Levi Roots - Levi Roots Reggae Reggae Cookbook

If I could have one wish in this world, it would be that my beloved grandmother, Miriam, could be alive to see me now. I think she would marvel at what Ive done. She would be proud that I have made a name for myself as an international musician, that I have brought Caribbean food to so many people and that I have even slain Dragons! She would be even more proud that it is all down to her and all that she taught me as a small boy in Jamaica.

My gran taught me the magic of cooking: how to mix Caribbean flavours and the subtleties of traditional herbs and spices. She loved cooking and I would watch, transfixed, happy to be with her and to help her. She never gave me proper instructions that wasnt her style. I learned all that I know about the wonderful West Indian food I have been cooking and eating all my life just by observing her. She would be so happy to know that many of her recipes are now here for you in my cookbook.

The Caribbean has a rich history and has been home to many different cultures which have had tremendous influence on the tastes and flavours of the food. Many of the ingredients youll see in this book are originally from the Far East or India, and have been adopted by the Caribbean as their own. A few recipes here also put a little Jamaican flavour in European food, like pasta and pizza, so that you can see all the ways you can use our herbs and spices!

Caribbean food has so much to offer. It is fresh, easy and delicious and the ingredients are easier to find than you might think. Its great for family and friends, young and old, and it will make you think of sunshine and music! So crank up the tunes and get into the kitchen, youre cookin with Levi tonight.

Lots of the ingredients in this book are readily available in the supermarkets. For the more unusual ones, check out your local ethnic shops and youll probably find more of them than youd think.

Before its fully ripe, ackee looks like a large pink mango and is poisonous to eat. When ripe, it bursts open into a smile, revealing yellow flesh with black seeds. It is most widely available canned, although it can be slightly expensive. It has a lovely silky texture which some people compare to that of scrambled eggs.

Caribbean food relies heavily on seasoning and this is a commercially prepared blend of spices. The ingredients in different brands vary; they include salt, paprika, chilli powder, celery powder, ground coriander, onion powder and can also include allspice, garlic, thyme and black pepper. Make sure the brand you use doesnt contain MSG (monosodium glutamate).

Allspice berries, also called pimento seeds, are the dried berries from a pimento tree. Their distinctive flavour, similar to a mixture of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, is a vital ingredient in jerk seasoning. If using whole berries, use them to cook and flavour the dish but remove before eating (as you would cloves). Allspice is also available ground.

The most well known variety is obviously the sweet yellow banana. There is also the PLANTAIN, a savoury variety which is much larger and chunkier and best enjoyed when the yellow skin is beginning to blacken. They cannot be eaten raw, so must be fried, boiled or baked. GREEN BANANAS are smaller and must also be cooked before eating.

When Caribbeans talk about peas, they actually mean beans, and not the green pea as we know it. So the Jamaican favourite, rice and peas, is actually rice with red kidney beans. Beans are a Caribbean staple, used in soups, stews and side dishes. Traditionally, they were used fresh, but these days they are most commonly available dried. Dried beans require soaking overnight before use. Then boil vigorously for 10 minutes to kill off their poisonous toxins and simmer until tender. You can buy canned beans, but unfortunately these dont produce the flavoursome pink liquid which comes from the boiling process. Favourite varieties include kidney beans, black beans, gunga peas (also called pigeon peas) and black eyed peas (also called cowpeas).

This is a large cannonball-sized starchy vegetable that can be used either when green or when ripe. Treat it as you would potatoes; try it thinly sliced and fried, cubed and roasted in the oven with oil, barbecued whole or even boiled and mashed with butter.

Jamaican dishes are often called brown or brown-down this simply refers to the fish or meat being browned in a little oil before any liquid is added.

Popular in soups and stews, callaloo is an exotic alternative to spinach. The name is used for the green leaves from a wide variety of plants, including taro (also called dasheen), tannia (also called malnga) and amaranth (prickly callaloo). The leaves need to be washed, chopped and boiled in the same way as spinach. Callaloo is available canned, but if you cant find it try using large spinach leaves as a substitute.

In Jamaica, this is also known as cho-cho or chayote. It is a pear-shaped gourd with a delicate flavour, similar in taste and texture to a young squash, or small marrow. The most commonly available variety is pale green and the skin can be either prickly or smooth. Peel before using and try it raw in salads, or boiled in soups or stews.