Clockwise: Veal curry, Sadha roti, Mango chutney, tomato choka, Apple Chutney, Hummus. ***
Guyana is today celebrating 169 years of the first arrival of Indians to its shores.
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Many of my friends over at the
Dining Hall have been fascinated about my posts in terms of similarities to their own cuisine. As I've been saying all along, our cuisine in the Caribbean has been influenced by African, Indian, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, French, Indigenous, Arabic & British cuisines. In our corner of the world, fusion food actually exists! :)
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Today in
my column, I discuss the influence of Indian cuisine in Guyana and the Caribbean; I also marvel at the discoveries I've made through food blogging about the origins of some of the dishes we make here.
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The food in today's post are inspired and influenced in a variety of ways. The curry I made was done using a Sri Lankan Curry Powder mix that my Sri Lankan friend, Kumi sent me last weekend. Hummus is a Middle Eastern dish. The chutneys and choka are West Indian and Indian inspired. So too is my version of sadha roti, a leavened flat bread. Enjoy!
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Apple Chutney - I used Granny Smith Apples for its tartness
Ingredients: Apples, garlic, lemon juice, salt and hot chillies, combined in a food processor
Tomato Choka
Tomatoes & Garlic roasted then pureed with lemon juice, salt and hot chillies & some olive oil
Mango Chutney - I could not get green mangoes so I used half-ripened ones. The taste is amazing, the sweetness balances the lemon juice, garlic, salt, and hot chillies very well.
Hummus - creamy with chopped basil and parsley folded in.
Ingredients: Chick peas, tahini paste, lemon juice, ground cumin, salt & fresh herbs
Veal Curry
Made with a Sri Lankan Curry Powder Mix
Sadha Roti (my verison)
A leavened flat bread made with flour, baking powder & yeast, cooked on a tawah, a flat iron gridle
52 comments:
cynthia, great piece. i am gonna try all your chutneys. they're just my kind of food.
also, the jamaican national dish, 'goat cury', is what we call 'mutton curry' in india.
indians prefer goat to lamb.
they are almost identical, except for the scotch bonnets and thyme the jamaicans have incorporated into the dish. and the rice and peas is a variation of pulao.
Great article and great pictures. I am going to try all the chutneys sometime. Thanks for sharing.
Great array of food from each country.There are many similarities betn Jamaican and Indian of course.
Usually,our regular rotis doesn't have baking soda or pd,just flour,water and oil.Some like Bhature does have baking pd etc.
Enjoy the celebration Cynthia:))
Now thats what I call a chutney treat!!!!!! Beautiful!!!! Simpley awesome!!!! The page is bookmarked :)
Cynthia, beautiful spread. Awesome photo. Admire your style of writing - simplicity. Well presented - briefly and professionally. Viji
Flabbergasted !!!! Fabulous post and your column is quite a revelation too!!
Great pics with colourful dishes arranged in lovely piece of pottery :) Veal curry is something we make in Kerala too but do not use Sri Lankar curry powder, we use the basic spice powders plus the garam masala. and it looks almost the same. the regular roti/chappathi , as Asha wrote , is made with wheat flour, water and no baking powder and yeast but for Naan, we use all purpose flour with Baking powder and yeast.
ANd hey, thanks for mentioning my blog in your column, really felt good reading that :)
Enjoy the weekend & celebrations!
Shn
Oh Cynthia what a feast indeed. I just love the sound and look of those chutneys. WOW!
Great post and picture.
What a spread.
The green-apple chutney sounds so good.
Cynthia- gorgeous chutneys...and the colours- splendid! Those colours remind me of something...red, gold, and green...hmmmmm :-D
Cynthia, Amazing array of chutneys. As Bee said Indians prefer Goat to Lamb but now here I try mostly Lamb.
Bee - Thanks hon. Here in B'dos we hardly get goat, mostly lamb - local and imported.
Trinidad has a national dish - pelau. Inspired of course :)
Lata - Welcome my dear. It is always good to make new friends. Please come back and visit often.
I'm off shortly to check out your place :)
Asha - Thanks babes. Always a pleasure having you over.
Coffee - Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Viji - Thank you so very much for the compliments honey, they are greatly appreciated.
Shn - You are so good for my ego :) Thanks hon and you are very welcome.
Meeta - I love when you visit. Come back soon.
The Cooker - a warm and hearty welcome. Please make yourself comfortable and hang around as often and as long as you like.
Thanks for the compliments. I'm now off to admire your blog :)
Pel - Thanks hon. You know it was not until you mentioned the colours that it clicked? Thanks :)
Reena - How are you? Glad that you stopped by and thanks.
cynthia ...wow .great row of chutney varities and great pics .....
Hi Deepa, thanks for stopping by. Welcome! May this be your first of many, many visits. Thanks for the compliments.
