Bring the taste of Africa and the Caribbean into your home with School-info4u’s authentic African Caribbean recipes.
You can also learn new skills and make delicious meals. Learn the dishes that inspired soul food.
Our easy to follow step-by-step instructions will help you to discover our African Caribbean culinary heritage.
All the ingredients are generally available at your local supermarket or your specialist African Caribbean, African American or Mid-Eastern food store.
| We can also be found by typing in www.schoolinfoforyou.com |
Caribbean Recipes
Breads and Sweets
Sweet Cassava Pudding
Ingredients
2 medium size sweet cassava
2 eggs, (beaten)
2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 cup warm water 3 oz. Margarine
2 cups coconut milk
Raisins
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Wash the cassava and grate it with a fine grater.
- In a bowl, mix the cassava, sugar, coconut milk, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Add the beaten eggs and mix it up further.
- Slowly add the 1 cup of warm water and stir thoroughly.
- Grease a baking tin and cook at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes until brown.
Serve with caramel or golden sauce.
Jamaican Coco Bread
Ingredients
2 packets of yeast
6 fl oz warm milk
1 teaspoon sugar
2 fl oz of warm water
3 cups white flour
4 oz melted butter
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, (beaten)
Olive oil
Directions
- Dissolve the sugar and in the water.
- Add the milk, salt and egg (while stirring).
- Pour in half of the flour and continue to stir.
- Slowly add the rest of the flour to the mixture until it becomes firm.
- Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth.
- Cover up the dough with a damp towel to let it rise (for 1 hour).
- In a bowl, add a little oil and roll the dough in it until it is well coated.
- Cut the dough into 6-10 pieces (roll each piece out).
- Brush each piece of dough with melted butter and fold it in half.
- Brush dough with more butter on and fold it again.
- Place the pieces of dough on a greased sheet and put it on a baking tray.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and put a pan filled with water on the rack below the baking tray.
- Bake the coco bread for about 15 minutes (or until golden brown).
Cornmeal Pudding
Ingredients
3cups golden cornmeal
Raisins
½ cup of the shredded coconut
2 ¼ cups brown sugar
¾ cup flour
1½ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoon nutmeg
5 cups thick coconut milk
½ teaspoon mixed spice
Directions
- Sift the flour and cornmeal together.
- In a bowl add the sugar, nutmeg, salt, coconut milk and mixed spice.
- Add the cornmeal and stir well until there are no lumps.
- Pour the mixture into a greased pan.
- Add the raisins.
- Sprinkle shredded coconut on top.
- Spoon generous amounts of with butter or margarine on top.
- Bake in an oven at 350F for 15 minutes, (or until it sets).
- Pour custard mixture on top of the pudding.
- Bake for a further 30- 45 minutes, (or until it sets).
- Cool and serve.
Corn Bread
Ingredients
1 cup flour
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup milk
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 cup cornmeal
Directions
- In a bowl add the flour, sugar, cornmeal, salt and baking powder and stir together.
- Then add the milk, vanilla, eggs and oil.
- Beat mixture up fast until smooth, (but making sure not to over beat).
- Then pour the mixture into a greased baking pan
- Bake in an oven at 425 degrees oven for about 25 - 30 minutes.
Easter Bun
Ingredients
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon mixed spice
2 eggs, (beaten)
2 tablespoons melted margarine
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon browning
1/2 pint milk
Raisins
Directions
1. In a bowl mix all the ingredients well.
2. Pour the mixture into bun shaped baking pans.
3. Bake in an oven at 350F until done.
4. Glaze the bun with pancake syrup or sugar and water.
Marinades & Sauces
Golden Sauce
Ingredients
3 teaspoons of butter
½ cup of sugar
1 cup of whipping cream
Directions
- Put the butter and the sugar in a pan.
- Stir on a low heat until the butter is melted.
- Then stir in the cream.
- Bring to the boil while stirring.
- Stir until the sauce has thickened.
Serve with pudding or refrigerate.
Curry sauce
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients
1/2 cup Vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Curry powder
1 Clove of garlic, (chopped fine)
6 oz Unsweetened coconut milk
1 large Onion, (diced)
1 whole green pepper, (seeded and finely chopped)
1 sprig thyme
Directions
- Heat the oil in a small saucepan on a low heat.
- Add the curry powder and cook for 3 minutes, stirring all the time
- Add the onion, garlic, pepper and sprig of thyme.
- Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add 3 cups water and simmer over low heat.
- Add the coconut milk and stir well.
- Strain into a small saucepan and continue cooking until the sauce is reduced and thickly coats the back of a spoon, (for up to 10 minutes or more).
Appetizers
Pepper Shrimp
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 lb large shrimp in the shell
3 garlic cloves, (crushed)
3 sprigs thyme
3 scotch bonnet peppers, (halved and seeded)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
Cooking oil
Directions
1. Add 1/4 -1/2 cup oil with garlic, salt, black pepper, scotch bonnets, and thyme sprigs over a medium heat.
2.
Add the shrimp and cook for 5 minutes. Keep stirring the shrimp then add the vinegar.
3.
Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Codfish Balls
Ingredients
½ lb salted codfish (boneless)
2 cups raw potato (diced)
1 onion, (grated)
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp pepper
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
2 eggs, beaten
Breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil for frying
Directions
-
Soak the codfish in cold water, overnight if possible or for at least 4 hours.
-
Boil for 1/2 hour.
-
Drain and rinse under cold water.
-
Flake the fish and remove the fine bones.
