Here is a way you can use the delicious breadfruit available at
John Street Market. Oildown is the national dish of Grenada in the
Caribbean.
The first recipe contains a hair-raising amount of coconut milk
and a hot pepper, so in keeping with the theme of this month’s
magazine and for health reasons I have also included a lighter,
DIY version. (Other recipes also include meat and many different
ingredients. I imagine there are as many versions as there are
families).
Full Fat
1 large breadfruit
2 tsp. thyme
Half a cup chopped pimentos (mini peppers)
Half a cup chopped chives
4 cups of coconut milk
1 whole hot pepper (Scotch Bonnet or similar)
Salt and pepper to taste.
Method
1.
Cut breadfruit lengthways into 8 slices, take the hard
skin off the outside and cut the flesh into chunks.
2.
Place in a saucepan with salt, pepper, thyme, pimentos,
coconut milk and hot pepper (do not chop the pepper).
3.
Cover tightly and bring to the boil.
4.
Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 45
minutes until breadfruit is cooked and tender.
5.
Remove pepper before serving and adjust seasonings if
necessary.
For 2011, after around fifty-five years of combined
meat-eating, we decided to give not-eating-meat a go. It
was fun, expanded our palettes and culinary repertoire
and saved us a load of money. One of the most ingrained
habits it challenged was late night/post-pub feasting which
beforehand might have consisted of fried grease-meat;
be it home-cooked or out of a shop, takeaway or van.
We thought it might be nice to share some ideas for your
own early hours boozed-feast; enough to feed a group
of friends, made from store-cupboard/24-hour garage
ingredients, and easy enough to cook without worrying
about burning the house down when not ‘able to give your
full attention’.
Dahl and Nan
Ingredients
For Dahl
Red Lentils
1 Onion, sliced
2 Chillies, sliced (with seeds)
Inch of ginger, grated
2 cloves of garlic, crushed and sliced
1 or 2 teaspoon each of:
ground cinnamon
ground cloves
ground cardamom
ground cumin
ground coriander
ground tumeric
For Naan Bread
Self-raising flour
Natural Yoghurt
Butter
Garlic, crushed and Fresh Coriander, chopped (optional)
Exact quantities are dependent on how many people you’re
making for, you can work it out.
Method
It’s good to start making both the bread and the dahl at the
same time but if there is only one of you cooking then start
with the bread. It’s as simple as mixing the self-raising flour
with a spoonful of yogurt and, if needed, a bit of cold water
until it comes together to make a slightly sticky but roll-able
dough. There is no need to knead. Leave it in a bowl for 20
mins whilst you make the dahl.
For the dahl, start with the onion which should be sliced
thinly and fried in oil slowly on a low heat until soft and
translucent. The slower the better, and at least 10 mins.
Then add the garlic, chillies, ginger and aromatic spices
(cloves, cinnamon, cardamom) and fry for another couple
of minutes. Add the red lentils: about a handful per person.
Fry for a minute and then cover with boiling water and let
simmer. As the lentils soak up the water, keep adding more
water until they have cooked down: about 25 mins. About
half-way through the cooking process add the other spices. I
like to whisk the lentils to make them quite smooth and you
should end up with a thick porridge-like consistency.
Divide the naan dough into plum-sized balls and roll out very
thin. Make sure you have the grill on very high with a baking
tray warming up underneath. Melt the butter (with extra
garlic and fresh chopped coriander if you have it) and brush
over the base of the tray and the top of the naan. Put under
the grill for a couple of minutes until the naan is bubbled and
brown. Turn it over, brush again with butter and do the same.
Serve the naans and dahl together with the rest of the
natural yogurt for dipping.
Andy Abbott and Yvonne Carmichael
Saturday 4am Kitchen
Lower fat
3 cups milk/soya milk
3 tbsp cornflour
1 cup lower fat coconut milk
Half a cup chives
2 tsp. thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot pepper sauce, to serve
Method
1.
Cut breadfruit lengthways into 8 slices, take the
hard skin off the outside and cut the flesh into
chunks.
2.
Place milk in a pan over high heat.
3.
Mix cornflour with enough cold milk to form a paste.
4.
Add cornflour paste to hot milk. Stir until milk begins
to thicken, do not allow to boil.
5.
Turn heat down to medium; add breadfruit, thyme,
chives, salt and pepper.
6.
Simmer for about 45 minutes until breadfruit is
cooked and tender.
7.
Before serving adjust seasonings if necessary.
8.
Serve with West Indian Hot Pepper Sauce. (Only a
tiny amount on the side, it’s not like HP sauce, it will
blow your head off if you are not used to it).
A cup = an ordinary teacup. I think the Americans have got the
right idea with cup measurements – there’s no messing about
with scales.
Jane Steele
OILDOWN RECIPE
36