I'm off to check out your place right now:)
cynthia, first time here!
yummy what a spread of chutneys from each place. Going to try them!
the first pic is soooo good, lovely colors painted on the beautiful white porcelain :)
chutney's sound yummy & simple to make
thanks
Cynthia great food. That Veal curry looks delicious, would love to try Sri Lankan Curry powder sometime
Beautiful, beautiful curries, Cynthia. I want to run to the greengrocer now and return with sacks full of veggies and fruit.
Hello Roopa - a very warm welcome. I like making new friends. Please don't be a stranger, come visit often.
I'm heading over to check out your place :)
Hey Richa - it is a pleasure to have you over. Welcome! Thank you very much for the compliments.
Sandeepa - Thanks hon. It is a really nice blend. It works well with meat and poultry but I think that it is ideal for seafood curries. There is a certain lightness to the mix.
Susan - hey girlfriend :) run baby, run :)
AND chutneys! I realized after my last comment that these dishes are not all curries; nonetheless, I'm a runnin'. ; }
@ Susan - :D
Bee - ackee and saltfish is jamaica's national dish :) many cultures have a rice and peas dish, it is a common combination. overall the east indian influence on jamaican cuisine is extremely marginal.
Although Trinidad's cuisine is much more obviously fused with Indian cooking (like Guyana) Trinidad's pelau is actually Afro-Spanish in composition, technique and origin.
Cynthia - i've never had apple chutney? is it more sweet or savoury? is it common in Guyana or a recipe you were trying out? :)
Wow Cynthia, what a beautiful presentation! That veal curry looks so tempting...so similar to the beef curry in Kerala.. What brand of SriLankan curry powder did you use? I would love to try it with veal.
BTW, enjoyed reading your column too, it is truly an honor that you are celebrating Indian Heritage Day in Guyana!
Hiya Sarina, the apple chutney is more savoury with notes of natural sweetness from the apples. The best apple to make this chutney with is Granny Smith's, particularly when it's young because it's tart unlike the other kinds of apples which lean more on the sweet-side. The lemon juice and other ingredients help develop the savoury-ness of the dish :)
It is not very common in Guyana but I have had it there more than once at a friend's home. They made it different by cooking the apples and then mashing it and adding pepper and salt but as I said in my post, mine was sliced and put into a food processor with lemon juice. I made a garlic, pepper and salt paste and stirred it in. Adding some chopped cilantro is great too. You should try it sometime.
Sig - Thanks Sig. It's the same principle I used just as if I were making any other meat curry. The brand my friend Kumi sent me is AGRO - Agro Spice Food Packers (Pvt) Ltd. The label on the packet reads: Dark Roasted Curry Powder. The ingredients are - Coriander, fennel, cumin, fenugreek chilli, mustard, cinnamon, curry leaves, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves & rampe.
Thanks for taking the time to read the column. It is always good to acknowledge one's cultural heritage.
Yum, those look sooo good! I love chutney and those pics make me want to run out and get some mangoes. Great job, Cynthia ;)
I read your column yesterday and it was great again. Thanks for the recipe for sour. I haven't got a chance to use it yet since I had to opt for a quicker appetizer than phulourie the day I had guests over. However, I hope to put it to good use very soon.
You are doing a wonderful job with your blog. I am really enjoying it.
Cynthia - Neat pictures, crisp description and beautiful presentation. It is interesting to see how you combine food with the history and culture of Guyana and the Caribbean world.
The rotis you have presented here looks very much like the Naans that we eat in India.
Dear Cynthia, lovely chutneys. nice colour. you have added lemon to all your chutneys. I have to try it that way.
Hi Cynthia,
What a wonderful piece of article and amzing recipes spread in tempting way...
I liked verymuch your piece of information, which really makes our eyes brows to lift...
(with surprise)
Thanks for sharing dear.
Cynthia, oh my god, you made all that ? *thumbs up* love mango chutney, really perfect for this hot sunny day here in So Cal, and I've not try veal or that in a curry before, interesting..is veal curry a popular thing in Barbados ? :)
Hello Cynthia: I got here through Pilar's blog. I will try some of your delicious recipes as soon as I get the ingredients, which is not so easy down here in Uruguay, but I'll do my best. Congratulations, I just love your ideas, I'll try all the chutneys. my family will be gratefull! (In case yo go by my blog and have any interest in a recipe just tell me, I'll translate it. Guess I should put a note like Pilar, but I don't dare yet, I just suppose I don't have enough visitors from "abroad").
WOW......! Excelent feast...All those chutneys looks gorgeous...very different one..... I love it...
ur recipe looks so grt...ur presentation is awesome.....nice pics too..thanks for sharing..
Cyntheia, have you ever thought of opening your own restaurant there in Barbados, you could sell Guyanese/ west indian food. Then who knows you could even go into producing your own brand of fusion foods. I am a foodie too and i think your skills/knowledge shoud go beyond the blogs.
WOW cynthia
the apple chutney and the tomato choka are looking lovely!!!
Carol Ann - Thanks very much. Go get them! :)
Stella - how are you? I understand, sometimes the best plans fall through.
