Columbian Texas BBQ

Aug 22, 2022

Columbian Texas BBQ – Candy Coated Culinista

That Texas BBQ with a little South American flair.

Yield/Serving: 6
Prep Time: 45 min.
Cook Time: 1hr 15min plus
In Active Time: 4 hours
Difficulty level is: Medium, time consuming

Ingredients
Pulled Pork
⦁ 900 g pork shoulder
⦁ Sea salt
⦁ Black pepper
⦁ Season salt
⦁ paprika
⦁ cumin
⦁ onion powder
⦁ garlic powder
Air Fryer Parmesan Potatoes
⦁ Red and yellow skinned gem potatoes, halved
⦁ Sea salt, to taste
⦁ Black pepper, to taste
⦁ Italian seasoning, to taste
⦁ Parmesan cheesed, grated
Crispy Tostones
⦁ 1 plantain
⦁ vegetable oil
⦁ sea salt
⦁ Chimichurri sauce, store bought
Mango Bean Salad
⦁ 1 ripe mango, cubed
⦁ ½ can black beans, rinsed and drained
⦁ ¼ of a red onion, diced
⦁ ¼ of red pepper, diced
⦁ ¼ English cucumber, cut into half moons
⦁ Cilantro, handful, chopped
⦁ Grape tomatoes, halved
⦁ Lime juice, from two limes
⦁ ¼ tsp cumin
⦁ ¼ tsp red peppr flakes
⦁ 2 tbsp agave nectar
⦁ ¼ tsp tajin
⦁ Romaine lettuce chopped
Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese
⦁ 1 tbsp unsalted butter
⦁ 1 tbsp all purpose flour
⦁ 1 cup water
⦁ 2 cups milk
⦁ 2 cups rotini pasta
⦁ ¼ tsp sea salt
⦁ ¼ tsp garlic powder
⦁ ¼ tsp onion powder
⦁ ¼ tsp paprika
⦁ ¼ tsp black pepper
⦁ 2 cups medium cheddar cheese, shredded
⦁ 1 cup steamed broccoli florets
⦁ 2 stalks green onion, cut on the bias
⦁ 4 strips of bacon fried and chopped
Molasses Baked Beans
⦁ 1 can of molasses baked beans

Assembly
Pulled Pork

1. Season pork shoulder with spices and rub in.
2. In a slow cooker cook pork shoulder for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
3. Shred and add BBQ sauce and set aside.
   Air Fryer Parmesan Potatoes
4. Wash and cut gem potatoes in half.
5. Sprinkle spices over potatoes to coat.
6. Coat in oil and fry for 10 minutes.
   Crispy Tostones
7. Peel plantain and cut into rounds.
8. Using a frying pan over medium high heat pour oil in to cover pan.
9. Fry plantain until lightly golden on both sides 4-5 minutes.
10. Let drain on a plate with a paper towel and smash down.
11. Sprinkle with salt.
12. Pour Chimichurri sauce into a small dipping dish.
    Mango Bean Salad
13. Prepare lettuce and place in a separate bowl.
14. Cut and prepare all other veggies and place into a bowl and set aside.
15. In a small bowl mix together lime juice, cumin, red pepper flakes, agave nectar and tajin.
16. Pour over veggies and mix well.
    Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese
17. In a medium sized pot over high heat steam broccoli florets and then strain and place in an ice bath to shock the broccoli and set aside.
18. Using a frying pan fry bacon until just crispy and drain on a paper towel and chop, then set aside.
19. Using a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat.
20. Add flour and whisk until combined.
21. Pour in the water and whisk again until smooth and just thickened.
22. Add in the milk and continue to whisk.
23. Add in pasta, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and black pepper and bring mixture to a simmer.
24. Cook for 10 minutes stirring frequently.
25. Over low heat add in the cheese and stir in.
26. Add in broccoli and half the bacon and green onion.
27. Divide mac and cheese into individual sized pots and top with remaining bacon and green onion and serve.
    Molasses Baked Beans
28. Open one can of beans and warm up on stove over medium-high heat.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
This meal is a meal of love. I wasn’t counting it out as I did this over two days to limit my time in the kitchen all at once. The flavours were great and had a great kick, maybe even too much of a kick for me. But I loved the taste if it all.

Korean Short Ribs

Mar 10, 2022

Want to try something new? I love ribs and never have had these. I really don’t know how I have never tried these before.

