Lots of Okras & Awards

Okras, lady's finger, bhindi, and gumbo are just some of the more familiar names used for this vegetable which I love very much; It is also the subject of this week's column. Okras are very important to us in the Caribbean and we use it widely in many dishes, including some national dishes.

Like bitter gourd and cilantro (and I'm sure with many other things), okra has its lovers and haters. A large part of the issue I feel is that many people do not understand how to prepare the vegetable in a way that would significantly reduce the silkiness that's too often described by that not so pleasant word - slimy :)

I hope that after reading this week's column that we can turn some haters, if not into lovers, then at least into triers (yeah, I made up the word) (LOL) Click here to go to the column.

Cut okras into rounds or lengthways as above

Place in the sun to dry

Dried okra

Fried okras also called Southern Popcorn

Here is the recipe. I adjusted the salt, using less.

Vegetable Rice-Okra

Sauteed okras with saltfish

Here is a list of my previous posts with dishes in which okras were used so that you can experiment.

Dhals
Saltfish & Okras
Mettagee
Caribbean Meal
Cou cou
Vegetable Rice
Fish Curry

Since you're fed and relaxed now, it's time for the awards ceremony. I have been honoured by a number of my fellow bloggers multiple times with various awards, which I now wear with pride and honour on my humble, little blog. I want to thank each and everyone of you for taking time out of your busy lives and hectic schedules to stop by my blog whether to comment, read or just have a look around - it is all sincerely appreciated.

I particularly want to thank my blog friends who thought me and my blog worthy of these awards. Thank you dear Pilar of La cocina de Lechuza for the Thinking Blogger Award. Thanks to Elly of Elly Says Opa! Carolyn of Mountain Meadows, and Jenn of The Left Over Queen for the Rockin Girl Blogger award. Thanks Caffeinated Cowgirl of Just This Side of Normal and Amanda of Little Foodies for the Thoughtful Blogger and Power of Scmooze award.

Just as in one of my favourite movies, Pay It Forward, I'd like to award some of my following bloggers. It is not possible for me to list all your worthy names here but I am sure that the awardees will in turn, if they choose to, award fellow bloggers. That way, the love is shared all around.

Asha, I noticed that you were already awarded but I want to say thank you for always being there...

Okay, enough talking let's get down to distributing the awards. In no particular order:

Thinking Blogger Award

Bee & Jai of Jugalbandi
Shn of Mishmash!
Carolyn of Mountain Meadows
Mathy of Virundhu
Caffienated Cowgirl of Just this side of normal

Thoughtful Blogger Award

Pelicano of Elaichi Et cetera
Anita of A Mad Tea Party
Coffee of The Spice Cafe
Nora B of Life's Smorgasbord
Melting Wok of Melting Wok

Rockin Girl Blogger Award

Sra of When my soup came alive
Manisha of Indian Food Rocks
Sunita of Sunita's World
Viji of V Cuisine
Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook
Sharmi of Neivedyam

The Power of Schmooze Award

Sia Spice Corner
Helen of Tartlette
Sig of Live to eat
Jaden of Steamy Kitchen
Pamela of Mi blog de cocina
Sylvia of La vida en Buenos Aries y afines

Don't forget that you can click here for the column.

Fresh, Flavourful & Juicy Ginger

Fresh ginger

I am still in Guyana having a really good time. This week's column features an ingredient that is universally integral to many cuisines - ginger. From curries, to stews, to desserts and beverages, ginger often plays a flavourful role. In Guyana, one of our popular beverages, made all year-round but especially at Christmas is ginger beer. This is not the alcoholic version and our ginger beer does not require the use of yeast. It is more like a fruit drink. For the recipe, please email me. To read more, click here.

Ginger beer ingredients

Ginger beer

Curried Fish with notes of ginger

Ginger Ice Cream

Dal, Dhal, Dahl!

Dhal is the subject of this week's column.

We make a spicy peas-stew called dhal. Our dhal is made with melted yellow or green split peas (matar dal) and our chunkay ingredients (tadka) are primarily sliced garlic and cumin seeds (geera).

