Callaloo II

With the different variations there are to a good callaloo, I decided to post my mom's callaloo recipe. Unlike my wife's callaloo that's a little thicker, my mom's callaloo is a little more fluid and spicy. This is the callaloo I grew up on. Every Sunday morning as a rule, right before going to church the dasheen bush would be in a large bowl already chopped up and I would be bursting a coconut for her to grate to make the coconut milk.


Back then there wasn't any coconut powder or "osterizer" to blend the coconut, so everything had to be done by hand. But this was fun; I used to walk with a little cup to collect the sweet coconut water when I burst the coconut.


In fact I developed a technique to bursting the coconut. I used to target the "eye" of the coconut because it would break easily when struck there. Then I would hit the other side of the coconut, the "point", because if it was not broken properly, it made it difficult to extract the kernel. I would know because I got a few "digs" in my palm well, trying to take out the kernel from this area when the knife slipped (one reason to use a dull knife to remove the kernel!)


As for the other ingredients: we usually planted the ochro, pimento peppers and hot peppers in the kitchen garden or we would go to the market the Saturday before. The market used to be real fun, but that will have to be another story..... Too much to talk about: the sights; the sounds; the bachannal :-) Here's callaloo.

CALLALOO II

1 large bundle dasheen bush
2 packs coconut milk
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 sprigs chive, chopped
3 pimento peppers, chopped
1 sprig thyme, chopped
1/2 cup pumpkin, chopped
8 large ochroes, chopped
salt to taste
1 hot pepper
Water ( about 4 cups)
1 tbsp. roucou

Cut up the dasheen bush and wash.

Note: Remove the tips of the dasheen bush before cutting it up.

Place in a large pot and add the pumpkin and seasonings

Then add the ochro, coconut milk powder, roucou

and hot pepper

Note: You would notice in the recipe I said 1 hot pepper, but you are seeing me add a piece of pepper. The pepper we used is the famous congo pepper ( note its brown colour) and because of it's high heat level you cannot use the whole pepper in this recipe. It is very, very, very hot ( see how many time I say very) :-)

add the water and put to boil

Boil until the ingredients are tender. Add salt to taste.
Stir occasionally to avoid burning

Leave to cool

When cooled, blend until smooth

Note: Back in the day we would use either a swizzle stick or a dhal gutney to make the callaloo smooth.


Anyhow, more to come. Until then, Ah gone!

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