
If you are using rohu fish it will usually be frozen. Soak it in cold water for 30-45 minutes to defrost and while still a little firm, descale and cut each steak into quarters and wash in cold saltwater a few times. Drain and set aside. If using an alternative such as cod, cut into 2 ½ inch chunks then rinse, drain and set aside 2 Top and tail the daikon and peel using a potato peeler. Cut in half widthways then cut each half down the middle, lengthways. Now slice into 2cm-thick half-moon pieces. Rinse and set aside 3 Place a large, shallow saucepan over a medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot add the crushed garlic and stir for a minute until pale golden 4 Add the onion paste and salt and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the onion softens and becomes translucent, stirring occasionally 5 Pour in 200ml of water then cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice 6 After 10 minutes add the ground spices and stir for a couple of minutes so that the spices cook through. Cover and cook for 5 minutes over a low heat then stir in the daikon. After a minute or so add 200ml of water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on a medium heat 7 Add the fish pieces to the pan and mix thoroughly so that the fish is coated in the spices. Gently shake the pan and cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. It is very important not to stir the pot after this stage 8 Meanwhile, boil some water. After the 5 minutes are over carefully pour 500ml hot water into the pan. When doing this pour into the sides of the pan so that you don’t pour boiling water directly onto the fish 9 Give the pan a gentle shake then cover and simmer over high heat for 15 minutes. Add the chopped coriander and chillies and continue cooking for another 5 minutes then turn off the heat. Serve immediately with rice and the lime wedges

Place chicken breast in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, add 1 tsp salt and simmer for approximately 15 minutes. Allow chicken to cool and then shred meat with two forks. Finely chop shallot/red onion. Stir mayonnaise, crème fraîche, Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar to combine. Season with salt, pepper and extra Dijon mustard to taste. Combine with onion and chicken. Fry bacon until crisp and transfer to plate lined with paper towels. Rinse mushrooms, slice and fry in the same pan as bacon until golden (approximately 5 minutes). Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Arrange your chicken salad in a serving dish, topped with crisp bacon, mushrooms and chopped parsley. Serve on a slice of light or dark bread.

step 1 Make the filling by placing the onion, ginger, garlic, chilli, and some salt into food processor. Purée until smooth. Heat the oil in a frying pan and pour the purée into it. Fry for 5 mins or until cooked through. Add the prawns, tomatoes and chopped coriander. Squeeze in the lime and add salt to taste. Cook for 3 mins, or until the prawns have cooked through. Remove from the heat. step 2 Drain and rinse the black-eyed peas. Pour into a food processor with the garlic and chili. Purée until smooth. Scrape into a bowl and add the onion, flour, salt, chilli powder and baking powder. Mix and roll into 16 balls. step 3 Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Heat 8cm of the palm or vegetable oil in a wok or small heavy pan. When a small piece of bread sizzles, drop 4-5 balls into the oil. Fry until golden and crisp, about 4-5 mins. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat until they are all finished. You can keep them warm in the oven while you finish. Slice the fritters open down the centre and spoon the prawn filling in. Serve with hot sauce.

Conch Stew Cooking Directions Clean conch meat and pound to tenderize. Boil conch for 2 - 3 hours or until tender. Make Sea Pie while conch cooks (instructions below). Once cool, cut conch in bite size pieces and season. Add all ingredients, except flour, to pan and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes. Mix flour with 1 cup water and pour into pan to thicken. Add Sea Pie pieces and continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes. Sea Pie Cooking Directions Make dough with flour, pinch of salt and water so that you can roll out as thin as possible, then cut into 2 ½” x 2 ½” squares. Let set for 30 minutes then stretch squares to thin them out and add to conch stew mixture. Serve with white rice, plantain, breadfruit or your choice of vegetables.

1. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute. 2. Add 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs to the pot and cook until browned on all sides, approximately 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. 3. Pour 4 cups water into the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. 4. Stir in 2 tbsp tamarind paste, 1 tbsp fish sauce, and 1 tsp sugar until fully dissolved, about 1 minute. 5. Add 1 stalk lemongrass and 2 kaffir lime leaves to the pot, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the broth with flavor. 6. Tip: Bruising the lemongrass before adding helps release its essential oils for a more aromatic stew. 7. Add 1 cup pineapple chunks, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, and 1 cup green beans to the pot, stirring gently to combine. 8. Simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes, or until the green beans are tender but still crisp and the tomatoes start to soften. 9. Tip: Avoid overcooking the vegetables to maintain their vibrant color and texture in the final dish. 10. Stir in 1 Thai chili and simmer for an additional 2 minutes to incorporate the heat. 11. Tip: Taste the broth and adjust with extra tamarind paste or fish sauce if desired, but do so gradually to avoid overpowering the balance. 12. Remove the pot from heat and discard the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves before serving. 13. Present the stew hot in bowls, optionally garnished with fresh herbs like cilantro.