Korean Short Ribs

Yield/Serving: 4
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 4 to 6 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

Ingredients
⦁ ½ soy sauce
⦁ ¼ cup golden brown sugar, packed
⦁ 1 Asian pear, peeled and finely grated
⦁ 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
⦁ 1 tbsp sesame oil
⦁ 1 tbsp grated ginger
⦁ 1 tbsp sesame seeds
⦁ 2 green onions, thinly sliced
⦁ 2 pounds Korean style beef short ribs

Assembly

1. Using a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, pear, garlic, sesame oil, ginger, sesame seeds and green onions.
2. Pour into a zip loc bag and add shirt ribs and marinate overnight turning the bag occasionally.
3. Using a grill or grill pan on medium-high heat, add short ribs flipping once until cooked about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
4. Serve.

Tips
⦁ Serve with jasmine rice and bok choy.

Please Enjoy
My thoughts
Tender, juicy and so simple for a weeknight meal I wish I had found this cut earlier. The marinade seals it which the delicate pear notes. This will be in my rotation more when I find this cut at the grocery store.

General Tso’s Chicken

Jan 27, 2021

A dish so beautiful and authentic that you will have friends wonder where you bought your dinner from.

Yield/Serving: 4
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cook Time: 30 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

From: Chinese Soul Food

Ingredients
Chicken
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 1 stalk green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken thighs
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• About 2 cups, cornstarch
Sauce
• ¼ cup plus 3 tbsp water divided
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• ¼ soy sauce
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tbsp strawberry jam
• 1 tbsp sugar

Assembly
1. In a large bowl pour soy sauce, onions, sugar and garlic, combine, and set aside.
2. Cut chicken in pieces and add to the soy sauce to marinate for 30 minutes and cover with cling wrap.
3. Line a plate with paper towel and set aside.
4. Using a Dutch oven over medium-high heat pour 1 ½ inches on vegetable oil.
5. Meanwhile dredge chicken in cornstarch and fry chicken in batches frying chicken pieces from 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and transfer for to paper towel.
6. In a small bowl combine 3 tablespoons of water, with cornstarch and set aside.
7. Using a small saucepan over medium-heat; heat pepper flakes and add soy, jam, vinegar, sugar and the remaining ¼ cup of water and stir to combine.
8. Add in cornstarch slurry slowly by whisking and let simmer for 1 minute and remove from heat.
9. Add chicken piece and toss to combine.
10. Serve with Jasmine rice.

Tips
• Serve with Jasmine rice and stir-fried vegetables

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
I always stayed away from this dish for some reason and I don’t know why I did this was one mazing meal. The addition of strawberry jam threw me off though and it doesn’t seem like an authentic ingredient; but it sure makes the chicken delish. So much so I added more jam to my sauce. The compliments I got on the look of the dish ranged from “where did you buy this from” “it looks so fancy” “you made it” “looks like you bought it” that I was thinking I should be insulted at this point; hmmmm. Well I guess I can thank them for the backhanded compliment and carry on. I will be making this again as the chicken was tender and succulent combined with the crunchy fried broccoli and Jasmine rice. It really makes a perfect and complete dinner.

Suya-Spiced Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Feb 27, 2020

Sometimes you really need a simple dish that looks so good, guests will be wondering how you made this on a weeknight. You will never tell them that this recipe really took no time at all. Let’s just keep them pondering.

Yield/Serving: 6
Prep Time: 30 min.
Cook Time: 20 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

From The New Rules

Ingredients
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp granulated garlic
• 2 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp cayenne powder
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Ground pepper, to taste
• 2- 1 ¼ pound pork tenderloins, trimmed of silver skin and halved crosswise
• 2 tbsp grapeseed oil
• 2 tsp packed light or dark brown sugar
• ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
• 4 tbsp salted butter, cut into 8 pieces and chilled
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/3 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts finely chopped

Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle of the oven.
2. In a large bowl, stir spices together.
3. Add pork, turn and massage into the meat.
4. Let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature.
5. Using an over safe skillet heat oil and add pork and sear each side for about 4 minutes total.
6. Transfer to oven and roast for 15 minutes.
7. Transfer skillet to stove top and place pork to a large plate and let rest for 10 minutes.
8. Add sugar and broth to skillet and simmer over medium-high heat, scraping brown bits until reduced to ½ cup and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
9. Whisking constantly add butter 1 piece at a time until incorporated and stir in lime juice.
10. Remove from heat and add peanuts and season with salt and pepper.
11. Thinly slice tenderloin and arrange on a platter.
12. Spoon sauce over pork and serve.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
This recipe was inspired by Nigerian beef suya. Now I hadn’t heard of this until I made this recipe, yet this mix I make quite along, just without the peanuts. This made it an obvious stand out recipe for me. The combination was easy and palatable to any guest. This make great leftovers and is visually pleasing when presenting to your dinner guests.