Tomato dhal

Through my visits to various sites of my friends and visitors from the sub-continent my curiousity about this spicy-peas stew was peaked as they profiled various types of dal-pulses (yes, on the sub-continent it's spelt without the 'h') as well as the stew they are made from. So I set about making and tasting a variety of dals and dhals :) Click here to read more and to find out which was one was favourite.

Spinach dhal

Mango dhal

Okra dhal

Red lentil dhal

Friends, I am currently in Guyana and will be here for a few days. While I will still be able to make my posts, I may not be able to do my regular visits to your sites to comment but I'll catch up on all your delicious works when I get back.

Cornmeal Cou Cou

Barbados’ national dish is cornmeal cou cou and flying fish. Long ago, cou cou used to be a regular every-Saturday dish in many households just as pudding and souse is, but these days, because of the time it takes to prepare, a lot of people have stopped making it regularly. If we’re not careful, the technique of making good cou cou will fade away as we all get busier, eating out becomes the norm, and those with the knowledge of making cou cou leave this world without being able to pass on this traditional dish.

Read this week’s column where I talk about my timidity about making cou cou. Many of you will recognize similarities in the method of preparation and polenta will come to mind.

Here's a recipe I adapted from Barbadian Chef, Peter Edey

Recipe - Cou Cou

Ingredients
6 okras, sliced thinly
2 cups cornmeal
1 tbsp butter, plus extra for buttering dish
1 medium onion, chopped finely
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp thyme, minced finely
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
4 cups boiling water
2 cups tap water

Equipment

• Perferably, but not necessarily, a heavy-bottomed pot
• Wooden spoon
• Bowl for molding

Method

1. Soak cornmeal in 2 cups tap water 5 minutes before you are ready to start making the cou cou
2. Heat oil in pot and saute onions, garlic and thyme for 1 - 2 mins
3. Add sliced okras and saute for one minute
4. Add 4 cups of boiling water, cover pot and let boil for 10 - 12 minutes
5. Using a slotted spoon, remove the okras and set aside and keep warm
6. Pour out half of the liquid from the pot and set aside (reserve)
7. Turn the heat to very low, add the soaked cornmeal and salt
8. Stir constantly to avoid lumps and to avoid the cornmeal mixture from scorching
9. As the cornmeal begins to dry out, add the reserved liquid in stages until the cornmeal is cooked
10. As the mixture begins to break away clean from the sides of the pot, add back the okras and incorporate fully
11. Let the cou cou continue to cook until firm (but not stiff). Again, the mixture should break away cleanly from the sides and when you insert the spoon in the middle of the cou cou, it should stand and remove easily from the mixture.
12. Pour cou cou into a generously buttered bowl and swivel/shake it around to form a mold
13. Invert the bowl with cou cou onto a platter
14. To serve, create an indentation in the center of the coucou and heap with stewed fish, meat or vegetables letting the rich sauce spill over the sides.

Mettagee

This week's column features yet another national dish of Guyana, Mettagee or Mettem. At first I thought that the word was of Amerindian heritage but it is not, the jury is still out on the origin of the word.

Mettagee is thought to have been Portuguese in its origin something they prepared while on the boats from Portugal to Guyana - a one pot dish made with coconut milk but certainly far removed from what we prepare today. As with everything, food changes as we move from one place to another and adapt. However, though believed to be Portuguese in origin, Mettagee is often considered to be an Afro-Guyanese dish.



Root Vegetables or Ground Provisions as we call them grow abundantly here in the Caribbean and we make a variety of dishes with them. Cassava (tapioca), eddoes (taro root), sweet potatoes, yams, tannia can all be had in these parts.

The dish featured here is a true celebration of these root vegetables that are united with plantains, green and ripe, okras, dumplings and cooked with fresh coconut milk. It is traditionally served with salt fish or fried fish.



Versions of this dish are made in other Caribbean countries as well, in Jamaica it's Rundown, in Grenada, St. Vincent & The Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago, it's known as Oildown.

I encourage you to try making this dish. You will absolutely love it.

To read more in the column, click here.
For the recipe, please email me.
Click here and find out how the dish was enjoyed.

Caribbean Meal

This dish of peas and rice, stewed chicken, fried ripe plantains, steamed okras and simple salad of lettuce, tomato and cucumber is my entry to Jugalbandi's Postcard series. The recipes are on the postcard as well. Enjoy.