Wash crabs and boil in large pot of water for 15 minutes, remove from boiling water and cool. Crack legs and open backs to remove all meat, set aside. Remove seeds from scotch bonnet pepper and dice pepper and onions. Sauté onions and scotch bonnet peppers in oil over medium heat until onions begin to get transparent. Add crab meat, black pepper and salt, stirring occasionally. Cook over medium heat for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with “bread kind”, a local dish that consists of a variety of starchy vegetables including pumpkin, squash, plantain, potato, cassava and breadfruit. Optional: Seasoned crab meat may also be stuffed in cleaned crab backs and baked. Cover stuffed backs with foil paper and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks, put them in a medium pot and cover with water and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Bring the potatoes to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until fork tender about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and mash with a fork or masher and set aside. Filling: In a large sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and add the onion, tomato, scallions, garlic, cumin, azafran, pepper and salt. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent, add the beef and cook stirring occasionally about 10 – 15 minutes. Set aside to cool. To make the batter: In a medium bowl place all the batter ingredients and whisk until smooth and set aside. To Form the Stuffed Potatoes Divide the potato mash into 10 equal sized portions, about ⅓ cup each, and form each portion into a ball by rolling between the palms of your hands. Flatten into patties and place 1 ½ tablespoons of the filling in the center of each one. Shape the potato mixture with the filling into balls to enclose the filling completely. Fill a large heavy pot with vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat to 360° F. Dip the stuffed potato into the batter and carefully place them in the hot oil and fry for about 4 minutes or until golden, turning over halfway through. Remove the potatoes from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain in a plate with paper towels. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with Ají. Notes For a vegetarian version:Use the same ingredients in the meat filling except the beef and add 1 cup frozen carrots and peas

1. In a medium bowl, combine the coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce, palm sugar, and broth, whisking until smooth—this ensures no lumps in the sauce. 2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat (about 350°F) for 30 seconds until shimmering. 3. Pour the coconut milk mixture into the skillet and bring it to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, which should take about 3-4 minutes. 4. Add the fish cubes and kaffir lime leaves to the skillet, submerging them fully in the sauce. 5. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and let it cook for 10 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork—avoid overcooking to keep it tender. 6. Stir in the beaten egg slowly, cooking for 2 more minutes until the sauce thickens slightly, which adds a rich, custard-like texture. 7. While the curry simmers, prepare the banana leaves by briefly passing them over a gas flame for 10 seconds to make them pliable, or use parchment paper as a handy alternative. 8. Spoon the curry into the center of each banana leaf square, folding the edges to form a tight packet to trap steam. 9. Place the packets in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for 10 minutes until heated through and fragrant. 10. Carefully unwrap the packets and garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges before serving

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. 2. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant and lightly golden, about 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning. 3. Add the chicken pieces and cook until they turn opaque on all sides, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 4. Pour in the 8 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat, which should take about 8 minutes. 5. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the fish sauce, salt, and sugar, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes to develop the flavors. 6. While the broth simmers, cook the rice noodles according to package instructions until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. 7. Divide the cooked noodles evenly among four bowls. 8. Ladle the hot broth and chicken over the noodles in each bowl. 9. Top each bowl with bean sprouts, chopped mint leaves, and optional red chili slices. 10. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the soup.

Put the chicken, water and one garlic clove in a large saucepan. Place it over medium-high heat until boiling. Then turn the heat low, cover the pan and simmer the chicken for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken leg and breast. Keep the fresh chicken stock for later. Let the chicken cool. Then dice the chicken breast up. Pick the meat off the leg. Discard any bones and skin. Slice the leek, celery and carrot finely (julienne). Add the butter, rosemary and bay leaves to a large pan and place it over medium heat until melted. Then add the sliced vegetables. Season with pepper and salt. Stir and cook the vegetables for 3 minutes. Then add the shredded and diced chicken. Cover the pan and cook the chicken and vegetables for 5 minutes. Then add the cream and ½ cup (120 ml) of the fresh chicken stock. Look at this delicious waterzooi recipe! Do try out my chunky chicken stew with fresh leeks, celery, carrots and lots of cream... This is Belgian comfort food! Cover the pan and cook the stew for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of the warm cream from the pan to a cup. Whisk and add it back to the pan to thicken the sauce. Stir all the ingredients and then turn the heat very low. Check the seasoning and add extra pepper or salt to taste. Remove the rosemary and bay leaves. Divide the stew over deep plates and drizzle with the remaining cream sauce. Serve hot.

step 1 Mix together the hearts of palm, tomatoes and spring onions. Whisk together the sherry vinegar and olive oil. Drizzle over the salad. Sprinkle with the parsley, toss everything together and serve.