-
Boil the diced potatoes until tender (for 20 minutes).
-
Drain off the water.
-
Add butter, pepper and shredded fish to potatoes, mix well.
-
Make the mixture into balls.
-
Dip in the beaten egg and then the breadcrumbs.
-
Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown
-
Drain off and serve.
Thread onto cocktail picks and serve warm.
Make 20 balls
Grilled Jerk Prawns
Ingredients
1lbs Prawns (peeled)
2 tablespoons Jerk Seasoning
2 tablespoons Olive oil (for Brushing)
1 Ripe Plantain
Directions
Marinate prawns in Jerk seasoning.
-
Place in refridgerator for 30 minutes
-
Peel ripe plantations and cut in thick slices (long way)
-
Thread on skewers with prawns and platain.
-
Brush with oliveoil and grill for 3 minutes on each side.
-
Serves 4
Jerk Lobster
Ingredients
Lobster tails
2 1/2 teaspoons Jerk Seasoning
Butter
3 teaspoons lemon/lime juice
5 drops of hot pepper sauce (optional)
Directions
-
Remove the membrane from the lobster tails.
-
Split the lobster tail in half (length ways) with a sharp knife.
-
Brush some butter on each tail.
-
Brush the Jerk sauce over the prawns.
-
Put the lobster in the oven (on the meat side) and cook for 4 minutes. Then turn over and cook on the other side for a further 3 minutes.
-
To achieve a smoky taste, cook the lobster on a barbeque grill for a few minutes, (adding more Jerk sauce).
Serve with festival, bammy or hardo bread.
Servings: 4
Soups
Beef Soup
Ingredients
½ cup water
1 lb stewing steak
1/2 lb carrots, (cubed)
1 lb pumpkin, (diced)
1/2 lb cho cho, (diced)
1 lb yellow yam, (diced)
2 Potatoes, (diced)
1 sprig thyme
2 stalks escallion
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
-
Boil stewing steak in water (for about 20 minutes until tender).
-
Add vegetables, yam, potatoes and cho cho (with seasonings) to the soup.
-
Add dumplings as well if preferred.
-
Once it starts to boil, simmer covered, until potatoes and yam are tender, (20 to 30 minutes longer) until soup is of a medium consistency.
Serves 6
Chicken Soup
Ingredients
1 chicken (cut up)
2 cloves garlic
2 Potatoes
2 sprigs thyme
1 hot pepper
1 medium carrot chopped
1 stalk scallion
½ lb Yellow Yam (diced)
Dumplings
3 Pimento Berries (Allspice)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Cho Cho (diced)
1 oz. Butter
Salt
Directions
-
Clean and marinade chicken overnight (or for at least 4 hours)
-
Boil in three quarts of water with the carrots, garlic and cho cho.
-
Add yellow yam and potatoes to the pot. You can small dumplings to the soup too if you wish.
-
Cook for 30 minutes (add extra water if needed).
-
Add remaining ingredients and simmer another 30 min.
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 5
Fish Soup
Ingredients
2 lb fish
3 quarts water
2 lemons or limes
3 stalk scallion
2 medium potatoes
1/2 teaspoon anise seed
2 large cloves garlic
4 sprig thyme
1 scotch bonnet
1 green banana
1/2 chopped green pepper
1 onion (chopped)
1 sliced carrot
Dumplings
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
-
Wash the fish in Vinegar or Lemon and drain.
-
Boil fish with garlic in a large pot for 1 hour. Do not stir.
-
Keep checking to make sure that there is enough water in the pot.
-
Remove fish from water and let it cool down, (remove all bones).
-
Add banana, dumplings, potato, carrots and fish to the pot and boil for another hour.
-
Then let the soup simmer, add thyme, scallion, pepper and black pepper.
-
Simmer for another 8 mins.
Cooking time: 2- 2 1/2 hrs
Serves: 8
Vegetarian Dishes and Seafood
Vegetable Stew
Ingredients
2 large tomatoes, (chopped)
2 potatoes, (diced)
2 sweet potato, (diced)
2 cups of Callaloo (chopped)
3 spring onions, (chopped)
2.5 pints of vegetable stock water
1 sprig thyme
4 carrots, (sliced)
2 onions, (diced)
Directions
-
Put all of the vegetables and thyme in a large pot and cook on a high heat (uncovered), until it begins to boil.
-
Then lower the heat to medium and cook for about 25 minutes (or until the potatoes are soft).
Ackee and Saltfish
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 Can of ackee, (drained)
1/2 lb. Saltfish (codfish)
3 tablespoons oil
2 onions, (diced)
1 sprig thyme
2 cloves garlic
1 scotch bonnet pepper (finely chopped)
1 small tomato, (chopped)
1 small red sweet pepper
Cooking oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
-
Soak the saltfish in cold water overnight to remove most of the salt.
-
Pour off water, add fresh water and cook until tender.
-
Clean the ackee, (wash ackees several times). Cover and boil until quite soft. Do not stir because this will cause the ackees to break up.
-
Then drain, cover, and put aside.
-
When the saltfish has become tender, remove the bones and flake it.
-
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onions, thyme and scotch bonnet pepper, garlic and sweet pepper.
-
Add saltfish and the ackees, and turn the fire/stove up slightly.
-
Add black pepper.
-
Stir for a few minutes.
-
Simmer for 5-10 minutes and sprinkle with more black pepper to taste.
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serve with boil banana and/or fried dumplings, bammy, roast breadfruit, cooked yams and Jamaican sweet potatoes.
