Levi Roots’ Reggae Reggae Cookbook. Levi Roots
Indian bakers. Bagels would also make a good substitute.
COCONUT
Green coconuts, called Jelly coconuts, are readily available in the Caribbean. They have a green shell and a jelly-like interior. They are very tough to open, so you will need a strong kitchen knife or meat cleaver to slice off the top or pierce a hole. Inside you’ll find the coconut water, which you can drink with a straw – be careful not to spill it, though, because it stains!
Brown coconuts, (or dry coconuts) are more widely available in the UK and contain coconut water and coconut flesh. The flesh can be grated and mixed with water to make coconut milk.
Coconut milk is the liquid from the coconut, mixed with grated coconut meat. This can be bought in cans.
Coconut cream is thicker, with a greater density of coconut and less water.
Creamed coconut is compressed coconut flesh, with no water and is sold as a solid block. Crumble or grate it into liquids to add the flavour.
Desiccated coconut is dried grated coconut. It is often used in sweet cakes and breads.
Sweetened tenderised coconut is desiccated coconut that has a softer texture, since it has been sweetened with sugar. This is also a great ingredient for sweet cakes and breads.
CORNMEAL
Cornmeal is a yellow grain, ground from corn (maize). The name varies across the Caribbean from island to island and it is also commonly referred to using the Italian name, polenta. It’s used in savoury and sweet dishes, including cornmeal dumplings and a pudding called cornmeal pone.
DUCHY
‘Duchy’ is an abbreviation of the traditional Dutch pot used for cooking many Caribbean dishes, including roasts, stews and soups. Made of aluminium and originally used to cook over an open fire, a duchy holds a lot of heat in its sides and lid, so food cooks quickly and thoroughly. Remember the old song lyrics ‘ pass the duchy pan the left hand side’?
ESCOVITCH
Like ‘ceviche’, its European equivalent, this refers to food that is cooked with vinegar.
GRAVY BROWNING
This is a ready-made liquid available in large supermarkets. It’s a great time-saver and gives certain dishes, such as stewed beef or oxtail, a good strong brown colour. If not available, see the recipe for Brown Down Chicken (see page 50), for an alternative method of browning.
JERK AND JERK SEASONING
Jerk is the traditional Jamaican way to cook pork, chicken, beef and seafood over a fire pit or on a closed barbeque smoke pit. It was brought to the island over 250 years ago with the African slaves. Nowadays Jamaicans use an oil drum cut in half and used as you would a lidded barbecue.
Jamaican jerk seasoning is a traditional marinade used to spice up chicken, meat and fish, usually before barbequing. It can be bought ready prepared or you can make your own (see page 131 for my recipe). Jerk generally contains spring onion, bell chilli peppers, salt, thyme, allspice and cinnamon.
MIXED CARIBBEAN ESSENCE
This is a commercially prepared product that combines the flavours of vanilla, almond and lemon. If not available, make your own by mixing equal quantities of vanilla essence, almond essence and lemon juice.
OKRA
These are also called ladies fingers, presumably because they look like elegant pointy green digits! A relative of the cotton plant, this vegetable has the mild flavour of a runner-bean but is one of the least liked vegetables in the West, because of its slimy texture. However, it features lots in Caribbean recipes, and very successfully too! Its natural thickening qualities are ideal for sauces and soups. It’s also great steamed as a vegetable and enjoyed with fish, or blanched in a salad. Choose small pods, and keep them whole; the more you slice them, the slimier the finished dish!
POTATOES
Regular potatoes are often called ‘Irish Potata’ by Caribbean cooks. Sweet potatoes can be treated just as you would regular potatoes. Their skin varies in colour from brown to purple and the flesh can be either white or orange. In the USA they are known as sweet yams.
SALTFISH
Also called codfish or salted cod, this recipe was a way of preserving fish in the hot Caribbean climate. The fish is dried and then heavily salted. Before use, it needs to be rinsed, or soaked in water, then boiled a couple of times to remove excess saltiness. Often sold in a block, this contains bones, which need to be removed after boiling but before frying. Salt fish fillets are easier to use but more expensive.
SCOTCH BONNET CHILLI PEPPERS
Hot peppers give Caribbean food its distinctive flavour. Sometimes called bird pepper, country pepper or seasoning pepper, the scotch bonnet pepper is the most favoured in Jamaica. So-called because its irregular sides resemble a bonnet, it is available in a variety of colours from yellow and green through to red and is only about an inch long. It is extremely hot with a slightly bitter flavour (the heat comes from the seeds, so remove if you prefer a milder dish). If not available, use chilli peppers instead or add a splash of West Indian Hot Pepper sauce for a more authentic taste.
YAM
This is a starchy root vegetable available in many different types, varying in size, shape and colour. The most common are those with yellow and white flesh. The bark-like skin may be smooth or rough, pale in colour, brown or purple. They have quite a bland starchy flavour, but treat them as you would potatoes and try them boiled, mashed, fried or roasted.
Get started with these easy Caribbean classics and simple side dishes.
Serves 4
600g/1lb 5oz basmati rice
salt
knob of butter
Rinse the rice several times (this removes the starch), draining off the excess water.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add salt to taste, make sure it’s boiling and add the butter.
Add the rice ensuring that the top of the water is no more than a fork’s tine above the water. Drain off the excess water if needed. Stir, bring back to the boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Don’t be tempted to lift the lid!
Leave the rice to cool for 5 minutes, then fluff up and serve.
ROOTS RECOMMENDS:
The water should be no more than 2.5cm/1in above the rice in