Fry the ginger in plenty of oil until golden and slightly crispy. Set aside for later. Cut the fish into strips. Dredge the fish in a very thin layer of tempura flour. Fry the fish in plenty of oil until golden brown and crispy. You can use the same oil as you were using to fry the ginger. Crush the garlic and chop it into small pieces. Chop the spring onion. Drain the fermented soybeans using a colander. If you are using salted beans (soybeans in a very salty brine), you need to wash the beans in water before you add them to the dish. Add a tablespoon of oil to a deep pan or a large pot, and sauté the garlic until slightly golden. Add the soybeans and stir fry for a few minutes. If the soybeans are very salty, add ¼- ½ tablespoon sugar to balance the flavor. Add water and fry for a minute. Just before serving, stir in the fried ginger, the spring onion, and the crispy fish. Serve with steamed rice.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and honey to create a marinade. 2. Add the chicken thigh strips to the marinade, ensuring each piece is fully coated, and let it sit for 20 minutes at room temperature. 3. While the chicken marinates, combine the julienned carrots, daikon radish, rice vinegar, and granulated sugar in a separate bowl, stirring until the sugar dissolves to pickle the vegetables. 4. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and sriracha sauce thoroughly to make a spicy aioli. 5. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. 6. Add the marinated chicken strips to the hot skillet in a single layer, cooking for 4-5 minutes per side until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F and develop a golden-brown crust. 7. While the chicken cooks, lightly toast the split baguettes in a toaster oven or under a broiler for 2-3 minutes until just crisp on the edges. 8. Spread a generous layer of the spicy aioli on the inside of each toasted baguette. 9. Drain the pickled carrots and daikon radish from their liquid, then layer them onto the bottom half of each baguette. 10. Place the cooked chicken strips evenly over the pickled vegetables in each sandwich. 11. Top the chicken with fresh cilantro leaves and thinly sliced cucumber. 12. Close the sandwiches by pressing the top half of each baguette down gently.

Clean mushrooms – I usually wash them under cold water, dry them and remove the stems. Cut mushrooms into thin strips. Melt butter in a small pot. Add the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes, until the mushrooms release liquid. Combine the flour and water, whisk to remove any lumps and add to the pot. Add the salt and milk. Cook for 10 more minutes. In a small bowl or jar combine the garlic and vinegar. Serve the soup with 1-2 tablespoons (or more) of the garlic and vinegar mixture and hot red pepper.

Add a pint of chicken stock to the simmer and put three tablespoons of sugar into a large saucepan on high; cook until the sugar caramelizes, then add the cubed chicken breasts and stir until the chicken browns. Add chopped onions, garlic, parsley, thyme, jerk seasoning, salt, and the whole scotch bonnet pepper – do not cut up the pepper! Reduce the heat to low and let this simmer for 25 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, and add a pinch of salt to taste. Now add the first tablespoon of shortening, and with your fingers, rub the flour into the shortening until it forms a breadcrumb-like consistency. Then add the second tablespoon of shortening and rub against the flour until it looks like breadcrumbs. Now add the third tablespoon of shortening and repeat the process. You should by now have used all the flour. Your bowl should be all breadcrumb-like; if you still have fresh flour, use another tablespoon of shortening until your fresh flour is all used up. Add a small amount of water and mix with a butter knife; keep adding small amounts until your mixture forms a soft dough. Now dust your surface with flour and roll out your pastry; you want to roll wafer-thin rounds – this mixture should make at least 12 roti skins. Cover with a tea towel while returning to the pot. Now peel the potatoes and cube them into small bite-size pieces. After 25 minutes of simmering, add 1/2 pint of water and the potatoes to the pool. Now cover and cook for 30 minutes on low heat. Turn a flat baking tray upside down, lightly cover with foil, and place on the stovetop on high; cook each roti skin for 1 minute on each side until brown but not crisp. Now pile up your cooked roti skins, remove the pot after 30 minutes, and remove the whole scotch bonnet. Take the entire pot to the table with a pile of plates; each person assumes the roti skin, lays it flat on the scale, spoons some filling into the middle of the roti skin, and folds around the filling eats enjoy.

