Can we meet on a plate?
>> Saturday, 16 May 2009
The government of Barbados recently issued a 6-month amnesty for all undocumented Caricom nationals (citizens of the Caribbean), to apply for immigrant status. This move has been met with mixed reactions in Guyana, Barbados and across the region. For sometime now there has been disquiet about Guyanese in Barbados. It is similar to the reactions of Haitians in The Bahamas, Mexicans in the USA and the migration of immigrants from certain European countries into others like Britain and France.
This week's column looks at the coming together of Guyana and Barbados on a plate and about how the food scene has changed here as a result of international migration.
Through migration, many items once not found here are now grown, such as the drumstick. I was surprised and overjoyed when I saw this vegetable in the market. It was another example of my merged space that I now call home. Follow this link to find out more about this vegetable and its health benefits.
Shn's Drumstick stew in a spicy-coconut broth
Deesha's Drumstick Sambar
Sailu's Mutton-drumstick Curry
Ashwini's Drumstick Dal
Suganya's Stir-fried drumstick leaves
A simple thing like pepper can now be found in many varieties here in Barbados - Thai chilies, Trinbagodian pimento peppers, cubanelle and jalapenos in more than one colour.
For all our differences in this region, we are similar in many ways. Here's a snippet of ingredients and dishes we share with varying degrees of adaptation.
Breadfruit
Blog post. Column
Bakes
Blog post. Column
Callaloo
Blog post. Column
Green Bananas
Blog post. Column
Salt fish
Blog post
Posts
58 comments:
Migration has shaped history and the world... It's not always a pretty picture, but do you agree with me that the world would be a bit boring if we weren't all very different and didn't share our own cultures and FOOD with each other? Nothing is all good, or all bad... but I'm so happy that I have been enriched by so many different people from so many places in the world!
... and isn't it funny how foodies think of the new foods and dishes we have been exposed to? I think it must be one of our first thoughts, lol!
I adore all your contributions to the world! Be it food or sage advise.
I was particularly happy about the diversity of veggies and foods you could now find in Barbados, 10 years after I was there as a student. Bora and banga mary were clearly the Guyanese influence :-) which I wouldn't have known if I hadn't lived in Guyana! Doesn't stop me from appreciating a good Bajan macaroni pie and flying fish! (Yeah, we all have our own, but there is a distinct taste that Bajan cooking has) I even put it on the list of things I had to take my sister to try when she visited.
There's always going to be tension on these issues, as people think their national identity will change, but it isn't going to be erased off the planet. And in our very small countries with small resources, I guess the issues get harder. Meeting on a plate is the best way to look at these things :-)
That snap of stuffed Jalapenos is a stunner. I liked it alot. I love drumsticks but unfortunately only frozen ones are available here.
Ah, I see the uproar hasn't faded a bit since I left, huh? Love the "meet on a plate" idea!
Cynthia, I heard a friend say that drumstick trees are like weed in the Carribean but I don't remember which country and assumed they proliferate all over. So Guyana is just starting to enjoy them eh?
As for the drumstick and fish combo absolutely delicious.
Those jalapeno stuffed with cream cheese are to die for. I did make them to a party and it was the hit of the night.
Nice title, love how you put it. I've never seen the drumstick before..interesting.
The insides of a drumstick has never looked so good to me before! :D
The world is indeed one place huh?
I love drumsticks. If you do get their leaves, Cyn, you should try Adai or pesarattu. Let me know if you want the recipe!
Thx for all the info, I have never seen that veggie over here...or even ina book for that matter!!
Lovely chilies!!!!
I love drumsticks, and am fortunate enough to have a tree growing in my backyard (a tree that has been there for as long as I remember). But I tend to use it in essentially two main ways: cooked in a coconut based sauce, or mashed into a a tuna based filling , to be scooped up with bread. Your pictures are great and thanks for the links to other wonderful drumstick recipes.
Drumsticks are a great vege in curries and we eat it a lot over here too!!
Wow those fresh drumsticks looks beauttiful. One ver my daught erloves is drumsticks and hubby love sthem too, pity we don't get it here. SO mostly hubby brings from london when he is in one of his trips.
I do wish i would hav ethat drumstick curry with plain white rice, simply heaven.
Those 2 dishes look stunning & so tasty!! I want to eat at least one of them right now!! yummie, Cynthia!
the drumsticks sure look great. we make a preparation with youghurt and spices which turns out great as well. will post it sometime.
In Southern India particulary in Tamil Nadu drumstick tree is pretty much in everyone yard. The youngest leaves are added to flavor ghee! U got fresh drumsticks...
The pepper with cheese looks like heaven!
Cynthia! Each time I visit your site, I am amazed at the similarity of ingredients used by Indians and you :)
I love these drumsticks. I used to have it for Indonesian sour vegetables soup a.k.a sayur asam. Had the soup with rice, sambal and ikan asin (salty dried fish)
I've never had drumsticks before, but I bet I'd like them.
I like chicken and turkey drumsticks.
Ice cream cone drumsticks.
:)
Love the last pic! One veggie which I miss here is Drumstick. lovely recipe!
Lovely post and stunning pics. as usual !
We call drumsticks , Singhi in Sindhi language and this is very regularly made in our homes.The simplest is one in onion and tomato base with simplest of spices, generally served with Dal Rice.Then these are also used In Sindhi Curry , in potato curry and also its flowers are cooked as a dry dish and i do not have the words to describe how fantastic they taste :-)
Awesome post Cynthia! The pics are fantastic :)Specially the stuffed jalapeno one. Drumsticks are one of my favourites. We use it mostly in curries.
yes, we CAN :) I love to add drumsticks in curries too; mouthwatering dishes as usual, both of them make me hungry!