Rice and peas
Serves: 4-5
Ingredients
1 medium sized can red kidney beans/gungo peas (soaked overnight)
1 cans coconut milk
2 cups of rice
1 large onion, (diced)
1 clove garlic, (diced)
1 sprig thyme
Basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking oil
Directions
-
Wash peas and soak in 2 cups of water.
-
Pour peas and water in a pot with coconut milk, garlic and boil. Cooking until peas until tender (adding more water if necessary).
-
When peas are cooked add salt, whole pepper, black pepper and thyme.
-
Let simmer.
-
Wash rice and add to pot, mixing everything together.
-
Cook on a low fire until done, (until all the water has dissolved).
Cooking time: 2 hours
Lentils and Rice
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 cup of brown lentils, (washed and drained)
2 large onions, (chopped)
1 sprig thyme
3 cups water
1 cup hot water
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup long-grain rice, washed thoroughly and drained
Salt to taste and black pepper to taste (optional)
Directions
-
Put the lentils into a large saucepan, cover with the 3 cups water and boil on a low heat for 20-25 minutes or until the water is almost absorbed.
-
Heat the oil in a frying pan.
-
Add the onions and fry until they are golden.
-
Pour the onions and oil in the saucepan with the lentils.
-
Add the boiling water, salt, and thyme.
-
Pour in the rice and sprinkle with black pepper, bringing it to the boil.
-
Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, (or until the water is absorbed).
Vegetable Curry
Ingredients
Vegetables of your choice, (Broccoli and carrots etc)
1 onion (chopped)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons curry powder
1 scotch bonnet pepper (finely chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
-
Heat some olive oil in a skillet.
-
Add the curry powder and mix it in with the hot oil.
-
Add the onions.
-
Add the vegetables.
-
Mix in the cornstarch with ¼ cup water to form a paste then add the cornstarch paste into the skillet until it thickens.
-
Cook for 10 minutes then serve
Steamed Callaloo
Ingredients
1 lb fresh callaloo (chopped)
8 ounces coconut milk
3 cups water
1 large onion, (chopped)
3 cloves garlic, (chopped)
8 ounces chopped okra
8 ounces crab meat
2 cloves garlic
1 scotch bonnet (chopped)
1 tablespoon margarine
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
-
Wash callaloo leaves and cut up leaves into pieces.
-
Sauté onion in margarine.
-
Place ingredients in a large stew pot (except okra, crab meat and spices).
-
Simmer until tender then add the okra, crab meat and other spices.
-
Simmer for 5 minutes and season with salt, pepper and add scotch bonnet pepper.
Serve as a side dish or with bammie, fried plantain or breadfruit.
Fried Dumplings
Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
Cooking oil to fry
Directions
-
Sift the flour, cornmeal and salt together into a large mixing bowl.
-
Add the water a few teaspoons at a time, (enough to make the dough firm).
-
Lightly flour a flat surface and knead the dough for about five minutes.
-
Shape the dough into desired form, (balls, spinners or buiscuit), about 2 inches in size.
-
Heat oil and deep fry for about 5 minutes per side until golden.
Boil Dumpling
Ingredients
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 cup cold water
Directions
-
Sift the flour, cornmeal and salt together into a large mixing bowl.
-
Add the water a few teaspoons at a time, (enough to make the dough firm).
-
Lightly flour a flat surface and knead the dough for about five minutes.
-
Boil a pot with water.
-
Shape the dough into desired form, (balls, spinners or buiscuit), about 2 inches in size.
-
Put the pieces of dough into the pot of hot water, making sure not to put too many in (cook for about 5 -8 minutes).
Service hot with other food
Jamaican Jerk Tuna
Serves 4-5
Ingredients
2 lbs tuna steaks (or swordfish/halibut)
2 tablespoons dry mustard
3 teaspoons paprika
2 medium onions, (chopped)
Lemon/lime
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cayenne
Jerk sauce
1 clove garlic, (chopped finely)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon allspice
2 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
-
Wash fish thoroughly in water and lime/lemon juice and dry.
-
Pat the fish dry fish in paper towel and put on a plate.
-
Rub each side of the tuna pieces with a little of the olive oil.
-
To make the jerk mixture combine the allspice, mustard, paprika, onion, pepper, dried red pepper flakes, garlic, cinnamon, salt, thyme and jerk sauce.
-
Season the tuna with the jerk mixture.
-
Grill the tuna over medium fire for 5-10 minutes, (or until done), turning once. Do not overcook.
Serve with plantains and a salad.
Jerk Fish
Serves 4-5
Ingredients
5 Medium Snappers
Limes
Jerk Sauce
1 cup water
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 sprigs thyme
2 teaspoons Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
Vegetable oil
2 onions, (chopped)
4 cloves garlic, (chopped)
2 scotch bonnet pepper (chopped finely)
Salt and Black pepper to taste
Directions
Wash fish thoroughly in water and lime/lemon juice and dry.
-
Pat the fish dry fish in paper towel and put on a plate.
-
Score the fish on each side of the fish.
-
Season the fish on the outside and in the slits you made and rub the fish with the jerk sauce.
-
Marinate for a few hours (or preferably overnight in the fridge).
-
Wrap the fish in foil.
-
Grill at lowest possible setting until done.
Serve with hard-dough bread.
