HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財 DRIED OYSTERS WITH PORK AND HAIR VEGETABLE (RESTAURANT STYLE)

This recipe and two others were originally posted in February 2011.
See this post:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/ho-si-fat-choi-dried-oysters-with-black.html.

Notes on fat choi ('hair vegetable' - nostoc flagelliforme are included at the bottom of this post for your reference.

For all my posts on Chinese New Year (春節) please see this string of posts:
The Whole New Year Thing
And note that this receipe will appear therein.



HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財
Restaurant style dried oysters with black moss.

A dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
8 black mushrooms (冬菇 dong gu).
A small handful (about half a 兩) of black moss (髮菜 fat choi).
Half cup superior stock.
Two TBS oyster sauce.
One Tsp. sugar.
One Tsp. sesame oil.
One Tsp. cornstarch mixed in a tablespoon water.

Soak the black moss, dried oysters, and shiitake separately for an hour or so. Rinse the black moss and the oysters to remove sand or grit.
Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid.

Briefly stirfry the soaked oysters, add the mushrooms, chicken stock, oyster sauce, sugar, mushroom soaking water, and fatchoi. Simmer until the mushrooms are soft. Add in the cornstarch water and sesame oil, stir till slick, and plate it.
Garnish with cilantro or spring onion.



NOTES:
日本蠔豉 (yat bun ho si): The best kinds of dried oysters come from Japan (日本), are nicely plump, show no damage, and are even and regular in appearance. As usual, you get what you pay for - it's worth spending a bit more.

髮菜 (fat choi): Nostoc flagelliforme.
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_choy
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostoc

好事發財 (ho si fat choi): 好 ho: good; to love. 事 si: matter, affair. 發 fat: issue, send out, bring forth, occur, happen. 財 choi: money, wealth. 發財 fat choi: get rich.


BLACK MOSS

Nostoc flagelliforme, called hair vegetable in Chinese (髮菜 fat choi), is a cyanobacterium which grows low to the ground in arid regions. Because harvesting it is labour intensive, and the supply is naturally limited to begin with and getting more so due to high demand, it tends to be expensive. Prices vary between four and ten dollars per tael.

[TAEL: 兩 or 两 (leung): 37¾ grammes ~ 1.3 oz.]
The hair-like strands of black moss resemble steel wool in appearance and general dimensions, and are a dark green that verges on black when dry, dull greenish when wet. Lower grades are often adulterated with a dyed starch-strand imitation that appears jet-black and darkens the soaking water, and bargain black moss may in fact be mostly or entirely ersatz.

Black moss needs to be soaked for a few hours, and well-rinsed to get rid of sand, before use. If blanched in boiling water after rehydrating, the cooking time is shortened.
It is available in packets of one or two taels. Sealed against moisture it will keep for well over a year.

As a food it has no nutritional value whatsoever, is not really digestible, and is in fact mildly toxic, containing an amino acid which could adversely affect the normal function of nerve cells, possibly leading to dementia.
That does not appear to have significantly impacted anyone I know, and one would probably have to consume quite a bit for that ill-effect to be a problem for anyone other than the very rich and self-indulgent.
One minor benefit is that it helps the stomach cope with food impurities.

Black moss is used primarily for texture and appearance, and soaks up the flavours of sauces very nicely.
What makes it exceptionally desirable, especially for dishes served at New Year or at celebratory events, is that the name in Cantonese is homophonous with the term for getting rich.
Combined with dried oysters (蠔豉), the term for which sounds precisely like 'good affairs' (好事), you get the phrase 'ho si fat choi' - 好事發財 - expressing the wish that business should flourish.

HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財 DRIED OYSTERS WITH PORK AND HAIR VEGETABLE (FAMILY STYLE)

This recipe and two others were originally posted in February 2011.
See this post:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/ho-si-fat-choi-dried-oysters-with-black.html.

