Steamed Callaloo is both delicious and nutritious and is quick and easy to prepare, you can enjoy this dish with fried dumplings, rice or hard food…
Callaloo is often compared to spinach, but is much more widely available and consumed in Jamaica. It is often eaten as a breakfast dish with fried dumplings, or as a Vegan / Vegetarian dinner idea with rice or hard food.
[icon icon_name=”star”] You will need:
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- a large bowl to wash the vegetables
- a sharp knife and chopping board
- a Dutch Pot or large pot to steam the callaloo
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[text_justify]Thoroughly wash your hands and scrub underneath your nails if you can. Gather all your ingredients and cooking implements together and put them on the counter top so you have everything within reach and you will also save time and make it easier for yourself.[text_justify]
[icon icon_name=”star”] Ingredients
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- 6-8 stems of Callaloo
- 1 medium onion
- 1-2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tomato
- 1 sprig of thyme
- Other vegetables if available, such as carrots and string beans – cut up into thin slices
- 1/3 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Butter or Margarine
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
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[text_center]Serves 4 people – Takes about 10 minutes to prepare and another 20 minutes to cook; if you want to feed more people, just increase the quantities to enjoy this delicious Jamaican food…[/text_center]
[icon icon_name=”star”] Method
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- Set on your Pot to Electric Mark 3 and leave for about 1-2 minutes to warm up, then carefully add cooking oil and leave to heat up (Keep children away from the Hob)
- Put the Callaloo in a large bowl and cover with water, adding a little salt to the water encourages any stray bugs to unlatch themselves
- Meanwhile wash and chop up the onion, tomato, garlic, thyme and other vegetables if desired
- Add the chopped seasoning to the oil and lightly fry until softened
- Take the callaloo out of the water and pick off any unsavoury parts of the leaves, remove flowers if present and discard. Cut off the end of the stalk and peel off the outer layer of the ‘skin’ on the stem – it is not necessary to remove every piece.
- Roll the leaves together to make it easier to handle and using a sharp knife cut the callaloo into thin ribbons. Cut right down the stalk and include this in with the leaves
- Turn down the hob to Electric Mark 2
- Add the chopped up callaloo and carrots / string beans if desired, the callaloo will produce water as it wilts
- Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper to taste and the butter and cover the pot
- Steam for about 15-20 minutes, or until the callaloo has wilted
- Remove from pot and serve with bread, fried dumplings, boiled hard food, rice or other
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[icon icon_name=”star”] [text_justify]If you prepare the ingredients in the same way the raw callaloo and seasoning mixture can be used to stuff the cavity in fish once it has been gutted. Fish needs to be de-scaled, gutted and thoroughly washed with lime and water. Make some slashes on both sides of the fish with a knife but do not cut right through the flesh. Stuff the cavity with the callaloo mixture, rub some dry seasoning on the skin and add a blob of butter. Wrap the fish in tin foil and place in the oven, fire or Bar-B-Q until cooked… Yummy! [text_justify]
[text_justify]If you enjoyed this Jamaican recipe and want to try more delicious Jamaican food, click the button below for more easy, filling and nutritious Caribbean food recipes[button style=”1″ caption=” Jamaican Food” link=http://sweetjamaica.co.uk/category/jamaican-food-and-drink/jamaican-recipes/[/button] [text_justify]