Jamaican Codfish Fritters
Serves 6
Ingredients
1/2 1lb Salted Codfish
1 cup Flour
¼ cup water
1 beaten egg
2 teaspoons paprika
1 medium sized onion
2 medium sized tomatoes, (chopped)
1 small clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 stalks scallion
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper
2 teaspoons Garlic powder
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, (chopped)
3 sprigs Scallions, (chopped)
Salt and black pepper
Directions
Soak codfish for at least 5 hours, (preferably overnight) to remove excess salt. Change water several times, before cooking.
-
Shred the cod finely, and set aside.
-
Combine onions, garlic, scallion, hot pepper and tomatoes and fry in a skillet/pot, using a small amount of oil and set aside.
-
In a bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, beaten egg and cold water to make a thin batter.
-
Add the fried seasoning, paprika and codfish to make the mixture kneadable.
-
Shape into small patties
-
Fry the patties in the heated skillet or deep fryer until golden brown.
-
Drain on paper towels and serve.
Cooking time: 30 min
Coconut Snapper
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
5 snapper fillets cut up
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups white flour
5 fluid ounces beer
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups grated coconut
Vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
Directions
Season the snapper with the salt and pepper and any other seasoning of your choice
-
Mix some eggs in a bowl along with 1 1/4 cups of flour, baking powder and beer.
-
Set aside the remaining flour.
-
Lightly coat snapper in this flour and then dip the snapper into the beer batter.
-
Then coat the fish in the coconut.
-
Heat a frying pan with the oil and fry the fish until the coconut becomes golden brown.
-
Drain the snapper on paper towels and serve.
Brown Stew Fish
Serves 8
Ingredients
3 lbs fish fillets
2 tablespoons butter
2 sliced onions, (chopped)
3 scallions, (chopped)
2 tablespoons Soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon browning
1 tablespoon lime/ lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, (chopped finely)
1 green pepper, (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3 tomatoes, (chopped)
3 sprigs thyme
2 cups water
2 scotch bonnet pepper (to taste)
Oil for frying
2 tablespoons ketchup
Fish broth/vegetable broth/beef or other stock
1 tablespoon Flour
Salt and pepper
Directions
Clean and rinse fish well with water and lime juice.
-
Pat dry and marinate with spices.
-
Set aside and marinate for a few hours, preferably (overnight).
-
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
-
Add the fish to the skillet and fry it lightly until it is brown on both sides.
-
Remove the fish and carefully pour off the excess oil.
-
Return the skillet to the stove and reduce the heat a little.
-
Make a brown sauce by frying onions in butter and adding soy sauce.
-
Slowly add the flour until sauce becomes brown.
-
Add water, ketchup, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, salt and green pepper. Cook to thicken just a little.
-
Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil.
-
Reduce the heat to low and add the fish.
-
Simmer for 15 minutes, turning the fish at least once. Add more water if desired.
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Escoveitched Fish
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 lbs snapper or fish of your choice (sliced or with the head and tail left on)
3 limes
2 sliced scotch bonnet pepper
2 cups vinegar
1/2 cup oil for frying
1 teaspoon allspice
2 large onions, (chopped)
3 green sweet pepper, (diced)
3 med onions, (diced)
3 carrot scraped (julliened)
1 pint water
3 scotch bonnet peppers
100ml Escoveitch Sauce
3 sprigs thyme, (chopped)
3 cloves Garlic
Flour to coat fish
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Wash fish thoroughly in water and lime/lemon juice and dry.
-
Pat the fish dry fish in paper towel and put on a plate.
-
Score the fish on each side of the fish.
-
Season the fish on the outside and in the slits you made.
-
Set the fish aside for a few hours, (preferably overnight).
-
Dust the fish with flour.
-
Heat oil in a frying pan, (enough to fry the fish). Do not deep fry the fish, (so it should not be completely submerged in the oil)
-
Fry fish on both sides until crisp.
-
Place fried fish on a plate with dry paper towels.
-
In a saucepan combine vinegar, sliced onions, peppers, and bring to a boil, (10 minutes).
-
Simmer until onions are tender.
-
Remove from fire and cool.
-
Pour contents over the fish and leave marinating overnight.
Serve with bammies, festival or hot white fluffy rice.
Cooking time: 65 minutes
Steamed Fish
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 lbs fish (red snapper or fish of your choice)
2 Onion, (chopped)
2 stalks scallion, (chopped)
3 tablespoons butter
Cooking oil
½ cup water
Vinegar
2 sprigs thyme
3 cloves garlic
2 whole scotch bonnet peppers (sliced finely)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
Wash fish with salt water or vinegar & water.
-
Season fish with with garlic, salt and blackpepper.
-
Sauté sliced onions in oil or butter (until transparent).
-
Remove onions and set aside.
-
Fry scallion and thyme in oil.
-
Add water, butter & teaspoon Vinegar.
-
Allow ingrediants to cook.
-
Add fish and onions.
-
Add 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper with the stem still attached (do not let the pepper burst).
-
Simmer for 20 minutes (or until cooked as desired).
Roast Fish
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 lbs fish (red snapper or fish of your choice)
Vinegar/Lime
1 teaspoon paprika
2 scotch bonnet pepper
3 tablespoons butter
2 small onion, (chopped)
3 cloves garlic, (chopped)
3 sprigs thyme
2 stalks scallion, (chopped)
Directions
Clean fish with cold water and lime/vinegar.
-
Dry fish with paper towel, and marinate with seasonings.
-
Stuff each fish with the seasoning mixture.
-
Rub fish with butter.
-
Wrap in foil and cook on a grill or oven at 350 degree.
