Kabset Baitenjan (Iraqi-style Beef & Vegetable Stew)

Since I first read about this stew in December's issue of Saveur, I have been making it often. When my brother first tasted whilst visiting me back in January, he just could not get it off of his mind. So, when I visited my family in Guyana recently, he requested that we make the stew together. This week's column gives you some insight into a sibling relationship and food communication. Click here to read it.

The spice paste is what gives this stew it's unique flavour especially when mixed and cooked with the tomato sauce. It's a one-pot dish that's great for entertaining and everything is cooked twice. A note before I send you to the recipe - it calls for frying the veggies and meat in a deep pot but I found it to be way too oily the first time I made it, I have since switched to pan frying which uses a lot less oil. For the original recipe, click here. For my adaption with less oil, click here and scroll down to the bottom of the column. I'm thinking that I'd like to try it with chicken sometime.

Happy Weekend everyone and I'm looking forward to catching up on your posts!

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Salt to Taste

When do you add salt to your dish when cooking - at the beginning, in the middle or at the end? And how much salt do you add? These are two questions I get asked often and I have given my answers in this week's column. Have a read and then for my own education and that of others, I'd love to hear how you salt your food and how you go about measuring how much salt to add.

This ham and split-pea soup was salted in layers - at the beginning when the aromatics were sauteed and then at the end, the salt was adjusted.

Last week I went to Pricesmart, our version of Costo and found some lovely large squid. You know that I couldn't resist. I brought them home, stuffed them with panko, fresh herbs and some creamy, cranberry studded cheese. Heavenly!

I am away for a few days and will catch up with your posts later in the week.

Happy Memorial Day to all my US readers

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE GUYANA!!!

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Can we meet on a plate?

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.

Top: Gilbaka (fish) curry with Saijan. Bottom: Saijan curry

Here are some other links with drumstick recipes.

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.

Jalapenos stuffed with creamed cheese, wrapped in bacon and baked

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

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I'm Not Hungry

Twice each year I go through a phase where I find food unappealing. I find myself not feeling hungry and even when I try to envision my favourite dishes I generally like to indulge in, nothing happens. There’s no excitement. No love for food of any kind. I am currently going through one of those phases. Click here to read the rest of the column and reason behind all the food you see displayed in this post despite my lack of hunger. It almost seems like an oxymoron.

Credit for the corn pudding inspiration goes to a regular reader, Rochelle. Thanks! Recipe at the bottom of the column.

There are many Khottu recipes out there but I rembered book marking Arundati's.

Green-tomato Choka. Email me for recipe.

Brown Beef (salt, pepper & Kecap Manis)

These days, taking part in blog events are a luxury. I'd bookmark the event and totally forget about it or I'd make something for the event and miss the deadline or make something only for it not to qualify for the theme. That's what happened with the last MLLA edition hosted by Coco. I made this chickpea dish but it was definitely not an appetizer, more like a full meal. It is something that I made on the whim, no special quantities etc. It's dried chickpeas, rehydrated overnight and then cooked in water with a smoked ham-hock, drained and then sauteed with onions, hot pepper, some minced cilantro along with the chopped ham from the hock and sliced green onions stirred in at the end.

I'm sending this to the current MLLA edition being hosted by Lori-lynn and created by Susan.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to my Mom & Sister and to all of you reading this that are mothers! Have a great day!

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Tasting What You Eat

Do you taste when you eat? In other words, can you discern what it is that you’re eating and drinking when you consume food and beverages? I’m not referring to having a finely tuned palate as that of a chef or someone very familiar with food. Rather, I’m talking about the ability to determine that you are eating the breast meat of chicken rather than the thigh meat; that you’re eating beef and not lamb; or drinking tangerine juice and not orange juice. Click here to read the rest of the column.

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My friend Kate Flour at A Merrier World is conducting a series, Edible Lives. It's an interview series through which she delves into the lives and works of food bloggers. Kate's approach is that of a conversation, her questions are well-thought out and provides an opportunity for insight into what it is we are doing and why. I am honoured to have been interviewed for the series and if you want to know more behind the name of my blog and my future work, do have a read.

Be sure to read previous interviews with Emily as she works towards Culinary School and Sue who gives you a front row seat to the Food Network and teaches you about things beyond the screen.

BLOG COOKING

Breadfruit, boiled and then sauteed in a mustard paste. The paste I discovered back in 2007 at Sailu's blog and it's a favourite. Click here for her recipe. See Shn's version as well.

I love the flavour of Tom Yom - hot and sour and the versatility of it to be used in many dishes. When I saw Rita's Tom Yum Fried Rice, I knew I had to try it. Love it! Click here for her recipe.

I just saw the word cardamom and immediately bookmarked Syrie's Cardamom Custard. Here is her recipe. She served hers with caramelized oranges. Oh sweet fragrant cardamom!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

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