stir in the sweetcorn and kidney beans and salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste.  Cover and cook for a few minutes for the flavours to blend. Turn off heat and allow to cool. 
Now make the pastry
You have three choices for the pastry.
For ease, you can use shop bought puff pastry or shortcrust pastry – in which case pour the filling into a casserole and top with the pastry and cook according to packet instructions.
Or you can make your own shortcrust pastry.
For all these recipes please add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder to the pastry just before kneading.
You can make you own hot water crust pastry. Follow here for the recipe. For individual pies, see here.
Preheat the oven to gas mark 5.
Fill the pastry and top with lid.
Bake for 30 - 40 minutes depending on the size of your shortcrust or hot water crust pastry pie(s). Allow to cool, before serving.

Bajan Gungo Pea, Squash and Coconut Soup

Whilst I was vacuuming,  I knocked down one of the paperback cookbooks hidden on the bottom shelf.  A much under-used cookbook called Lean Bean Cuisine.  I flicked through it quickly, finding myself enticed by a number of legume based recipes.

As the book was random, honest - it landed at my feet - it occured to me that I should enter this months No Croutons Required Does Random Recipes.  This is not the way I normally cook, I tend to go by what ingredients are in season and then come up with a recipe, but I was up for a new challenge, moreso as I've never done 'Random Recipes' before either.  So I closed my eyes and flicked through the first few pages and ended up on a 'Gungo Pea and Coconut Soup' recipe.  This made me smile, as I have three tins of gungo peas, also known as pigeon peas and a can of coconut milk at home.  The only ingredient I had to go and pick up was butternut squash.   

The soup was lovely and light, truly embracing the characteristic flavours of the Caribbean: coconut milk, thyme, hot peppers, and rum.  I have to point out though that the flavours of both the jalapeno pepper and rum is mild, so don't worry about it too much;  if you so wish, feel free to omit it.  I think the soup will still be lovely and will transport your mind, if not your soul to the sunset warmth of the Caribbean.

So as mentioned, this is my entry for Novembers No Croutons Required. NCR is a little different this month as Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes has teamed up with Dom at Belleau Kitchen.  to create No Croutons Required Does Random Recipes.   I do hope they like this soup as much as I did.

Bajan Gungo Pea , Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup
Serves 6 – 8
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stick, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon jalapeno pepper
140g – 180g butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 x 400g canned gungo peas (pigeon peas), drained and rinsed
1 ½ pints vegetable stock
Optional:  2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
200ml canned coconut milk
Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and jalapeno pepper.  Saute over medium heat the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes or so.  Add the squash, half of the beans, stock, rum parsley and seasonings.  Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 35 minutes until it begins to thicken, stirring occasionally.
Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the coconut milk and continue to simmer for a couple of minutes.  Transfer the soup to a food processor and blitz until smooth.  Return to the pan, add the remaining beans and reheat before serving.  Adapted from Lean Bean Cuisine by Jay Solomon.

Fiery Scotch Bonnet Apple chutney

What happens when the red hot Caribbean Scotch bonnet kisses the sun-blushed British apple? – You get fiery Scotch Bonnet Apple chutney. Well that is what I am hoping. I created this recipe last weekend, as I wanted a change from the sweet preserves I've been making lately, such as the spiced apple butter and apple and blackberry jam. I was also encouraged by fellow blogger Little Black Fox who has recently been going chutney crazy in her kitchen. I also absolutely adore her home created jam jar labels, both inspiring and humorous.
To be quite honest, I am quite nervous about this Scotch Bonnet Apple chutney. I have a tendency to follow preserves, jam and chutney recipes word for word, it unlike me to deviate from them. But last week I challenged myself to step out of this comfort zone. So if I am honest, I am not totally confident about this. I am hoping it works out, or at least is edible. For now I have to wait while it matures. I am hoping to serve it with some vegetable or bean burgers.

Oh I've got got a confession to make, the Scotch Bonnets used in this recipe did not come from the Caribbean at all, they were not even grown in a greenhouse in the U.K. Yes, these Scotch bonnets actually came from Holland.

