Traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day, Gungo Peas Soup is a highly nutritious follow up to the over indulgence of the Christmas Season. Gungo Peas, Cajanus cajan, are also called Pigeon Peas or Congo Peas. They are popular all over the Caribbean from Trinidad and Tobago to Barbados to Puerto Rico and, of course, Jamaica. Gungo peas have been cultivated for millennia; supposedly travelling from the Indian sub-continent to East Africa and then to the West Indies. A true legume, the gungo bush can sometimes grow up to ten feet tall and different varieties will bear annually or biannually. The plants generally live for three to five years but are often rooted out after two years as the yield falls off. The plants are then shredded and tilled back into the soil as, like all legumes, they are an excellent green manure and will enrich the poorest soil. They are also very drought tolerant and will grow in the driest areas. They are an excellent source of protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals and in the herbal medicine of some cultures, tea made from the leaves is used to treat swelling of internal organs and some cancers. Though dried peas are available throughout the year, in Jamaica, gungo usually bears in December and January and fresh green gungo are a must for Christmas Dinner rice and peas and of course: Ham Bone Soup Ham bone ½-1 lb pigstail or salt pork (optional) 1 qt (4 cups) fresh green gungo (or 3 tins green gungo) 2 tsp allspice berries or 1 tsp ground allspice 2 sprigs thyme 3 stalks scallion, chopped 1 med onion, chopped Salt & black pepper to taste 1 whole unbroken green Scotch Bonnet pepper 2 cups coconut milk (or 1 tin) 1 lb yellow yam, peeled and cut into chunks Flour for dumplings If bone is large, saw into 2 or 3 pieces, the bone from a picnic ham can usually be left in one piece. If the meat remaining on the bone appears to be less than 2 cups add pig’s tail or salt pork and use less salt. Place all ingredients except coconut, yam and dumplings in a 5-6 quart pot and cover with water to about 2 inches from the top. Bring to boil then cover and lower heat and simmer for about 1 hour until peas are tender (20 minutes in pressure cooker). Take out pepper and discard. Remove bone and cut off meat. Return meat to pot along with yam and dumplings, adding more water if necessary,  and cook for a further 30 minutes (10 minutes in pressure cooker). Add coconut milk and adjust seasoning. Return to stove and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes. Happy New Year!

For more about Jamaica visit Jamaica-Allspice.com

Peppered Shrimp
2 lb large shrimp in shell or jonga (crawfish), if available
3-5 cloves garlic
½ cup salad oil
½ cup vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2-4 Scotch Bonnet peppers – try 2 green and 2 ripe chopped
1 tsp pimento berries or ½ tsp ground allspice

It’s a good idea to wear gloves when chopping any hot peppers, most of all with Scotch Bonnets!

Bring all ingredients except shrimp to boil in a large non-aluminium pot or Dutch pot. Reduce heat and add shrimp.

Cook for approximately 10-15 minutes. Do not leave unattended.

Cover and leave overnight in a cool place for flavours to mature. Serve warm or cold.

Scotch Bonnet Peppers
This is a naturally occurring relative (not a cultivar) of the habanero. It looks like a squashed habanero or a Scotsman’s “bonnet”, hence the name. Habaneros, which are easier to find internationally, can be substituted.
In 1912 a pharmacologist called Wilbur Scoville developed a system for rating the hotness of peppers. On this scale the Jalapeno is rated at 2,500-8,000; the Serrano at 8,000-22,000 and the Scotch Bonnet at 200,000-325,000 so treat it with respect if you are not used to it. It has a wonderful fruity flavour if used carefully.
We use whole green Scotch bonnets a lot in soups and stews. Use unbroken peppers with the stem attached and be careful when stirring that the pepper does not break or your soup may become inedible!

Read more about Jamaica at Jamaica-Allspice.com

]]> http://blog.jamaica-allspice.com/2009/11/18/favourite-jamaican-dishes-pepper-shrimp/feed/ 0 http://blog.jamaica-allspice.com/2009/11/01/favourite-jamaican-dishes-stew-peas/ http://blog.jamaica-allspice.com/2009/11/01/favourite-jamaican-dishes-stew-peas/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:04:14 +0000 BettyB http://blog.jamaica-allspice.com/?p=312 The weather’s getting cooler, pear (avocado) is in season; what better time to make a huge pot of Stew Peas. It’s just my husband and I now, but I still make this quantity, divide it in three and freeze two portions.

Now here’s the thing: Stew Peas is not made with peas of any kind but rather with red kidney beans. In Jamaica when we refer to peas, we mean red kidney beans and nothing else. So, let’s make a pot of Stewed Kidney Beans. Not quite the same, is it?

