Unpopular Jamaican Recipes

Everyone enjoys the rich flavour profile of Jamaican food and ever so often different ways to prepare local dishes surface and become a hit in the home. We joined food forces with a Jamaican run food blog, Jamaican Food recipes.com to bring you unpopular recipes the Jamaican in you can enjoy.

STEAMED PRAWNS AND OKRA IN COCONUT MILK

A delicious dish that is simple and easy to prepare.

Ingredients

1 lb king prawns

600g of okra

1 Scotch Bonnet pepper

5 pimento seeds

1 stalk escallion

1 medium carrot

½ small onion

3 sprig thyme

2 cloves garlic

½ cup coconut milk

½ tsp salt or to your liking

½ pepper or to you liking

2 tbsp olive oil

1 ½ cup of water

Method:

Peel and remove the head from the prawns and put it aside to make the prawn stock.

Divide the prawns and marinate it with salt and pepper and put aside.

Put the prawn heads and shells in a saucepan with the water and cook until it comes to a boil. Leave aside for later.

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Slice the onion and garlic and add it to the oil with the pimento seeds, sauté for half a minute.

Slice up the bell pepper, carrot, and okra and add them to the pot. Add the whole scotch bonnet pepper and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Strain and add the prawn stock made earlier. Add the coconut milk thyme and escallion and bring to a boil.

Once the vegetables are cooked, add the prawns to the sauce and lower the heat. Cook until the prawns are pink, about 3-5 minutes.

Enjoy this recipe with pumpkin rice.

TAMARIND JUICE

Tamarind grows widely throughout Jamaica. If you enjoy the zest this fruit brings, you’re sure to enjoy the drink.

Ingredients

2 cups ripe tamarind pulp

8 cups boiled water

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 drops angostura bitters

1 medium lime

Small piece of ginger

Honey/brown sugar to sweeten

Method:

Remove the outer shell and place the tamarind pulp in a large bowl.

Pour half the boiling water into the bowl onto the tamarind. After 1 minute, try crushing the tamarind with a fork.

Grater the piece of ginger and add it to the tamarind water. Leave to cool.

When to water is cool enough, use your hands to break the tamarind apart until all the fleshy bits are fully removed from the seeds

Strain thoroughly using a fine strainer

Add remaining water to the strain juice.

Add the vanilla, angostura bitters and lime juice

Sweeten to your taste

Serve chilled!

TUSCAN CABBAGE WITH A JAMAICAN TWIST

Tuscan cabbage, also known as cavolo nero or black kale is very healthy, easy to cook and absorbs flavour well.

Ingredients

400 g Tuscan cabbage (chopped)

1 small onion (thinly sliced)

1 small bell pepper (the colour is up to you)

1 medium tomato (chopped)

2 medium carrots (sliced into thin strips)

¼ scotch bonnet pepper (finely chopped)*

2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

2 sprig of thyme

¼ teaspoon all purpose seasoning

A pinch of salt (if needed)

3 teaspoons coconut oil

*If you do not like spicy food, you can remove this. A good substitute is cayenne pepper or black pepper.

Tuscan cabbage dinner

Method:

Heat 3 teaspoons of coconut oil in a Sauté Pan over low heat, add the garlic, scotch bonnet and thyme and cook until slightly brown.

Add the onion, bell pepper, tomato (if you like your carrots cooked soft, add it also), cook, stirring, until onions are soft.

Add the cabbage, all-purpose seasoning (salt if you need to). Cover and simmer until cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes. Half way through checked the cabbage making sure it isn’t burning. If needed add a tip of water. Stir in the carrot. Cover and let it simmer another 7 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Serve with boiled green banana, dumpling and potato.