Quadrille - Alphabet Cooking: C is for Caribbean

C is for Caribbean ingredientsackee is a scarlet pear-shaped fruit related to the lychee. It is the national fruit of Jamaica where it is widely eaten. It is available canned. breadfruit is a starchy fruit used in both savoury and sweet dishes. calabaza pumpkin is a large winter squash grown throughout the Caribbean. It has a sweet taste and can be used in both savoury and sweet dishes.

If you cant find it use butternut squash instead. callaloo is one of the main staple leafy greens in Caribbean cooking. It has a slightly bitter flavour and resembles spinach. It is mostly steamed and eaten as a side dish. goat is eaten in stews and curries. It tastes similar to lamb but is leaner.

If you cant find goat then use lamb instead. jerk seasoning is a medium-hot blend of spices, which is used to rub on pork or chicken before cooking. okra (also called ladies fingers because of its long cylindical shape) is a nutritious green vegetable eaten in salads, curries or as a side dish. pigeon peas are widely used in Caribbean cooking. If you cant find them use kidney beans or black-eyed beans instead. plantain belongs to the banana family.

It is inedible raw so must be cooked first. Fried plantain is a popular snack or side dish in the Caribbean. salted cod is dried cod that has been salted. It needs to be rehydrated and de-salted before use by soaking in a bowl of water for at least 4 hours and changing the water every hour. scotch bonnet chillies are small but extremely hot. They are used throughout the Caribbean and have a sweet fruity flavour.

They are one of the main ingredients in West Indian hot pepper sauces. sweet potato is a large starchy root vegetable with pink-orange skin and deep orange flesh. It has a sweet, creamy flavour and can be used in a variety of dishes. turmeric is a bright yellow spice with lots of health benefits and is a major ingredient in curries. Use carefully as it stains. (Some Caribbean ingredients are available from large supermarkets or specialist grocery shops.

However, it is also worth checking online through suppliers such as gracefoods.co.uk or olumofoods.co.uk or sams247.com)

ingredients 250g (9oz) salted cod red (bell) pepper, finely chopped onion, finely chopped Scotch bonnet chilli, finely chopped 1 egg 200g (7oz/1 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 litre (34fl oz/4 cups) vegetable oil, to deep-fry soak Place the salted cod in a bowl of cold water and soak for 4 hours, changing the water every hour. mix Flake the salted cod finely with a fork or in a food processor, then mix with the red pepper, onion, chilli, egg, black pepper and 150ml (5fl oz/ cup) water. Stir in the flour to form a wet batter. fry Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan to 180C (350F), or until a cube of bread dropped in fizzes and turns golden within 30 seconds. Carefully drop heaped tablespoons of batter into the hot oil (you will get about 5 in one pan) and fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat until the batter is used up.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with sea salt.

ingredients 325g (11oz/scant 2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp fast-action dried (active dry) yeast tsp caster (granulated) sugar tsp ground turmeric tsp freshly ground black pepper tsp sea salt 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, finely sliced 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp 1 x 400-g (14-oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 tsp sea salt 200ml (7fl oz/scant 1 cup) vegetable oil, to deep-fry Jamaican hot pepper sauce, to serve mix Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, turmeric and pepper together, then add the salt and 200ml (7fl oz/scant 1 cup) water. Stir to combine, then knead briefly into a soft dough. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. stir-fry Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic. Stir-fry on a medium heat for 10 minutes until golden brown, then add the spices and stir-fry for a further minute.

Add the chickpeas, 300ml (10fl oz/1 cups) water and the salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed. divide Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and divide it into 8 pieces. With lightly oiled hands, flatten each piece into a circle, or bara, approximately 10cm (4in) across. deep-fry Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or saucepan to 180C (350F), or until a cube of bread dropped in fizzes and turns golden within 30 seconds.

Fry 3 bara at a time for 40 seconds on each side until golden brown, then drain on kitchen paper. assemble Place 2 tablespoons of the chickpeas on half the bara, add the hot pepper sauce, then top with another bara before serving.