Notes on fat choi ('hair vegetable' - nostoc flagelliforme are included at the bottom of this post for your reference.

For all my posts on Chinese New Year (春節) please see this string of posts:
The Whole New Year Thing
And note that this receipe will appear therein.





HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財
Family style dried oysters, pork, dried mushrooms, and black moss.

One pound streaky pork belly (五花腩 ng fa nam), left whole.
A small handful (about half a 兩) of black moss (髮菜 fat choi).
A dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
3 - 5 dried shiitake mushrooms (冬菇 dong gu).
2 or 3 cloves garlic.
A small thumblength ginger.
A little bit of ground pepper and a pinch of five spice powder.
Half cup soy sauce.
Half cup sherry or rice wine.
Half cup stock or water.

Soak the black moss, dried oysters, and shiitake separately for an hour or so. Rinse the black moss and the oysters to remove sand or grit.
Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid.
Whack the garlic and ginger with the flat side of a cleaver, but do not smash them.

Heat a little oil in a wok. Gild the garlic and ginger briefly, remove from pan and set aside.
Fry the piece of pork on all sides until the colour has changed and it is fragrant - drain off any excess grease that melted out.
Add the mushrooms, as well as the garlic and ginger, quick-fry briefly. Then add the oysters, liquids, and spices. Simmer for forty five minutes or so. Add the black moss, and cook for about twenty minutes more. Add water if necessary to keep the dish moist.
Arrange on a platter, garnish with cilantro or spring onion.

The pork should be soft enough that it can be broken with chopsticks or cut with a spoon, but you may wish to slice it for better presentation. This is enough for four people, but keeps well if there are any leftovers.



NOTES:
日本蠔豉 (yat bun ho si): The best kinds of dried oysters come from Japan (日本), are nicely plump, show no damage, and are even and regular in appearance. As usual, you get what you pay for - it's worth spending a bit more.

髮菜 (fat choi): Nostoc flagelliforme.
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_choy
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostoc

好事發財 (ho si fat choi): 好 ho: good; to love. 事 si: matter, affair. 發 fat: issue, send out, bring forth, occur, happen. 財 choi: money, wealth. 發財 fat choi: get rich.


BLACK MOSS

Nostoc flagelliforme, called hair vegetable in Chinese (髮菜 fat choi), is a cyanobacterium which grows low to the ground in arid regions. Because harvesting it is labour intensive, and the supply is naturally limited to begin with and getting more so due to high demand, it tends to be expensive. Prices vary between four and ten dollars per tael.

[TAEL: 兩 or 两 (leung): 37¾ grammes ~ 1.3 oz.]
The hair-like strands of black moss resemble steel wool in appearance and general dimensions, and are a dark green that verges on black when dry, dull greenish when wet. Lower grades are often adulterated with a dyed starch-strand imitation that appears jet-black and darkens the soaking water, and bargain black moss may in fact be mostly or entirely ersatz.

Black moss needs to be soaked for a few hours, and well-rinsed to get rid of sand, before use. If blanched in boiling water after rehydrating, the cooking time is shortened.
It is available in packets of one or two taels. Sealed against moisture it will keep for well over a year.

As a food it has no nutritional value whatsoever, is not really digestible, and is in fact mildly toxic, containing an amino acid which could adversely affect the normal function of nerve cells, possibly leading to dementia.
That does not appear to have significantly impacted anyone I know, and one would probably have to consume quite a bit for that ill-effect to be a problem for anyone other than the very rich and self-indulgent.
One minor benefit is that it helps the stomach cope with food impurities.

Black moss is used primarily for texture and appearance, and soaks up the flavours of sauces very nicely.
What makes it exceptionally desirable, especially for dishes served at New Year or at celebratory events, is that the name in Cantonese is homophonous with the term for getting rich.
Combined with dried oysters (蠔豉), the term for which sounds precisely like 'good affairs' (好事), you get the phrase 'ho si fat choi' - 好事發財 - expressing the wish that business should flourish.