Scotch Bonnet Apple chutney
You will need a slow cooker for this recipe

Makes 4 x 245ml jars
Ingredients
¼ pint vegetable oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped
1 large onion, finely sliced
2 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
1 head of garlic peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoons whole cumin
225ml malt vinegar (should have been cider vinegar)
1kg cooking apples peeled and chopped small
5 Scotch bonnets, pierced
115g granulated sugar
1 tablespoon salt
Method
Heat oil in pan and gently fry the onion and garlic until it starts to color then add remaining spices and cook for another three minutes. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add vinegar, apples, Scotch Bonnet, sugar and salt. Cook on high for the 1 hour, then turn down and cook for 5 - 7 hours. Note: Oh I forgot to add, during halfway when the chillies have sdoften, take them out, cut open and scoop out the seeds and discard. Mince the chilli skins and return to the pan. I guess you can leave them whole with the seeds, but I rather tread slowly with the heat first. When done. Put into hot sterilized jars and seal at once with lids

Vegan Caribbean Flavours

One of my other tasks over the weekend was to clean out some of my store cupboards to see what jars, tins and sauces I had, and how many of them were past their sell-by-date, fortunately not many were, but a few had to be used, including this callaloo tin. I am cringing just to admit I have a tin of callaloo in my store cupboard, especially as someone who tries to grow her own vegetables. You may then ask why on earth do I have the tinned stuff? Well the truth is, I was curious to try what callaloo tasted like. Callaloo is made from the leaves of the Dasheen bush, which you can buy at specialist markets, but I have not seen it fresh in any of the shops in Scotland, so it had to be tinned.

Callaloo is served mainly as an accompaniment, so my thoughts turned to how I could make a complete meal from this, so out of the store cupboard came out a tine of gungo peas also known as pigeon peas, as i had decided on putting a Caribbean twist on my meal tonight.

I flicked through my small collection of Caribbean food books and decided on these recipes. Aloo pies for starters and then chunky callaloo and gungo peas with plain boiled rice. What struck me about these flavours was how familiar they were to me, as some of the dishes in the cook book had South Asian influences. One of the reasons for this is that the Caribbean has a long multicultural history and naturally food has been influenced by settlers importing their cuisine and influencing the local diet.

D agreed with me that the aloo pie, a potato filled Trinidadian snack usually eaten with pepper sauce was simple and delicious, one Caribbean dish we will definitely be having again (including tomorrow for lunch as we have 4 left over). Neither of us was bowled over by the callaloo, but to be honest with you, I don’t think the tinned version of callaloo does the 'real thing' any justice, as it just tasted like any tinned greens. I think to truly appreciate callaloo you have to try it fresh, so I won’t ever be buying the tinned variety ever again. In fact, I may even try and look for some callaloo seeds and grow my own. My experiment with Caribbean flavours does not end here. I also have a tin of ackee and green gungo peas in the cupboard, so the Caribbean theme will be on the menu again. Watch this space if your intrigued.

Aloo pieMakes 6
Ingredients
For the pastry
225g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp oil
Pinch of salt
For the filling1 tbsp
400g potatoes, peeled and mashed
1 onion, finely minced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tsp freshly ground cumin or garam masala
1 habernero pepper, deseeded and finely minced
Method
For the filling: Heat oil and add the minced onions and garlic and cook until translucent, then add the cumin or garam masala and pepper, cook for a couple of minutes for the flavours to infuse. Turn off heat. Stir in mashed potatoes so well combined and set aside.
For the pastry: Mix the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt then knead with enough water to make the dough. Brush the dough with 1 tsp of oil, cover and leave to one side for about 30 minutes. Then divide dough into six balls and leave for a further 10 minutes. When the dough is ready, roll out each ball into a circle, placing 2 tbsp of the potato mixture in the centre. Then fold into a half moon shape and seal the edged by pressing with a fork. In a wide pan, deep fry each pie in oil until puffed and golden brown. Be prepared to be amazed at how these puff up in the hot oil.

Chunky callaloo – Jamaican styleServes 4
Ingredients1 tin x 540g callaloo, drained and rinsed
1 tin x 400g tomatoes, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1 large onion, finely sliced
Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method

Fry the onion in the oil until translucent, then add the peppers and cook for five minutes. Then add the tomatoes and callaloo. Cook for a further 20 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Gungo peas
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, finely sliced
1 x 400 tin of tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 habernero pepper (gently pierced)
1 x 400 tin of gungo peas
Method
Fry the onion in the oil until translucent, then add the tomatoes, puree and whole habernero pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes, then add the gungo peas and simmer for another 10 minutes Serve with plain boil rice. All Recipes adapted from Caribbean cookery for Vegans and More Caribbean Cookery for Vegans by Peter Mason