Shrimp with Kerkennaise Sauce

Jan 28, 2020

A dish so divine it could only come from the Kerkennah Islands.

Yield/Serving: 4
Time: 35 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

From The New Rules

Ingredients
• 2 plum tomatoes, cut into large chunks
• 1 Fresno chilli, stemmed, quartered and seeded
• 1 medium garlic clove, smashed and peeled
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp caraway seed, coarsely ground
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 23 scallions, white parts cut into 1-inch pieces, green thinly sliced, reserved separate
• ¼ cup lightly packed flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
•1/3 cup pitted green olives, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided
• 1 ½ pounds extra-large shrimp, (tails left on), deveined and patted dry

Assembly
1. Using a food processor combine tomatoes. Chili, garlic, coriander, caraway, vinegar and scallion whites and pulse until finely chopped, About 10 pulses.
2. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in scallion greens, parsley, olives, tomato paste and 2 tablespoons of oil.
3. Set aside at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
4. Taste ad season with salt and pepper.
5. Season shrimp with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
6. Using a non-stick pan over medium-high heat add 1 tablespoon of oil.
7.Add shrimp and cook until a golden brown, about 2 minutes and continue to cook for another 20 to 30 seconds until shrimp is opaque.
8.Transfer to a serving dish and spoon sauce over shrimp and serve sauce on side.

Tips
• Sauce taste better the second day when it has time to marry

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
The rule for this recipe was “Stick with single-sided searing” as to not overcook and finish off cooking with the residual heat. I would make this recipe again just for the sauce. I could see this sauce over any protein really. I even caught myself numerous times enjoying the sauce by the spoonful. So much so that I this tis makes an amazing gourmet salsa. Which will be showcased at my super simple Superbowl meal this Sunday. I didn’t shell my shrimp as I though a more rustic look made sense to me. I picture fresh caught shrimp clean and deveined and served au natural.

Dry-Fried Green Beans

Sep 20, 2019

A Sichuanese recipe involving blistering beans in a shallow dry fry method is a quite new technique to me; but the result is quite outstanding.

Yield/Serving: 4
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 15 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

From: Chinese Soul Food

Ingredients
• ¾ pound green beans (haricots or regular)
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 ounces unseasoned ground pork or ground beef
• 1 stalk green onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, plus more as needed
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 ½ tsp sugar

Assembly
1. Trim green beans and cut them in half.
2. Line a baking sheet with a few layers of paper towel and set aside.
3. Preheat wok over medium-high heat until smoke rises from the surface.
4. Add oil and heat for 30 seconds to a minute, or until it starts to shimmer.
5. Cooking in batches add beans in a single layer and quickly stir-fry until beans start to blister.
6. Once beans look wrinkled remove with a slotted spoon and place on baking tray.
7. Repeat until all green beans are cooked.
8. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil and ground pork until cooked though

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
I had never heard of the term dry-frying yet I think this is the way all green beans should taste and look. The slightly blistered green bean carries quite the punch. This makes a great carb-free dish or remove the ground meat and you have a vegetarian dish. A little salty a little savoury all umami.

Vietnamese Meatball

Jun 18, 2019

A carb free dinner that comes together in a snap.