Stew Peas
(Make this quantity & freeze remainder)

2 pks (1½ lb) red kidney beans
2lb stewing beef (shin is ideal)
1lb pickled salted pigs’ tails, salt pork or beef or combination
4-6 stalks scallions
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tsp allspice berries or ½ tsp ground allspice
1 whole unbroken green Scotch Bonnet pepper or chopped ripe pepper to taste
2 cups or 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
1 recipe spinner dumplings
1-2 lb yam, cut in wedges
4 or more peeled whole medium onions

Soak or scald the pickled meat to remove some of the salt.
Wash beans & soak for a few hours to soften slightly.

Put all ingredients except whole pepper, coconut milk, dumplings, yam & whole onions in 6 qt pressure cooker, cover with water & cook until peas are tender. Check after 20 minutes & add more water if necessary.

Remove about 2 cups of the beans & put through blender or mash with a wooden spoon & return to pot along with remaining ingredients. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Stew should be very thick.

Cook for 10-15 minutes more until onions are tender. Monitor carefully as it burns very easily.

Serve with plain rice, fried plantains and avocado salad. Serves 6-8.

*Note:
Yam is not sweet potato. Yam is dioscoreaceae dioscorea, sweet potato is ipomoea batatas. There are many varieties of yam, some with a soft texture like potatoes and some much harder. It is not uncommon to find yam tubers up to 20lb in weight. Yellow yam, one of the firmer varieties, is my preferred type.

Read more about Jamaica at Jamaica-Allspice.com

The Indians brought with them the exotic spices of their homeland. The former slaves kept chickens and goats, livestock which did not require either a lot of money or a great deal of space to rear. Behold, Curry Goat was invented!

Here’s a How-To video from the UK Food Channel:

I think my recipe is better than the Anglicised one:

Curry Goat
1½ lbs. goat or mutton, cut into small cubes
3 large onions, chopped
3 stalks scallions
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 large potatoes, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon salt
2 sprigs thyme
½ Scotch Bonnet pepper, finely chopped
1 Tbsp Pickapeppa Sauce (optional)

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or other large heavy pot over medium heat, and brown the meat in batches. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Sauté the onions and garlic in the fat remaining in the pot until soft but not brown, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the curry powder and cook for about 3 minutes to release the curry flavour.

Return the meat to the pan, with remaining ingredients and water just to cover, cover and simmer for 1½ -2 hours. Add more water as necessary.

Serve with plain rice. Serves 4.

Don’t feel like cooking Curry Goat, then laugh at it instead; this video is hilarious!

Read more about Jamaica at Jamaica-Allspice.com

]]> http://blog.jamaica-allspice.com/2009/10/21/how-to-cook-curry-goat/feed/ 0 http://blog.jamaica-allspice.com/2009/10/04/if-today-is-sunday-it-must-be-rice-and-peas/ http://blog.jamaica-allspice.com/2009/10/04/if-today-is-sunday-it-must-be-rice-and-peas/#comments Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:37:12 +0000 BettyB http://blog.jamaica-allspice.com/?p=72 From the hilltop mansions to the middle class ‘burbs to the poorest inner city room to the rural farmhouse: Sunday Dinner must be chicken and rice and peas. No social or cultural divide here.

Rice & Peas –Traditional Recipe
1 cup red peas (kidney beans) or gungo peas (pigeon peas)
1 clove garlic
3 stalks scallion
1 sprig thyme
1 tsp salt
1 small piece salt pork or ham (optional)
2 cups coconut milk
1 whole unbroken Scotch Bonnet pepper
2 cups rice

Wash peas and soak in 3 cups of water for 2-3 hours.

Pour peas and water in a 3 qt pot. Add seasoning, except pepper and cook until peas are tender, adding more water if necessary.

When peas are cooked add whole unbroken pepper and coconut milk. Add more water if necessary to make approximately 4 cups liquid.

Bring to boil and add rice.

Reduce heat to very low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until rice is cooked.

Serves 4-6.

Easy Rice & Peas
1 tin red peas (kidney beans) or gungo peas (pigeon peas)
1 clove garlic
3 stalks scallion
1 sprig thyme
1 tsp salt
1-1½ cups canned unsweetened coconut milk NOT coconut water
1 whole unbroken Scotch Bonnet pepper or ½tsp Scotch Bonnet sauce
2 cups rice

Pour peas and 2 cups water in a 3 qt pot. Add seasoning, except pepper and bring to boil.

Add whole unbroken pepper and coconut milk. Add more water if necessary to make approximately 4 cups liquid.

Bring to boil and add rice.

Reduce heat to very low and simmer for about 20 minutes until rice is cooked.

Serves 4-6.