I've got a humble present to offer you, please accept it
Wow, lots going on--I didn't know about the relations between Guyana and Barbados. What a good idea to marry the foods of the two countries.
That stew with the spicy coconut broth looks pretty darn perfect! I'll have to look around and see if I can find that vegetable-its a new one to me.
I've never tried the drumstick - very interesting! The stuffed jalapeno is gorgeous!
Your pictures are candy to my eyes!
I love the pic of the bright peppers.
If it weren't for the food ideas that people bring with them when they migrate, the world would be a much, much more boring place! I cannot imagine surviving on the typical "American" diet of hamburgers and French fries!
migration changing food habits..interesting, never thought of it before! drumsticks have always been a fav, and when plucked from the tree and cooked with the leaves and the flowers, even more so! I love the combo of drumsticks with fish, prawns etc. great pics
In Sweden, we have a long history of welcoming immigrants and refugees. One of my sons is living in a community where they make up about 35 percent of the population.
There is a great number of ethnic restaurants in that area, representing cuisines from all over the world, something that has naturally affected the supermarkets too. I find visits at the smaller shops that have an extensive range of foreign food very interesting.
Migration has provided us with a wonderful palate of choices, I love the diversity of my community, always something new to try :)
the jalapenos encased in the bacon is making me drool!!
Food is a great way to bring people together and to make us all better understand and appreciate each other.
By the way, this was the first I heard of drumsticks, the edible kind. :)
Greetings,
Tiina
i adore drumsticks & miss it so bad here. we used to have a tree at the backyard back home.Get the frozen ones here. I have never seen a more beautiful picture of a drumstick before!!
The food pictures look so very delicious Cynthia - as always. :-)
Funny thing with people who are foodies because you naturally have to have no prejudice if you are to enjoy all of the worlds fabulous different cuisines. :-)
wow cynthia..thats awesome..I just have a prawn with drumstick dish..:))
Cynthia dear, Wow, suprised to see Drumstick on your blog..this is such a favorite South Indian Vegie..In olden days most of the homes grew the drumstick tree in their backyard. I particularly remember one in my Aunt's place. We make a variety of dishes with this drumstick.make drumstick sambar, Stew, etc..
Love those cream cheese stuffed Jalapenos too.
i totally love drumsticks..infact heres a recent recipe from my blog
http://superchef-mirchmasala.blogspot.com/2009/05/desserts-palace-kitchen-and-rajastani.html
THe stuffed jalapenos look totally out of the world!! awesome!!
Never heard of this type of drumstick, but it certainly looks like perfect tummy-warming food!
The pix of the inner drumstick are beautiful. Couldn't see the column when I clicked through, just a general page.
for me curry dish (with diced stuff) is difficult to look pretty in photo... Cynthia, you have magic hand and artistic eye, yours are simply gorgeous!
Very interesting post!
It is amazing how food can help people to learn about other cultures and countries.
Thanks for the drumstic variety.
You're right that one of the greatest advantages of living in a multicultural society is the wonderful foods that come together. I've seen a few amazing Carribean vegetables on blogs lately, but I haven't seen them much in Sydney. Sounds like I need to go travelling :)
These dishes look great! I always love looking at migrations and food changes based on those migrations. This is a great topic, Cynthia!
Drumsticks are new to me but I always lovec learning about new veggies. Those jalapenos are beautiful.
Never heard about drumsticks but they look great. Also I love those little cute peppers.
Oh wow flavourful and aromatic recipes.....Never tasted drumsticks with fish...That sounds really yum...
Hi Cynthia! I thoroughly enjoyed this article. I do have a question though, what exactly is considered 'weekend food' and 'week day' food? What dishes comprise the two?
Oh, and those stuffed jalapenos look delicious!
This drumstick looks so similar - they add that in Indian Rassam? Right?
I don't know how many times I have thought to myself how I would love to frequent your dining table!! These dishes look amazing Cynthia!
Those cheese-filled, bacon-wrapped chiles are sublime!
Gabi @ mamaliga
re: pimento peppers. I'm still struggling to get these here in Canada. even the plants you purchase in the garden center labeled as pimento peppers, are not even close. I'll see if my mom can grab me some seeds on her way back from TnT so I can test grow them.
oh my gosh, drumsticks are my absolute favorite. I wish we got them fresh.
It's one of my favorite vegetable (gourd?) I can find them in Indian vegetable shops along with Turi leaves,etc. My mom liked to use it in Salted Fish Curry and me? I like to chew it LOL.
There're migrations everywhere even animals did that but they always returned to the same spot they were born, right? I was born in a mix culture country ( my paternal ancestors migrated from China since 16th century and my maternal ancestors were from Thailand- just across the border from the country of my birth) and I'm so glad or I won't be enjoying all the festivals and cuisines of my friends.
Nationality may change but your race will make you a unique individual. There will be political issues about this situations from certain quarters definitely but after that they will eat Mee Goreng, Char Kway Teow, Roti Pharata, Croissants, Beef Noodles, Nasi Lemak, etc :-D
Before finding out about links of london uk watches you should be familiar with some of the terminology. cheap links of london The word horology has two meanings; it is the study or science of measuring time links london jewellery or the art of making clocks, watches, and devices for telling links of london sale time.Since the first appearance of man on the earth an effort has links of london silver been made to determine time.The tracking of the sun's movement across discount links of london the sky, candles that were marked at intervals.Water clocks did links of london bracelet not depend on the observation of the sky or the sun.
Post a Comment