These delectable fish balls can also be made with salmon or fish fillets. Substitute one large can of salmon or one pound of any white fish for the cod. Soak for twenty-four hours: 1 salted cod, or bakijow Discard the water. Place cod in saucepan with fresh water to cover. Simmer gently until the fish flakes easily when tested with the tines of a fork. Strain, reserving a bit of the broth. De bone the cod and set it aside for later use. In a saucepan, bring to boil in water to cover: 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced When the potatoes are tender, drain them well. Add the cod and mash the two ingredients thoroughly together. Place in the container of an electric blender: 1 tomato, peeled and chopped 1/2 green pepper, chopped 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped 1 clove garlic, slivered 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce, or minced hot pepper Dash of nutmeg Salt and pepper to taste Blend for a few seconds and pour the sauce over the mashed fish mixture. Combine these ingredients well and add 1 egg, beaten Mixture should be stiff enough to mold into balls about one and a half inches in diameter, If it's too dry, add the fish stock a tablespoon at a time. Fry the balls in hot, deep fat until golden brown.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir the onions in the hot oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger-garlic paste and continue cooking another 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; stir the tomatoes into the mixture and cook until the tomatoes are pulpy, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with the cayenne pepper, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, and cumin; cook and stir another 5 minutes. Add the chicken and potatoes to the mixture in the skillet; simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle the cilantro over the mixture and continue simmering another 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Clean livers of sinews and gall. Put into a fireproof casserole with all other ingredients roughly chopped. Season and cover with milk. Put the lid on the casserole and cook in a slow oven (300ºF) for 2 hours. Liquidize in a blender. Adjust seasoning. Add sherry or brandy. Put in a dish and cover with melted butte

1 In a large heavy saucepan, combine the peanuts, sugar and water. Bring to a boil; cook until syrup has evaporated, about 10 minutes. 2 Spread peanuts in a single layer in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan; sprinkle with salt. 3 Bake at 300° for 30-35 minutes or until dry and lightly browned. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

1. To prepare the dough, sift the flour with 1tsp of salt into a mixing bowl. Slowly mix in as much of the water is required, until a stiff dough is formed. Knead on a clean work surface for 5-10 minutes, until the dough is elastic and shiny. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for about an hour. 2. Put the chopped lamb, onions, chilli, 1 tsp salt, ground pepper and spices in a bowl and mix thoroughly. 3. Divide the dough into 4 small balls, and roll out to a thickness of 1.5mm, cutting into 10cm squares. Into each square, place 1 heaped teaspoon of the lamb mixture. 4. Take two opposite corners and bring them to join in the centre by nipping together firmly between your fingers, and then bring together to other two corners in the same manner. Note that the mantu should not be entirely closed, as the steam has to be penetrate and cook the filling! 5. Using fat to grease the shelves of the steamer, place your mantu so that there is a small space between each one. Steam for 30-45 minutes over a medium heat. 6. Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a pan, add tomato puree, and bring to the boil. Stir and simmer on a low heat until the mantu are ready. 7. Remove the mantu carefully from the steamer and place on a large, warm dish. Spoon the tomato sauce over the top, followed by the strained yoghurt, and sprinkle with chopped coriander to garnish.

Bring water with salt to a boil then add grits; reduce heat and cover. occasionally stirring. Cook approximately 15 minutes or until grits have desired consistency. Cool then serve

Peel and chop eggplant and pumpkin into medium-sized pieces. Heat butter and add onions and garlic in a medium sized pot set to medium to high heat. Sauté for 2 minutes until softened but not browned. Add pumpkin and eggplant. Sauté for an additional two to three minutes. Add water just to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are soft. Add the chopped spinach, stir and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Pour the vegetable mixture into a colander and let drain. After vegetable mixture has been drained return it to the pot and mash vigorously with a potato masher or a thick whisk. Add salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Make the sauce by combining all the ingredients and grinding them into a paste. Put the prawns on the skewers and brush with sauce. Grill until done (they should lose their translucent color), about 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

step 1 Put the sugar in a large shallow pan, along with a small splash of water. Heat gently, swirling the pan, until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and bubble the syrup until it turns a dark amber colour. Add the fish sauce, most of the chilli and ginger, then splash in 1 tbsp water to dilute. Boil again until syrupy, then add the fish fillets, skin-side down, and the bok choi, cut-side down. step 2 Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 4-5 mins until the fish is cooked and the bok choi has wilted. Turn off the heat, squeeze over the lemon and scatter with the remaining chilli, ginger and the coriander sprigs. Serve with rice.