Saheena [Trinidad & Tobago]

Ingredients :

Paste for frying*

1 ½ cup split peas powder

½ cup flour

1 cup water

1 teaspoon saffron (tumeric) powder

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon green seasoning

(* this paste is a bit thicker)

12 dasheen leaves (taro)

1 ½ cup split peas powder

½ cup flour

1 ½ cup water

1 teaspoon saffron (tumeric) powder

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon green seasoning

For the paste: Mix the ingredients together to form the paste.

Steps :

§    Wash and clean the leaves removing the stems.

§    Open one large dasheen leaf face down and rub paste on it.

§    Place another leaf on top and repeat the earlier step.

§    Continue layering and pasting each layer until the paste is finished or the leaves are used up.

§    Roll tightly together and tuck the ends.

§    Place in a clean plastic bag and put into boiling water to steam. -or- tie the roll with string and place it in a steamer. [Note: A clear plastic bag, or a zip lock bag could be used. Use only clear plastic bags!]

§    Make sure the knot is above the water.

§    Remove after 15 minutes and leave to cool.

§    Cut in ½" slices. Paste some of the thicker mixture on both sides.

§    Fry until golden and drain.

§    Serve with your favourite kuchela or chutney.

Roast Breadfruit and Saltfish [Saint Vincent & Grenadines]

Ingredients :

1 lg Breadfruit

1/4 cup water

1 lb. Salt fish

1 onion

1 tomato

1/4 cup oil

1 small cucumber

1 tsp. butter

Steps :

Breadfruit:

§    Roast Breadfruit. Slice when cooled.

Saltfish:

§    Boil salt fish until it is not too salty.

§    Clean and strip saltfish into small bits.

§    Dice or chop onion and tomato.

§    Slice cucumber.

§    Add to saltfish along with a little seasoning.

§    Put oil in a frying pan to hot.

§    Add Saltfish along with other ingredients including butter and water and let simmer.

§    Serve hot.

Chicken Roti [Saint Lucia]

Ingredients :

For the chicken :

3 chicken breasts , diced

1 onion , diced

½ green bell pepper , diced

½ red bell pepper , cut into strips

1 carrot , peeled and diced

2 potatoes , peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic , crushed

1 cube chicken bouillon

1 cup hot water

2 tablespoons curry powder

½ bunch parsley , finely chopped

A few basil leaves (optional)

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

For the roti :

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ cup vegetable oil

1 cup water (warm)

2 teaspoons salt

2 cloves garlic crushed

Sunflower oil (for frying)

Steps :

Chicken :

§    Put oil in a pan and sauté garlic and onion for 2 minutes. Add chicken and sauté until cooked but tender.

§    Add bell peppers and carrots and sauté for 2 minutes.

§    Add the chicken bouillon cube, dissolved in water.

§    Bring to a boil and add the potatoes, salt, pepper, and cover.

§    Simmer over medium-low heat until the potatoes are tender. If necessary, increase the heat to reduce the broth.

§    Halfway through cooking, add the herbs and curry powder.

§    Set aside to cool while preparing rotis.

Roti :

§    Sift flour and baking powder.

§    Mix flour, salt, garlic and baking powder.

§    Make a well in the middle, pour in water and oil and mix all ingredients. Knead at least 3 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.

§    Cover the dough and let rest for 30 minutes.

§    Drop the dough on a floured surface, divide it into 10 or 12 balls.

§    Cover to prevent from drying .

§    Brush a little oil on a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

§    Lightly flour the work surface. Take a ball of dough, flatten it with the palm of the hand, turn it over and flatten again.

§    Roll out with a rolling pin and form a thin disk of 6 to 8 inches in diameter.

§    Cook about 1 minute on each side. Be careful not to overcook as the rotis should remain flexible and white.

§    Repeat until all the batter is done.

§    Stack rotis and cover with a cloth until the end of the baking.

Assembling chicken roti :

§    Warm roti if necessary and place on a platter.

§    Put a generous amount of stuffing.

§    Fold according to the chosen shape (cone, tube, square, triangle, etc.)

Res Gisada [Dominican Republic]

Ingredients :

2 lb [0.91 kg] of beef (round or skirt) cut into small pieces.

Juice of 1 lime

A pinch of sun-dried oregano

A pinch of pepper

1 teaspoon of salt (or more, to taste)

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (corn, canola or peanut)

3 cups of water (may need more)

1 red onion cut into slices

2 tomatoes cut into quarters

2 bell peppers , cut into small pieces

3 cloves of garlic , mashed

1 cup of tomato sauce

1 sprig of cilantro , chopped

Steps :

§    Rinse the meat with cold water and scrub with the lime juice. Season with oregano, pepper and salt.

