All ah we is 'Callaloo'..


Video source: Caribbean Pot
Callaloo .. A signature Trinidadian dish.


What really is Callaloo? Is it a soup? Is it a sauce? It is both based on the consistency of the dish.

Growing up in Trinidad, there are certain dishes that were considered staples for a big Sunday lunch - Stewed Chicken, Macaroni Pie, Spanish rice, stewed Pigeon Peas, Callaloo with a tall glass of Mauby or Orange Juice.   The initial sight of it, is a green, runny liquid with crab legs, but I assure you that the smell and taste will have you asking for second servings.

Originated from West Africa, the Trinidadian version of Callaloo is made of heaping bundles of Dasheen bush leaves boiled with ochroes (okra), seasoning, Coconut milk, Pumpkin, salted Pig tail (yes, the tail of the pig),  an occasional hot pepper and Blue Crab in the shell. The aromatic smell of those ingredients is delicious.   This dish can be parceled into containers and frozen. It reheats very well and some cases reported that it be used up to a month.  The consensus also shared that it tasted better when reheated as the ingredients had a longer time flavouring the dish.


A point to note though is that we don’t really eat Callaloo like a soup, as in other Caribbean islands, rather it is spooned onto the  side or over the carbohydrates section of the plate.  You can well imagine that after that spread for lunch, that 'itis' (lethargy) will set in.  Nap time.

Salud!

Comments

  1. Xindii10 July 2017 at 20:15

    My mom and I, we both freeze callaloo after is have cooled to be used in a meal-to-be. I really do prefer fresh callaloo but a good reheat with added coconut milk and evaporated or powedered milk re-invigorates its original flavour. My husband loves the crab in the callaloo - when will I ever learn how to make that happene. Any advice?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown11 July 2017 at 14:00

    Hi Xindii and thank you for your question. The crab is an addition well worth its effort in cleaning it. In Trinidad, we purchase the bound Blue Crab from the market and kill it by either removing its head from the body by a sharp pull or boiled alive in a separate pot. Then the crab must be carefully cleaned as some parts are inedible. I usually use sectioned Cheliped/Claws/Gundy and its legs at the beginning of cooking the Callaloo, to get the delicious seafood taste.

    I hope that my answer helps.

    ReplyDelete

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