-
Roast on an open grill for 20-30 minutes or in an oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Curried Lobster
Ingredients
2 lb fresh lobster meat
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons butter
2 stalks scallion, (chopped)
1 large tomato, (chopped)
1/3 cup water
1 onion, (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon cornflour
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Wash lobster with vinegar and water.
-
Warm the butter on a medium heat.
-
Add all the seasoning ingredients to the butter.
-
Add lobster
-
Cook for 10 minutes.
-
Add 1/3 cup water
-
Season with salt & pepper
-
Thicken with cornflour to make gravy.
-
Cook for a further 6 minutes.
Serve hot with white rice.
Curry shrimp recipe
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 lbs fresh extra large shrimp with tails (peeled)
3 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, (thinly sliced)
1 potato (thinly sliced)
1 tablespoon Basil
1 tablespoon Parsley
1 scotch bonnet (chopped)
3 cloves garlic, (chopped)
2 tablespoons curry powder
3 large tomato, (chopped)
1/2 sweet pepper chopped
1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup coconut milk/cream
2 teaspoon paprika
2 stalks scallion, (chopped)
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 sprigs thyme
1/2 teaspoon cornflour
Salt and pepper
Directions
Wash shrimps with vinegar and water.
-
Warm the oil on a medium heat.
-
Add potatoes and sauté over low heat until tender, stirring frequently.
-
Add onions and scallion and let saute until onions are transparent.
-
Add garlic, paprika, parsley, curry powder and fry for two minutes.
-
Add the coconut cream, thyme and tomatoes, and cook for 4 minutes on a medium heat.
-
Then add the sweet pepper, salt, pepper and other seasonings.
-
Cook for 5 minutes.
-
Add 1 1/2 cup water
-
Bring to a boil then reduce.
-
Thicken with cornflour to make gravy.
-
Add shrimp.
-
Add salt and pepper to taste
-
Cook for 10 minutes (or until shrimp is cooked).
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serve hot with white rice.
Chicken
Jerk Chicken
Ingredients
8 pieces of chicken
Limes
1 cup water
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 sprigs thyme
2 teaspoons Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1/4 cup Olive oil
2 teaspoons grated fresh Ginger
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons Vegetable oil
2 Onions (chopped)
4 cloves garlic, (chopped)
2 scotch bonnet pepper (chopped finely)
Salt and Black pepper to taste
Directions
-
Wash the chicken pieces and drain the excess water.
-
Place the pieces of chicken in a large bowl. Cover with lime juice and water and put it aside.
-
In a blender or food processor, put the allspice, nutmeg, salt, brown sugar, thyme, ginger, black pepper and vegetable oil and blend well.
-
Mix in the onions, garlic and scotch bonnet peppers to a smooth paste.
-
Use most of this paste to season the chicken, (hold back a small amount to use as a basting sauce while cooking.
-
Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours, (preferably overnight).
-
Cook on Barbecue over a medium heat.
-
Turn frequently, basting the chicken with the remaining seasoning mixture that you put aside.
-
To bake in the oven, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
-
Spread the marinated chicken on the baking tray. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
-
Remove the foil and cook the chicken until browned, then turn over and brown the other side.
Jamaican Curried Chicken
Serves 4
Ingredients
3 lb chicken, (cut up)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, (diced)
3 cloves garlic, (chopped)
2 sprigs thyme
Ginger
Coconut milk
2 cups water
1 scotch bonnet pepper
½ lime
4 large potatoes (peeled and chopped)
2 tablespoon Curry powder
Salt and black pepper
Directions
-
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
-
Cook the chicken, onions, and garlic until the chicken has browned (for about 5 minutes).
-
Remove from the pot and put aside.
-
Add the onions, garlic, ginger and scotch bonnet pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
-
Add the curry powder and chopped thyme and cook an additional minute.
-
Add the juice of 1/2 a lime.
-
Return the chicken to the pot and cover half way with water and coconut milk. Cover pot partially and bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.
-
Cover and simmer until tender, (1- 1 ½ hours).
-
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Beef and Pork
Jamaican Oxtail Stew
Serves 5
Ingredients
3 lb Beef oxtails (cut up)
2 Onions (diced)
2 cups beef stock
1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, (chopped)
1 pint of hot water
2 tablespoons allspice
4 tablespoons Corn flour
3 Cloves garlic (chopped)
4 carrots (sliced)
1 cup tomatoes (peeled and chopped)
2 Sprigs thyme
1 can butter beans
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
-
Cut away excess fat and place oxtail in boiling water for a few minutes.
-
Drain well on kitchen paper and coat with corn flour.
-
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
-
Place beans in a small saucepan. Add 1 cup of the water, cover and bring to a boil.
-
Once it is boiling, turn off the heat. Allow to sit for 1 hour, covered, and then drain.
-
Heat oil in heavy skillet and brown oxtail on both sides removing when brown. Pour off excess fat.
-
Return oxtail to pot, add beef stock, carrots, onion, garlic, thyme, scotch bonnet pepper, tomatoes and hot water.
-
Cover and simmer gently for 3 hours or until oxtail is almost tender.
-
At this stage add more liquid if necessary and season, let simmer for 20 minutes).
-
Add the drained beans. Stir occasionally, (cook for a further 15 minutes)
-
Do not let the pot dry out.
Best served with rice and peas.
Jamaican Curried Goat
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 lb Goat meat
2 Bay leaves
1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, (chopped)
2 sprigs thyme
3 cups Water
2 large onions (chopped)
Vegetable oil
2 Cloves garlic, (chopped)
2 Scallions, (chopped)
2 tablespoon Allspice
2 teaspoon ginger
Carrots
1 teaspoon corn starch
3 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoon tomato ketchup
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
-
Wash & cut meat into bite-sized pieces.
