Trees of Little Caribbean

Ingredients:

• 1 cup soursop pulp
• 2 cups coconut, oat, or almond milk
• Sweetener (agave, honey, or dates)

Method:

Peel soursop and remove seeds. Combine pulp and milk in blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Sweeten to taste.

Note: Soursop is high in vitamin C and antioxidants. In the Caribbean, soursop is typically blended with 1:1 mixture of evaporated and condensed milks. Soursop pulp can also be purchased frozen and the leaves can be used as medicinal tea. If you are using dates, blend with pulp and milk. If you prefer a lighter shake, add more milk of choice.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups grated cassava
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup flour (if using cassava flour, mix with all-purpose)
• Pot of boiling water

Method:

Place grated cassava pulp in bowl. Add salt, then fold in flour and mix with spoon until dough is slightly sticky and holds.

Roll mixture with hands or use cookie cutter for prefered shape. Add dumplings to boiling water, cook until they float (approximately 10–15 minutes).

Note: Cassava dumplings can be eaten with stews, soups or as a side. If using frozen grated cassava, bring to room temperature. If using fresh cassava, peel (remove spine), cut into small pieces, grate, or puree in food processor.

Ingredients:

• 1 firm breadfruit
• 1 dry coconut
• 8 whole okra (optional)
• 2 cups pumpkin (optional)
• 5–7 pimentos
• 7–8 chadon beni leaves
• 3 cloves garlic
• 5 sprigs chives or scallions
• ½ onion
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 scotch bonnet with stem (optional)
• Black pepper
• *salted pigtail or beef (optional)

Method:

Wash breadfruit and vegetables. Peel and cut breadfruit into wedges, removing core and skin. Crack coconut, cut into small pieces. Blend coconut on high speed with 4–5 cups of water. Strain coconut mixture, set fresh coconut milk aside. Cut top of okras, set aside. Chop pumpkin into large cubes. Finely chop pimento, chadon beni, garlic, scallions, chives, onion and thyme. Place breadfruit in dutch oven or deep pot layering with whole okra, pimento, pumpkin, chadon beni, garlic, chives, onion, thyme and salted meat. *Pour coconut milk into pot. Place scotch bonnet at top of pot. Bring to boil. Reduce to low temperature, cover pot and cook for about 45 minutes, until breadfruit is soft.

Note: Oildown is a hearty one-pot meal. Do not let scotch bonnet burst in pot, unless you like very spicy food. Dumplings and provisions such as plantain can be added for an even richer dish. If using salted meat, pressure cook 30 minutes or boil pigtail 1 hour or salt beef 1 1/2 hours, changing water 2–3 times to reduce sodium. Cut into small pieces then add to pot with breadfruit and vegetables, layering breadfruit with vegetables, seasonings and salted meat.

Ingredients:

• 2 firm green mangoes
• 4–5 chadon beni leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• Pinch of salt
• Sugar
• Hot pepper (scotch bonnet or habanero), to taste

Method:

Wash and peel mangoes. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Chop chadon beni and fresh garlic. Toss mango with chadon beni, garlic, salt, sugar and hot pepper to taste. Add splash water. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes.

Note: Enjoy as snack or salad. Can use pepper (hot) sauce if desired. Puree without water for a delicious mango chutney.

Ingredients:

• Coco ball
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups of water
• Evaporated milk
• Brown sugar

Method:

Grate coco ball to yield about 6 tablespoons of cocoa. Add grated cocoa to saucepan with cinnamon stick and bay leaf with 3 cups of water. Let simmer on low for 10–15 minutes. Add milk and sugar to taste.

Note: Coco ball is made from roasted cacao beans pounded with spices and formed into balls. In the Caribbean, condensed milk is used as sweetener.

Ingredients:

• 6 unripe green bananas
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 small carrot
• 1 small red sweet pepper
• ½ cup onion
• 3 celery stalks
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• Salt & pepper

Method:

Wash and boil bananas with skin on and 1 teaspoon oil until cooked firm (about 10–12 minutes). Boil carrot separately for 10 minutes. Drain water, remove banana peel and set aside. Finely chop and mix together sweet pepper, onion, celery, garlic, and carrots. Cut bananas into half-inch pieces. Mix banana with sweet pepper mixture. Toss lightly adding mayonnaise, mustard powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.

Note: Bananas are commonly called figs in the Caribbean. Green fig salad can be served as a side. Carrots and sweet peppers can be lightly sauteed if desired.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tamarind
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 clove garlic
• Pinch of salt
• Hot pepper (optional)

Method:

Remove shell and stems from tamarind. Separate seeds from tamarind. Mash tamarind with fork until soft. Mix tamarind with sugar, garlic, salt and finely chopped pepper in bowl. Roll into balls and coat with sugar.

Note: Adjust sugar and pepper as needed. Do not add water. To make tamarind sauce, soak tamarind in warm water. Add 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 clove of garlic, 2 blades of chadon beni, and hot pepper.

Ingredients:

• 5 unripened green bananas
• 1 kirby cucumber
• ½ onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 chadon beni leaves
• Hot pepper
• Salt
• Lime juice
• ½ bundle watercress

Method:

Wash and boil bananas with skin on until cooked firm (about 10–12 minutes). Drain water, remove banana peel. Slice bananas, cucumber, and onion. Chop garlic and chadon beni. Toss lightly with lime juice and watercress. Add salt and hot pepper to taste. Cover and chill for at least 3–4 hours.

Note: Bananas are commonly called figs in the Caribbean. Green fig souse can be served as a side. Watercress can be substituted with leafy greens like kale.