Fricassee or Brown Stew Chicken
1 2½-3lb chicken, jointed
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp Pickapeppa Sauce
1 onion and/or 2 stalks scallion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed or ½ tsp garlic powder
2 sprigs thyme
¼ Scotch Bonnet pepper, sliced or chopped or ½tsp Scotch Bonnet sauce
2 plum tomatoes, chopped (optional)
1 green sweet pepper, chopped (optional)

Wash chicken in lime water and pat dry. Season with salt, black pepper, garlic and soy sauce.

Brown chicken in oil and transfer to Dutch pot or heavy casserole. Add remaining seasonings and approximately 2 cups water. Cook over low heat, adding more water if necessary. Serves 4-6.

Well, I’m off to have mine!

Read more about Jamaica at Jamaica-Allspice.com

Up until as recently as the 1970s you had to travel to Boston Bay in Portland on Jamaica’s north east coast to get jerk pork. Then in the late 1970s two sets of entrepreneurs started jerk businesses in Kingston, and from there it spread across the Island and across the world.

Authentic jerk must be prepared using only wood from the allspice tree to make the barbeque. Of course most of us don’t have allspice trees growing in our backyards so we use charcoal or make it in the oven. There are a lot of commercial jerk seasonings available; be very wary, many are not even close to the real thing. I personally prefer Grace, Busha Browne or Walkerswood. Whichever brand you use please buy one that is made in Jamaica as many of those made outside of Jamaica have neither of the two main ingredients: allspice berries and Scotch Bonnet peppers.

OK, here’s what you really want to know. Home-made Jerk Seasoning:

Home-Made Jerk
½ -1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper, chopped fine (wear gloves)
2 tsp crushed allspice berries or 1 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar
2 cloves garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
2 stalks scallion, chopped fine
1 sprig thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp ketchup (optional)
2 Tbsp oil (coconut if available)

Mix all ingredients and leave overnight for flavours to blend. (The mixture can be stored for several months in a clean air tight jar in the fridge).

Season your choice of meat with approximately 1 Tablespoon Jerk Seasoning per pound, place in a plastic bag and refrigerate two hours to overnight for pork or chicken. For fish or seafood, refrigerate for 1-2 hours before cooking. Grill or roast as usual. Jerk burgers are also great: Season ground beef, pork or chicken with approximately 1 Tablespoon Jerk Seasoning per pound, shape into patties and either freeze or cook immediately.

Read more about Jamaica at Jamaica-Allspice.com

We therefore eat a lot of burgers but sometimes everyone gets tired of McDonald’s and Burger King; not to mention the calories and additives which come with take out. Of late, I’ve started to do my own burgers at home. I make no claim that they are “diet food” but I think my way has fewer calories than the 576 of a Big Mac and there is variety; plus I make them in a toaster oven not a frying pan. Serve them with oven chips/frozen French fries (look for no trans fat on the package) or a salad.

Jerk Sandwich

Season a boneless chicken thigh with Jerk Seasoning, flatten slightly and grill, along with 3-4 slices of onion, until no pink juices run out (about 15min total). Toast 2 thick slices of hardo bread (a heavy Jamaican bread; sourdough, ciabatta or Texas Toast would work). Mix coleslaw vegetables with a small amount of low fat Italian dressing. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the coleslaw on one slice of toast, place the chicken thigh on top with the onions and cover with the other slice of toast.

Mexican Burger

Sprinkle a frozen, unseasoned burger patty with Adobe seasoning and grill until cooked through. On bottom of roll spread a little low fat Ranch dressing, lettuce, tomato and onion slices. Place the burger on top, then a slice of Pepperjack cheese and two or three slices of avocado. This is great with cornbread instead of a traditional hamburger roll.

Cuban Burger

Season ground pork with a little salt, garlic, hot pepper and lime juice. Shape into patties and grill until cooked through. Sauté sliced onions in a little olive oil. Mix in drained, canned black beans (1/2 onion and 2 tablespoons beans per burger). On bottom of roll spread a little low fat Ranch dressing, lettuce and tomato slices. Place burger on top and pour over onions and beans.

Steak Burger

Season a minute steak with salt, pepper, garlic, a splash of red wine vinegar and brush lightly with olive oil. Grill close to heat, along with a few slices of onion and 2 or 3 sliced mushrooms, also brushed with oil, for 2-3 minutes on either side. Make a simply green salad: chopped lettuce, green onions, olives and cucumbers. Place salad on bottom of roll; top with steak, onions and mushrooms.

Barbequed Sandwich

Sauté about ¼lb stir-fry steak along with ½ onion and ½ green pepper (per sandwich). Add about 2 tablespoons of your favourite barbeque sauce and pour over toasted roll.

The possibilities are really endless and burgers are quite easy to prepare. If you must fry, try draining the meat on paper towels before assembling the sandwich.  Also, when you have chips/fries why not leave off the top bun and have an open sandwich.

Better Homes and Gardens also has some good burger recipes:

Any more ideas?

Read more about Jamaica at Jamaica-Allspice.com