Yield/Serving: 4
Start to Finish Time: 35 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

From Milk Street Tuesday Nights

Ingredients
• 3 tsp grapeseed or neutral oil, divided
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus sprigs, to serve
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 6 scallions, white and light green parts minced, dark green parts thinly sliced
• 5 tbsp fish sauce, divided
• 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp white sugar, divided
• ½ cup lime juice
• 1 or 2 serrano chillies, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded (1 cup)
• Lettuce leaves, to serve

Assembly
1. Coat a large plate will 1 tsp of oil and set aside.
2. Using a medium bowl combine, pork, 3 tbsp water, cilantro, pepper, minced scallions, 2 tbsp fish sauce and 2 tsp sugar.
3. Mix vigorously until combined and let the mixture become soft and sticky.
4. With lightly moistened hands, form 20 balls and place on oiled plate.
5. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
6. In a small bowl stir lime juice, 3 tbsp fish sauce and the remaining 2 tbsp sugar.
7. Add the chilies until the sugar dissolves and set aside.
8. Line another plate with paper towels and add remaining oil to a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
9. Add meatballs and cook until the bottoms are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes and then turn and cook the other side turning meatballs for 4 to 5 minutes.
10. Transfer to plate, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
11. In a small bowl, toss carrots with 2 tbsp of lime juice sauce.
12. Serve the meatballs with carrots, cilantro sprigs, sliced scallions and lettuce leaves for wrapping.
13. Spoon the remaining sauce onto the wraps.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
This was my second time making Vietnamese meatballs and I remember why I enjoyed them so much. The flavours are bright, salty and exotic. Using lettuce wraps is a wonderful way to be carb-free and I have started enjoying one of two meals a week without carbs. These meatballs also freeze well for a later date.

Huevos De Caja

May 31, 2019

Huevos De Caja – Candy Coated Culinista

It’s always funny that you never notice ingredients in the grocery store until you need it…

Yield/Serving: 2
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cook Time: 40 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

From: Nopalito

Ingredients
Huevos De Caja
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 2 homemade soft corn tortillas or store-bought
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp white vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup Frijoles Negros Refritos or good quality refried beans, warmed
• ¼ cup salsa cilantro
• ¾ cup grated jack cheese
• Chopped cilantro leaves
Frijoles Negros Refritos
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 1 can black beans drained.
• 1 ½ tsp dried organo
Salsa Cilantro
• 4 large tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 1 jalapeno
• 1 clove garlic
• Salt
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp white onion, chopped

Assembly
Huevos De Caja
1. Boil water and season with salt and vinegar.
2. Lower heat to a simmer.
3. Crack egg into a small bowl and ease into water.
4. Cook until the outsides are set and the inside is still runny, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside.
6. In a small pan cazuelas or cast-iron skillet, place tortillas in pan followed by refried beans in a next shaped. Then tip poached eggs into centre and divide the salsa pouring on top.
7. Sprinkle jack cheese and bake in oven until completely melted for about 5 minutes.
8. Serve immediately and garnish with cilantro
Frijoles Negros Refritos
1. In a medium pot over medium-high heat, heat oil until hot.
2. Add onions and stir occasionally until a dark golden bron, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add in the oregano and let cook for another 1 to 2 minutes and let beans get hot.
4. Smash the bean mixture until slightly chunky.
5. Add a little water if need to reach the desired consistency.
Salsa Cilantro
1. Using a medium saucepan, combine tomatillos, jalapenos, garlic and enough water just to cover and season with salt.
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and let cook for 15 minutes, or until tomatillos and jalapenos begin to dull in colour.
3. Transfer mixture discarding the water to a blender and blend until salsa is smooth, but the seeds are still visible.
4. Pour into a bowl and chill.
5. Add in onions and cilantro just before serving.
6. Add additional salt if necessary.

Tips
• The recipe for Frijoles Negros Refritos calls for 1 cup canola oil; which I found to be a huge amount of oil even using the full 6 cups of black beans. I used 2 tbsp of canola oil with one can on black beans.
• I served mine with homestyle Mexican salsa, chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce.
• Purchase green Mexican salsa and add some cilantro if you don’t want to make Salsa Cilantro.
• You can also do step 6 & 7 using a frying pan and serve in a plate.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
I have walked by the Mexican food section for many years in the same row with the Asian and Indian foods I pick up and yet I never saw them. I will start grabbing the Mexican salsa from now one instead of the Amaericanized salsa brands in the other aisle. This is another massive recipe. This book really serves a crowd and I’m happy I batched down the refried beans as I was only making it for this recipe. I used the leftover refried beans in some shrimp taco’s. I must say I made this recipe purely because the photo caught my eye; even though I didn’t think I liked refried beans and the last poached egg I made didn’t turn out the best. When this was a pleasant surprise with a runny egg served with two types of salsa, refried beans, adobo peppers. I served mine with some shrimp and with Agua de Jamaica and oh so tasty.