-
Season meat with curry powder, thyme, garlic, garlic, ginger, allspice, black pepper and salt and onions. Store overnight in refrigerator.
-
Pour a little oil in pot and heat.
-
Place all the meat in the pot and let brown.
-
Add 1 cup of water, carrots and bay leaves.
-
Cook until tender.
-
Add whole scotch bonnet pepper and simmer for a few minutes.
-
Adding a teaspoon of corn starch to make the gravy
-
Remove bay leaves before serving.
Serve with white rice.
Cooking time: 90 minutes
Jerk Kebab
Serves 5
Ingredients
1 lb) lean steak, pork or lamb, (cubed)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1/4 cup Jerk seasoning
Cooking oil
1/4 lb mushrooms
Directions
-
Mix jerk seasoning and oil then marinate meat in mixture for a few hours (preferably overnight).
-
Put the cubes of meat onto kebab skewers alternating with mushrooms and chopped chunks of onion.
-
Grill on BBQ, or in the oven (150 degrees F) Turning frequently until cooked through.
Jerk Spareribs
Serves 6
Ingredients
51lb spareribs
2 Onions (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 small Scotch Bonnet pepper, (chopped)
1 cup Jerk seasoning
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
Vinegar
Cooking oil
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoon ground allspice
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and black pepper
Directions
-
Make 1/4-inch slashes in the ribs on both sides.
-
Put the onions, garlic, allspice, nutmeg, salt and peppers in a blender/ food processor and blend until pureed into a paste. Add a little oil to paste.
-
Combine the jerk seasoning, sugar and vinegar with the paste.
-
Rub spice puree over surface and into slashes on both sides of spareribs. Cover and let stand for 1 to 2 hours (or refrigerate until next day).
-
Grill on BBQ, or in the oven (150 degrees F) Turning frequently. Ribs should be well browned on outside and no longer pink near the bone; (cut to test)
Grilling time: 1 to 1 1/4 hours
African Recipes
Soups and stews
Obe ata (Pepper soup)
Ingredients
3-4 tomatoes and or 16 oz tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
Meat/Chicken/Fish
4 magi cubes
Palm oil/vegetable oil
2 onions
2 Bell peppers
Salt
Dry pepper
Water
Directions
- Place the meat in a pot, add a little water.
- Dice one onion and mix it in with the meat.
- Add some salt and cook the meat until it is almost tender.
- For fresh ingredients, grind the tomatoes, onions and the bell peppers together.
- Pour the blended mixture into the pot with the meat and add the palm oil or vegetable oil.
- Cook for about 30 minutes and stir constantly.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Obe eja tutu (fish pepper soup)
Ingredients
Fish stock
350 grams fresh fish/smoked fish
Red pepper, (chopped finely)
1 Green pepper
4 large tomatoes, (skinned, without seed and diced)
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions
- Bring the stock to a boil.
- Sprinkle the fish filets with lemon juice and let stand for a few minutes.
- Cut the fish into small cubes.
- Cook all the ingredients until tender or well-cooked.
- Add the stock, cook for 10 minutes
- Add the fish and lower the heat and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until tender.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Efo (vegetable soup)
Ingredients
1 bunch vegetable
450grams fresh tomatoes
Fresh meat (chooped)
2 tablespoons ground crayfish (optional)
Smoked fish (optional)
1 tablespoon locust beans (optional)
3 magi cubes
Palm oil/vegetable oil
1 large onion, (chopped)
Salt
Dry pepper
Water
Directions
- Boil the meat or fish, with the salt, onions until the meat is tender, and put aside.
- Wash and separate the vegetable leaves, then drain and cut them up.
- Put some oil in a pot, heat the oil and fry the meat slightly and put aside.
- Blend the tomatoes, onions and any peppers, (also add sliced onions if desired).
- Add a little more oil to the pot you used to previously fry the meat and heat.
- Add the blended mixture to the hot oil. Also add the crayfish.
- Cook for 30 minutes and stir constantly.
- Add the meat and the smoked fish, and simmer for another 30 minutes.
- Add the vegetables, and cook for another 15 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Spiced chicken pepper soup
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
3Ib chicken/ Guinea Fowl or Turkey (cut into pieces)
4 pints water or stock
50g Hot peppers, (chopped)
50g mint, (chopped)
100g pepper soup seasoning
50g ground crayfish
Pepper soup seasoning
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
1 onion, (chopped)
Directions
- Wash the chicken/ Guinea Fowl or Turkey pieces and place in a pot with some water, chopped onions chillies and garlic.
- Add salt and boil for 30 minutes.
- Add the pepper soup seasoning and the stock and continue cooking for another 30 minutes until chicken is tender.
- Stir in the crayfish and mint leaves stir and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Fresh fish pepper soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
3 medium size fish (tilapia, catfish or bream)
2 lemon or lime
100g fresh prawns
3 pints water or stock
75g pepper soup seasoning
25g mint leaves, (chopped)
3 Hot peppers, (chopped)
Directions
- Clean the fish and slice into 8 pieces.
- Wash the fish thoroughly with lime or lemon.
- Season the fish and store in the fridge.
- Pour the stock into a pot and add some chopped onions, chillies and pepper soup seasoning.
- Bring to the boil for 15 minutes.
- Add the fish and peeled fresh prawns and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped mint leaves.