Thanks very much for the compliments and support.
Nature & Me - It's good to have you over again, haven't seen you in a while :) Thank you for your compliments, they are very much appreciated.
Dearest Sharmi - good to have you over always. Please do try them.
Melting Wok - Yeah I made all that :) I'm actually having memories of it right now because I was busy getting them done last Wednesday around this time. Had to finish cooking and taking pics to send to my editor for my column - deadlines!
Veal is not very popular in Barbados but it is available here. I made a curry with it because that was the meat I had at hand.
Generally speaking, curry is becoming a regular in Barbados (blame the immigrants) :)
Pamela - A very warm welcome! So good to meet you and you're from my continent too! - South America. It's a pleasure to have you visit and I hope that you come back often.
In case I head over to your blog... are you kidding?! I am going there as soon as I am through with this post. I am always hungry for more food - blogs! (lol)
Well I am abroad :) I think the best thing is to do is the same thing that Pilar is doing. If someone wants a recipe in English, let them email you. That way, you don't have to do it all in advance.
Sukanya - Thanks!
Usha - thank you dearest and you are most welcome.
Shanti - Thank you and welcome! Please come back and visit often. I'm heading over to check out your place as soon as I am done here :)
Nicole - Soooooo, do you want to be my agent, my Rep? :) Those are great ideas Nicola, I'll bear them in mind. Your confidence in my abilities is confidence-building.
Swapna - Thanks hon. How are you?
Hi Cynthia
On your question on malpua. Usually the texture is soft but I like mine little crunchy:)
Cynthia - what a great post. Those chutneys sound (and look) wonderful. Such beautiful, fresh flavours.
What a vibrant community you have here - I love chutney - in fact I'm going to indulge in the Hampton Chutney company's Dosa's tomorrow - I've tried their mango and basil so far - I have a feeling they won't hold a candle to yours!
Cynthia, thanks for the brand recommendation, I've noted it, need to hunt for it now... Ingredients sounds like regular curry powder, but sometimes the ratio variation will make a big difference...
BTW, thanks for all your sweet words on my blog... Hugs to you...
Hey Cynthia,
just wanted to let you know that i tried your recipe for paratha roti and i was thrilled at the results. like you i am from a family of great 'round' roti makers and mine has always been a skewed rectangle, your recipe made it easier to roll them round, i think its the addition of the oil. Also i had never used baking powder in roti before, just a mixture of self raising and plain flour, i think Melted butter or ghee is nicer than oil too. Thanks for your recipe!
again i am amazed and cynt, u never leave any chance to amaze me:) beautiful post with mouth watering chutneys.
well, i am gonna check ur article rt now:) see ya later...
Sandeepa - thanks for info.
Lucy - Thank you very much Lucy. Good to have you visit.
Doug - Oh it is so nice to have another man in the midst! (lol) Welcome Doug! It is a pleasure to have you visit. Please come back often.
Thanks for your compliments, now I'm blushing :)
I think that what you are doing on your site is pretty fantastic. Perhaps sometime down the road, the Caribbean would be included...
Sig - Yeah they do. Like you said I think it has to do with the ratio combination. Hugs to you too.
Nicola - your comments continue to warm my heart and put a broad smile on my face. I am glad that you're happy with the results of your roti-making. Thank you
Sia - Thank you, thank you dearest Sia.
I have to keep coming back to these posts just to follow these links :-) you attract some great foodies with excellent ideas!
Cynthia,
thanks so much for your comments and visiting my blog. Your feast looks wonderful, especially the apple chutney and the roti.
Enjoy your weekend,I'll be back here soon.
Cheers,
Trupti
this all looks so good! I wish you could send some to us for lunch tomorrow! I am craving all of this right now though!
Chennette - I am glad that you visit and I hope it is not just to see the others :( :) just kidding. You are always welcome.
Trupti - Hey sweetie, I did not realise that this is your first time here. WELCOME! Thanks for dropping by and do come back soon.
Freya & Paul - You know, I still have some of the chutney and choka in the fridge :) If I can only find a way to get it there to you...
A very warm welcome to both of you. It is a pleasure to have you visit. Please come back soon.
I love all the food recipes you showed but I've never had apple chutney.......looks delish! Cheers!
The Culinary Chase - thanks, welcome and thanks for stopping by.
That column is so well written! Great read, Cynthia!
It is interesting how food is a chronicle of historic trade and work ties. There is much to learn and gain from sharing rather than competing!
Cynthia, I loved all the pictures of the chutneys in your post and had bookmarked it. I tried the tomato choka and loved it. I made a big batch and now eating it on bread, rotis, with rice..Yummy!
Thanks a lot!
Hi Cynthia,
It's my first time here. Your blog is simply wonderful. I am amazed at the similarities between Guyanese & Indian cuisine. I had no idea!
Your tomato choka & mango chutney look soooooooooo good. I will be back later to hang out here some more!
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