Huevos De Caja – Candy Coated Culinista

Buttermilk Chicken with Chelo & Persian-Inspired Cauliflower

Nov 11, 2018

Buttermilk Chicken with Chelo & Persian-Inspired Cauliflower – Candy Coated Culinista

The perfect weekend family dinner with and Southern and Persian twist.

Yield/Serving: 4
Prep Time: 24 hours prior
Cook Time: 60 min. plus
Difficulty level is: Medium

Buttermilk chicken from: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

Buttermilk Chicken

Ingredients
• 3 ½ – 4 pound chicken
• Salt
• 2 cups buttermilk

Assembly
1. The day before you want to cook the chicken remove the wingtips by cutting through the first wing joint with poultry shears or a sharp knife.
2. Reserve for stock.
3. Season chicken generously with salt and let sit for 30 minutes.
4. Stir 2 tablespoons of kosher salt or 4 teaspoons of fine sea salt into the buttermilk to dissolve.
5. Place the chicken in a re-sealable plastic bag and pour buttermilk in.
6. If the chicken won’t fit double up two plastic grocery bags to prevent leakage and tie the bag with a piece of butcher’s twine.
7. Seal it and squish the buttermilk all around the chicken, place on a rimmed plate and refrigerate.
8. If you’re so inclined, over the next 24 hours turn the bag so every part of the chicken gets marinated, but that’s not essential.
9. Pull the chicken from the fridge an hour before you plan to cook it.
10. Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack set in the center position.
11. Remove the chicken from the plastic bag and scrape off as much buttermilk as you can without obsessing.
12. Tightly tie together the legs of the chicken with butcher’s twine.
13. Place chicken in a 10” cast iron skillet or shallow roasting pan.
14. Slide the pan to the back of the oven with the legs facing the back.
15. After 20 minutes reduce heat to 400°F and continue roasting for 10 minutes and move the pan allowing another side to brown.
16. Continue rotating so that all sides can brown and continue to roast for 30 minutes or so until juices run clear.
17. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

Tips
• Know your salt and how much to add.
• Use yoghurt if you can’t find buttermilk

Chelo or Tadig (Persian Steamed Rice)

Yield/Serving: 4
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cook Time: 20 min.
Difficulty level is: Medium

Ingredients
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 1/4cup water
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 tbsp salt
• Turmeric, to taste
• Saffron, to taste
• 3 pats of butter

Assembly
1. Rinse rice a few times until water runs clear.
2. Add water to pot and over medium-high heat boil.
3. Once water has boiled bring temperature down and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. In a small bowl mix, turmeric, saffron, a little water and canola oil and set aside.
5. As rice is steaming bore holes into the rice with the end of a spatula.
6. Pour turmeric saffron mixture over rice.
7. Wipe pats of butter around the edges on the pot and continue to cook.
8. Continue to cook until the bottom on the pan forms a crust.
9. Flip unto a plate and serve.
10. Optional – just flavour the rice with the turmeric and saffron mixture and serve in a bowl.

Tips
• I have never been a fan of burnt rice and as a West-Indian child, I have come across this many a time, so I opted for jus t flavoured rice.

Persian inspired Cauliflower

Yield/Serving: 4
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 6 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

Ingredients
• Cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 tbsp lemon oil
• Sumac, to taste
• Cumin, to taste
• Thyme, to taste
• ¼ pomegranate seeds
• Handful of cilantro, removed from stems
• Pistachios, shelled and chopped
• Pomegranate molasses

Assembly
1. Using a medium sized saucepan, steam cauliflower until just tender as set aside in a bowl.
2. Pour lemon oil, sumac, cumin, thyme into bowl and coat using hands.
3. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds, cilantro, pistachios and drizzle with pomegranate molasses.
4. Serve.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
The chicken was salty and briny and the buttermilk marinated chicken made the chicken so succulent and simple. This was my first time using buttermilk in any of my cooking or baking as I have never understood the concept of sour milk. The Chelo almost Tadig rice was a bright and flavourful and complemented the chicken perfectly. The veggies was a nice addition; but I really hate cauliflower and am still trying to find a way to love it. I could tolerate it in this dish; but I will swap it out next time for broccoli or Romanesco. The pomegranates added a tartness, while the cilantro and pistachios added a lemony and crunchy texture. This is a wonderful complete meal that received comments like “wow look at this feast” and “look so yummy” with those compliments all that time in the kitchen and prepping was very much worth it.