Spiced goat meat pepper soup (No- no isa)
Serves 4
Ingredients
2Ib goat meat or mutton (chopped small with bone)
2 pints water or stock
1 onion
50g ground chillies
50g ground crayfish
75g pepper soup seasoning
25g chopped utazi leaves
25g chopped mint
Salt to taste
Directions
- Wash the meat and put into a deep pan.
- Add some water, chopped onions and ground chillies.
- Add salt and cook for 45 minutes until meat is almost tender.
- Add the pepper soup seasoning and the rest of the stock and cook for another 15minutes until meat is tender.
- Sprinkle in the crayfish chopped mint and utazi leaves.
- Stir and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
Spicy mixed meat pepper soup
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1lb beef/mutton (diced)
Tripe, (cleaned)
Cow foot (cut into small pieces)
Kidneys, (cubed)
4oz pepper soup seasoning
3 pints stock or water
50g ground chillies
50g ground crayfish
50g mint, (chopped)
50g utazi leaves, (chopped)
1 medium onion, (chopped)
Salt
Directions
- Wash the kidneys and then cut them into small cubes leaving them to soak in salted water for 1 hour.
- Wash the beef, tripe and cow's foot and put them all into a deep pot.
- Add the chopped onions and chillies.
- Add salt and some water or stock and cook for 1hour until almost tender.
- Take the kidneys out of the pot and cook them separately for 5 minutes, then add them back to the pot of cooked meats.
- Add pepper soup seasoning and stock and bring them to the boil and cook for a further 15 minutes.
- Stir in the crayfish and utazi leaves and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Season and garnish with chopped mint.
Oxtail pepper soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
2Ib oxtail (cut into small chunks)
2 pint stock or water
50g pepper soup seasoning
25g utazi leaves, (chopped)
50g ground chillies
50g ground crayfish
1 onion (chopped)
25g mint, (chopped)
Salt
Directions
- Wash the oxtail and put it into a large pot.
- Add the chopped onions and chillies.
- Add salt and cook for 1 hour.
- Add more water as required and continue to cook until quite tender.
- Add the pepper soup seasoning and the rest of the stock.
- Bring to boil and cook for a further 15 minutes.
- Stir in the crayfish and utazi leaves and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped mint.
Egusi soup
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
Fresh Beef chunks
1lb Bush meat
200g Oxtail
Tripe, (cleaned)
1lb stockfish (pre-soaked)
1lb smoked dry fish
2 pints stock or water
300g ground egusi
1lb fresh tomatoes
4 tablespoons ground crayfish
500g fresh bitter leaf/ other green leaf vegetables (washed)
200g hot peppers
4 tablespoons ground crayfish
2 large onion, (chopped)
2 teaspoons iru (locust bean)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
- Wash the bush meat, tripe and beef thoroughly.
- Put them all into a large pot with the chopped onions.
- Add salt and water or stock and cook for 30 minutes (or until tender).
- Add the washed dry fish and stockfish and cook for another 10 minutes.
- When cooked put everything into a large bowl.
- Clean the pot and put it back on the heat.
- Pour some more oil into the pot and heat.
- Add the ground tomatoes, onions and peppers and fry them for 10 minutes.
- Add the ground egusi and iru and stir thoroughly, (cook for 5 minutes).
- Add the cooked meats, crayfish, stock and washed bitter leaf.
Allow them to boil and then simmer for 15 minutes.
Efo-riro ( rich vegetable stew )
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2 lb fresh soko or tete/ green leaf vegetables (washed)
1lb various meat (washed)
200g stock fish (pre-soaked)
1lb smoked dry fish
Bush meat (washed)
Crab claws (cooked)
Snails (washed with lemon juice)
1lb fresh tomatoes
1 tin of tomato puree
2 medium onions, (chopped)
200g ground crayfish
200g fresh peppers
1 pint stock or water
190ml palm oil
1 teaspoon iru (locust bean)
Salt
Directions
- Put the washed meats in a large pot and add water and//or stock.
- Add salt and ground pepper and boil for 30 minutes (or until tender).
- Add the crab claws, smoked fish, stockfish and snails and cook for a further 10 minutes.
- Remove them from the pot and put them in a bowl.
- Wipe the pot out and pour some palm oil in and heat it up.
- Ground the onions, tomatoes and chillies together.
- Add the blended mixture to the hot oil and fry for 10 minutes, (stir frequently).
- Add tomato puree and cook for 5 minutes until everything it mixed in well.
- Add the crayfish, cooked meats and some more stock if desired.
- Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the tete or soko/ green leaf vegetables and cook for 5 minutes.
Egusi with efo
Ingredients
2 lb Meat/fish
2 large tomatoes
1 onion, (chopped)
4 hot peppers
1 cup of ground egusi
2 cups of spinach
Vegetable oil
4 magi cubes
Salt
Water
Directions
- Put the meat/fish in a large pot and boil until tender, then put it aside.
- Wash and chop the spinach. Ground the onions, tomatoes and hot peppers together (add some water).
- Heat some oil in a large pot.
- Add the meat/fish, magi cubes, chopped spinach and the ground egusi.
- Cook for 30 minutes.
- Add salt and ground pepper to taste.
Ewedu
Ingredients
2 cups ewedu leaves
1 teaspoon Iru (locust bean)
Salt
Directions
- Separate the ewedu leaves from the stem and wash them.
- Chop the leaves up into pieces.
- Put one cup of water in a pot and boil.
- Put the chopped ewedu into the boiling water.
- Add the Iru and allow it to boil for 10 minutes, (with the pot uncovered).
