Pastelles

3 Cups grated green corn or cornmeal
1 lb minced cooked meat (beef, chicken or soya for the vegetarians)
2 large tomatoes
1 tablespoon vinegar
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 capers or sweet pickles
½ cup raisins
2 medium onions
¼ Cup cooking oil
¼ sweet pepper
2 blades chive
Banana leaves cut in 8" squares

Chop all green seasonings finely and mix with meat. Brown in hot oil. Add chopped tomatoes, raisins and sweet pepper. Blend well together. Clean banana leaves with a damp cloth and steam them over hot water to make them pliable. Crush corn and dampen with a little salted water, butter the leaf squares and spread with the corn mixture. Place 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture on each square leaving a 1-inch border. Fold over and tie securely into a parcel, using thread. Steam for about 1 hour

Corn Soup

2-3 Tbsp Olive oil
1/2 large white onion, chopped (~1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 small red potatoes (or 1 small russet), quartered (peeling, optional)
Sea salt and ground black pepper
3 ears corn (or 1.5 cans), kernels sliced off
2 cups low sodium veggie broth*
2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk* (or regular milk if not vegan)
2-3 green onions (garnish), chopped

Add olive oil, onion and garlic in a pot and saute for 3 minutes. 


Add potato, season with a little salt and pepper, and cover to steam for 5 minutes. 

Add most of the corn, add broth and bring to a low boil. 

Cook until the potatoes are soft and transfer soup back to the saucepan and bring back to a simmer. 

Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Cook for at least 10 minutes to let thicken. 

Serve with chopped green onion and add a sprinkle of paprika for color.

, remaining fresh (or lightly sauteed) corn, and black pepper.

Doubles

To make the dough:

1. Place the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a separate small bowl. Set aside until the mixture bubbles. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, turmeric, cumin, and black pepper. Stir the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and add additional lukewarm water as needed about 1/2 cup until the mixture comes together into slightly firm dough. Knead until smooth and elastic and cover with a damp cloth. Set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about an hour.

1. To make the filling:.

1. If using dried chickpeas, drain, place in a pot with 6 cups of fresh water. Simmer for about 1 hour, or until tender. Drain and set aside. If using canned chickpeas, drain in a colander and rinse well with cold water. Set aside. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and add the onion. Cook until translucent. Add the garlic and stir well, frying for 1 minute more. Add the curry powder and mix well. Cook for 30 seconds and add 1/4 cup of water. Stir in the chickpeas, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and add 1 more cup of water. Stir in the cumin, and salt and pepper, and lower the heat. Simmer until the chickpeas are very tender. Set aside. 
2. To complete the doubles: 
3. Punch down the dough and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Pinch off walnut-size pieces of dough and flatten each into a circle about 4 1/2 inches in diameter. Dampen your hands with water if the dough is sticky. Heat about 1 cup of canola oil, at least 3 inches deep in a frying pan or medium saucepan. Test the oil by sprinkling a bit of flour into it. If the flour bubbles and sizzles the oil is ready. Add the dough circles and fry, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides, about 40 seconds. 
4. Place 2 tablespoons of chickpeas on each piece of fried dough Add the pepper sauce, Kuchela, and cucumber, if desired. Top with another piece of fried dough. Serve.

Pelau

Wanna learn to make Pelau?

Well here's your chance.......It's that easy!

1lb Seasoned Chicken
1 Onion
2 tbsp. Sugar
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Chive
2 Cups of Water
1 Cup of Coconut Milk
1 Tin of Peas
2 Cups of Rice
1 Cup of Chopped Pumpkin
1 Carrot Diced
2 tbsp of Oil
Salt

Clean the chicken and cut into small pieces. Season with salt, pepper, chive, thyme chadon beni and parsley. Set aside to marinate. In a deep pot heat sugar with oil until it is slightly brown then add seasoned chicken. Add peas, carrots, pumpkin and herbs to the boiling water in the pot. Stir and add the rice and coconut milk. Add water and if you will add hot peppers. Cover but stir occasionally so the rice does not stick. Cover, reduce simmer and cook until all water has been absorbed. Serve with watercress.

Dumplings and Curry Fish

An Easy Sunday Lunch Recipe

Dumplings 

8 Cups of Flour
8 Tsp Baking Powder
4 Tsp Salt
1/3 Chopped Onions

Mix until dough is even and let rest for an hour. When dough has risen, roll dough using rolling pin until the dough is flat. Cut rolled dough in pieces and place in boiling water with oil and salt for approximately 30 minutes or until all of the dumplings reaches the surface. Strain.

In a frying pan, place oil and butter and chopped onions. Let mix sautee and add seasoning and dumplings.

Curry Fish

3 lb King Fish cut into Slices and Seasoned with Salt/ Black Pepper/ Cayenne Pepper and Fresh Seasoning
1/2 Shrimp (Optional)
1/2 Cup of Chopped Tomatoes
1/2 Cup of Onions
1/2 Cup of Fresh Peas
Ochro

Fry fish in batter of salt, black pepper and flour.

In another pot, add oil and garlic, let garlic burn and then remove. Add 2 Tbs of curry powder and 1/2 Tbs Marsala in a mixture with water and then add to the pot with oil. Let the curry mix fry for 2 minutes and then add onions, tomatoes, fresh peas (optional) and ochro. Let the ingredients fry for two minutes and then add two cups of water and some mango amchar. 

Check for salt and pepper and once the mixture simmers and has a thick consistency, turn off the stove and add fried fish to the pot!

For more information on the benefits of Fish. Please Click Here.

Curry Chicken

Curry Chicken Made Easy!

1 Whole Chicken Cut into Pieces

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. cayenne powder

5 Tbsp. Curry Powder

1 Cup of Water

3 Tbsp. Thyme

2 Pimento Peppers

1 Tbsp. Shadon Beni

1/4 Cup Chopped Onions

2 Cloves of Garlic

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Season chicken with garlic powder, cayenne pepper, curry, thyme seasoning, Shadon Beni, onion and pimento and refrigerate overnight. Heat oil with curry powder then add chicken and stir. Make curry and water mixture (4 oz. water and 3 tbsp. curry) and pour in. Cover and let cook. Cook until water has dried down. 

                                                                                                                                                          

Salt Fish Buljol

Break fish in pieces and place in saucepan with hot boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes.

Taste fish at this point to check salt content. If it is too salty repeat step 1 for 5 to 10 minutes.

Shred fish with your fingers.

Heat oil 1/2 cup of oil in a skillet and add garlic.

Cut tomatoes, green peppers and onions into fine pieces.

Add tomato, green peppers and onions to salt fish and mix well.

Once garlic has burned completely, remove and place hot oil over mixture of salt fish.

Add freshly grated black pepper. Squeeze half lime over mixture.

Serve it with coconut bake or another hearty bread.