§    In a pot heat the oil over medium heat. Stir in the beef and brown. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the meat is very tender (it may take from 30-60 minutes), adding water by the tablespoon when it becomes necessary to prevent the meat from burning.

§    Stir in onion, tomatoes, pepper and garlic, cover and and simmer until the vegetables are cooked through, adjust water if necessary.

§    Add the tomato sauce and 1 cup of water, simmer over low heat to produce a light sauce. Season with cilantro and salt to taste.

§    Serve with arroz blanco, a side dish (or salad) and beans.

Rellenos de Papa [Puerto Rico]

Ingredients :

2 cups water

7 tablespoons margarine

salt and pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup milk

4 cups instant potato flakes

1 egg

3 tablespoons cornstarch (for dusting rellenos)

1 lb prepared ground beef, seasoned with sofrito sauce

oil (for frying)

Steps :

§    Bring water to a boil and remove from heat.

§    Add margarine, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and milk.

§    Stir until the margarine is melted.

§    Add the potato flakes.

§    The mixture should be pretty thick and dry.

§    Add a slightly beaten egg and mix well.

§    Let the potatoes sit to cool down.

§    Divide potato mixture into 6 balls.

§    Sprinkle corn starch on one hand and carefully spread one of the potato balls on your hand pushing down in the middle.

§    Place a tablespoon of prepared picadillo in the middle carefully folding the sides over the meat until it is completely sealed.

§    Roll the stuffed balls in corn starch - this will help keep the mixture together during frying.

§    Fry over medium-high heat until golden.

Tamal de Olla Estilo Panameno [Panama]

Ingredients :

For the Sofrito :

1 pound onions, roughly chopped

2 ribs celery, roughly chopped

1 bell pepper, roughly chopped

For the Masa (Dough) :

1 pound harina de maiz (use pre-cooked variety)

6 cups water

2 teaspoons salt

3 corns on the cob

½ cup Olive Oil

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh oregano

Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Filing :

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 pounds beef, not too lean, with visible fat, cut into chunks

1 cup golden raisins

1 cup olives stuffed with pimentos

½ cup capers

Steps :

§    In a 2 quart saucepan, heat the vegetable oil. Add the beef chunks and cook over medium heat until well browned, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

§    Heat the olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet. Add the chopped onions, celery, bell pepper, tomatoes and garlic, sauté for 5 minutes.

§    Once the vegetables are well cooked, process them briefly in a food processor until a puree.

§    Return the puree to the skillet. Add the vinegar and oregano and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add 3 cups of water, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

§    Roughly chop the cooked beef in the food processor, mincing into 1/2-inch pieces.

§    Add the beef to the sofrito, simmer covered for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

§    Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked meat from the pan, and place in a clean bow, add filling ingredients. Reserve the cooking liquid in the pan to make the masa, pouring it into a large glass measuring cup.

§    Add enough water to the reserved cooking liquid to equal six cups of liquid total.

§    In a separate bowl, prepare the masa by pouring in the harina de maiz. Add the reserved cooking liquid/water one cup at a time, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.

§    Add the salt. The masa will need to be the consistency of mashed potatoes. If mixture is too lumpy, use an electric hand mixer to help break up the lumps.

§    Once masa is the right consistency, stir in the corn kernels.

§    Preheat your oven to 350°F. Using a bit of olive oil, grease the interior of a 3 ½ quart casserole dish.

§    Pour half of the masa mixture into the casserole, spreading it across the entire bottom of the pan in an even layer.

§    Spread all of the meat mixture in an even layer on top of the masa layer, then add the remaining masa, making sure the masa reaches all edges of the casserole.

§    Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.

§    Remove from the oven and cool briefly before serving.

Chuleta de Pescado frito [Nicaragua]

Ingredients :

1 lb. of Tilapia

Garlic powder to taste

Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

2 lemons

2 large spoons of Flour

1 tablespoon of empanizer

1 teaspoon of Mustard

1 laurel leaf if you want

1 cup of preferably vegetable oil

Steps :

§    Wash the fish chops with plenty of water and a lemon, mix the lemon juice, moztaza, laurel, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a refractory.

§    Put the chops inside and let stand for at least one hour.

§    Stir the flour with the empanizer and place each chop in the mixture until it is covered by flour.

§    Put each chop in the oil that should already be hot in the fire.

§    Turn each chop only once at five minutes to avoid getting spoiled.

§    Let cook 10 to 12 minutes.

Tips :

§    That the oil is hot enough so that the fish cutlet is not oily.

§    After mixing the fish chop with the flour do not put it immediately in the oil to avoid the flour to become lumps.