- Add salt to taste and cook for another five minutes.
- Serve pepper soup and eba/amala/fun fun.
ila (okra)
Serves 4
Ingredients
15–20 okra
Water
Directions
- Wash the okra.
- Chop the okra into very small pieces.
- Put the okra into a pot, and add water to completely cover it.
- Cook for 20 minutes.
- Serve with pepper soup and eba/amala.
Okro and Bitterleaf Soup (lla Alasepo)
Ingredients
1lb various meat (washed)
1lb smoked dry fish (washed)
200g stockfish (pre-soaked)
Bush meat (washed)
200g bitter leaf/uzoza/ other green leaf vegetables (washed)
1lb fresh okra
150ml palm-oil
25g iru (locust bean)
3 pints stock or water
4oz ground crayfish
4oz ground pepper
Directions
- Put the washed meats in a large pot and add water or stock.
- Add salt and ground pepper and boil for 30 minutes (or until tender).
- Add the smoked fish and stock fish and cook for a further 10 minutes.
- Add the rest of the stock.
- Wash the okra thoroughly in cold water. Chop the okra into very small pieces.
- Add the okra and the washed bitter leaf to the boiling soup and stir.
- Add the palm oil and iru and let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the ground crayfish in and stir.
- Simmer for a further 10minutes.
Apon/ogbono
Ingredients
1lb Meat or chicken, (cooked and cut into small pieces)
Fresh or smoked fish (boneless)
4 tablespoons Palm oil
1 onion, (chopped)
3 maggi cubes
2 tomatoes, (chopped)
1 hot pepper, (chopped)
3 pints water
Ground ogbono
Salt and ground pepper
Directions
- Fry all the chopped ingredients for 5-10 minutes.
- Add the stock/maggi cubes and water and bring it to boil.
- Mix the ground ogbono with the palm oil and add to the boiling mixture, stirring well to get rid of any lumps.
- Add the meat.
- Add the fish 5 minutes after.
- Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes or until desired thickness, add extra ogbono until you get the desired thickness.
You can add spinach, okra, bitter-leaf, ewedu to the ogbono 10 minutes before it is cooked. If you use okra, leave longer.
Serve with eba, fun fun or amala
Ogbono Soup
Ingredients
2 lbs various meats (cut into small pieces)
1 lb stock fish (pre-soaked)
1 lb dried fish (washed)
200g dry prawns (cleaned)
200g ground ogbono
20g iru (locust bean)
1 lb Bitter leaf/other green leaf vegetable (washed)
200g ground crayfish
20g ground pepper
2 hot peppers
1 medium onion, (chopped)
300ml palm oil
3 pints stock or water
Salt to taste
Directions
- Wash the assorted meats thoroughly and place in a large pot.
- Add the chopped onions and some stock water and cook for 30 minutes.
- Add the washed smoked fish and stockfish and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, (add some more water to stop it from burning).
- In another pot, heat the oil and fry the ogbono seeds for 3 minutes.
- Add the stock little by little and whisk until it draws and bubbles.
- Add the cooked meats, peppers and crayfish.
- Dissolve the locust bean in a little bit of stock and add then add this to the soup.
- Let it simmer for another 10 minutes.
Chicken stew
Serves 6
(You can substitute the chicken for any other type poultry or meat).
Ingredients
1 large chicken
2 or 3 fresh hot peppers
2 tins of tomatoes
1 small tin tomatoes puree
2 large onions, (chopped)
1 cloves garlic
I teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 pint oil
2 Stock cubes
Maggi cubes
Salt
Directions
- Wash and chop up the chicken.
- Add one chopped onion, thyme and curry powder and cook for 40 minutes until the chicken is quite tender.
- Fry the cooked chicken until it turns brown.
- Blend the tomatoes, onion and hot peppers.
- Heat up some oil and fry the blended mixture for 20 minutes.
- Add the tomato puree and some stock/magi cubes if desired.
- Stir well and add the pieces of chicken.
- Cook for around 15 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes, (stirring all the time).
Alapa (Palm-oil stew)
Serves 5
Ingredients
2 lb beef or fish
2 tins of tomatoes
1 small tin of tomato puree
2 or 3 fresh hot peppers
2 large onions, (chopped)
2 stock cubes
Maggi cubes
150ml palm oil
Salt
Directions
- Wash the meat/fish and chop up into small portions.
- Cook the meat and put aside.
- Season the fish and put aside.
- Blend the tomatoes, onion and hot peppers.
- Heat up some oil in a pot and fry the blended ingredients for 10-15 minutes.
- Add tomato puree and some stock/magi cubes if desired and stir in well.
- Add the cooked meat/fish.
- Let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Jollof rice
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
4 cups rice
4 large tomatoes (or two tins of tomatoes)
2 hot peppers
2 Onions, (chopped)
Salt
5 Magi cubes
Water
Directions
- Rinse the rice thoroughly before cooking it.
- Put the rice and about 6 cups of water into a pot and put on a high heat.
- Blend all the rest of the ingredients together (except the water and magi cubes).
- Let the rice cook 10-15 minutes.
- Add the blended mixture to the rice, making sure that it is distributed evenly, and the rice is covered everywhere with liquid.
- Add more water to enable the rice to finish cooking (don’t add too much).
- Add 5 magi cubes.
- Add salt to taste.
- When the rice has become soft you can switch the heat to low to allow all the water to be absorbed.
- Bake in an oven at 350 degrees until cooked as desired.
Moyin-moyin (steamed |