Buttermilk Chicken – Candy Coated Culinista

Chelo – Candy Coated Culinista

Persian-Inspired Cauliflower – Candy Coated Culinista

Buttermilk Chicken with Chelo & Persian-Inspired Cauliflower – Candy Coated Culinista

West Indian Curry Chicken & Curry Chickpea

Sep 12, 2018

West Indian Curry Chicken & Curry Chickpea – Candy Coated Culinista

I received a text Sunday asking “You in the office tomorrow” to which I replied yes. When I came to the office there was a package on my desk saying “Dhal puri for you”. Well now I’m excited I’m always talking about dahl puri to my Indian West Indian friends and that I can eat it just the dahl puri by itself and totally be satisfied. I almost never make Caribbean food and I have never been fond of curry or spice anything; but this gift had me running home happy to make dinner. I was so surprised that I had all these ingredients at home, yet I never ever made a curry.

Yield/Serving: 5
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cook Time: 1 hour
Difficulty level is: Medium

Ingredients
Curry Chicken
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 4 small potatoes, cut into chunks
• 5 chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 2 tsp all spice
• 1 tsp cayenne powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp red chilli peppers
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 knobs of ginger, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 cup peas
• Handful chives, chopped
• Handful parsley chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, optional
Curry Chickpea
• 2 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• ½ red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 2 knobs of tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp all spice
• ½ tsp cayenne powder
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp red chilli peppers
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 2 knobs of ginger, diced
• 1 can chickpeas, washed and drained
• Handful of grape tomatoes, halved
• ½ can of coconut milk
• Handful of spinach, stems removed
• Handful of rapini, stems removed

Assembly
Curry Chicken
1. Using a Dutch oven add coconut oil over medium high heat.
2. Add potatoes and chicken breasts and turn chicken as needed until almost cooked through.
3. Add all the spices, ginger, onion, and garlic along with peas, chives, parsley, chicken broth and scotch bonnet.
4. Turn stove down to low medium and let the curry simmer for 10 minutes to let the spices and mixture marry.
Curry Chickpea
1. In a large saucepan add coconut oil over medium high heat.
2. Add sweet potatoes, onion, red bell pepper, garlic and ginger.
3. Add all the spices along with the chickpeas and grape tomatoes.
4. Pour in the coconut milk along with spinach and rapini and turn temperature down to low medium and let simmer for 10 minutes to let the spices and mixture marry.

Tips
• Serve with basmati rice or dhal puri.
• You can use squash instead of sweet potatoes if desired.
• Pour vinegar in a bowl near the stove to lessen the curry smells in the house.
• If curry is to spicy add some coconut milk to calm it down.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
I spent a good 3 hours making these two dishes and when I was done I needed to relax; but you know what this was so worth it. Funny enough I found the curry chickpea to be way more spicy that the curry chicken. It tasted great; but there was a slow burn; which I almost couldn’t tolerate. The curry chicken was much more my speed as I love a mild but flavourful curry. It reminded me of all those roti’s I’ve had but never attempted to make. I split this recipe in half and added a scotch bonnet pepper to prove that I can make a recipe truly Caribbean, even though I wasn’t planning on consuming it. I gave the peppery portion to my Guyanese gals, to see if I’m worthy of cooking West Indian and a portion to my dad to surprise him. The only thing I disliked was the fact that the curry smell was throughout the house. I was so glad I closed the bedroom doors; but upon my comment, I learned a bowl of vinegar near the stove while you’re cooking will lessen the drifting of the curry smell. My West Indian family and my Guyanese Gal’s said “it tasted great”, one commented it “tasted like my mom’s” and another said “I didn’t know you could cook Indian”. Well I’ll take all the compliments and be happy I can cook Spicy West Indian even though it is not my favourite type of cuisine. I can now label myself the girl with the Caribbean background that can cook it; but chooses not to and that’s fine by me.

West Indian Curry Chicken – Candy Coated Culinista

Curry Chickpea – Candy Coated Culinista

Basmati Rice – Candy Coated Culinista

Dhal Puri – Candy Coated Culinista