BOEUF BOURGUIGNONNE

First described here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2012/05/feeding-barbarian.html.


BOEUF BOURGUIGNONNE

Beef, onions, and mushrooms, slow-cooked in wine and stock.
With lardoons, carrot, and parsley.


Generously augment a little olive oil at the bottom of a stewpot by rendering the grease from a few chunks of bacon. Remove the bacon before it browns, set it aside. Brown beef chunks herein nicely, remove and set aside also. Gild sliced carrot and onion in the pan, pour off the excess grease, and add the beef and bacon, plus salt, pepper, and a dusting of flour. Toss to coat evenly, and agitate the ingredients over heat. Do this carefully, as you wish the flour to contribute good flavours when browned, rather than a burnt taste if blackened.
Add a smidge of tomato paste, then pour in equal measures of good red wine and beef stock to cover. Add a bay leaf and one or two cloves of garlic. Set it to simmer for two or three hours on very low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching.

Meanwhile, sauté a number of small onions, rolling them about in the pan, till they are fairly golden evenly all around.
Take some of the liquid from the meat pot and add it to the onions to cover, with another bay leaf, and simmer on very low heat till the liquid has reduced down to zilch. Set the onions aside.
Now sauté a bunch of thick-sliced mushrooms barely golden.  And set aside.

When the meat is tender, add the small onions and thick-sliced mushrooms on top. If the stew is too liquid, decant much of the sauce to a saucepan and reduce it to velvety-glazy, then pour it back over. Let everything simmer a few minutes together, before strewing plenty of chopped parsley over and putting it on the table.

If you cannot manage crispy fries alongside, noodles or potatoes are also good accompaniments.
Plus a loaf of good bread.


You will note that I did not give precise quantities.
You know what you want: more meat than small onions, more onions than mushrooms, and more of all of that than the carrot. Just eyeball it. The key is careful sautéing, slow simmering, and a judicious layering of flavours, to achieve a dish of tender chunks with a rich and velvety sauce.

PACIFIC ISLAND RABBIT

Recipe inspired by a piece about dining in the American Pacific territories, about which the less said the better.
Dated January 25, 2012.
Fruitbat.


LAPIN À LA PALAUÂNE
Braised rabbit in tomato and coconut milk with garlic and ginger, black peppercorns, and a dash of palm wine vinegar.
Serve with boiled rice, and some cassava croquettes on the side.

One rabbit, cut into eight pieces.
One large onion, thinly sliced.
3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed.
1 thumblength smashed ginger,
½ Tbs. whole Ponape pepper corns.
½ tsp. each: paprika, ground cumin.
4 Tbs. olive oil, plus one extra tablespoon.
1 can (14 ounces) plum tomatoes, drained and chopped.
1 cup chicken stock.
1 cup coconut milk.
2 Tbs. palm vinegar (sukang paombong, available at Philippino stores).
Salt to taste.

Rinse the rabbit well and pat the pieces dry. Combine the garlic, ginger, paprika, and cumin in a bowl, with one tablespoon of olive oil. Rub this mixture all over the meat, and leave to penetrate for an hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat the four tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, add the onion slices, fry golden and translucent. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the rabbit to the pan and fry on low heat till lightly browned. Return the onion to the pan, add the pepper corns, stir in the tomato and stock, and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for forty five minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk and add the palm vinegar. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for a further fifteen minutes or so, until the rabbit is tender and the sauce has thickened.
Garnish with some fresh cilantro, and serve.

COUNTRY STYLE STEWED RABBIT

Recipe inspired by a piece about dining in the american Pacific Territories, about which the less said the better.
Dated January 25, 2012.
Fruitbat.


STEWED RABBIT, COUNTRY STYLE

One rabbit, cut into eight pieces.
One onion, chopped.
Two rashers of bacon, chopped.
3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed.
1 thumblength ginger, smashed.
2 cups chicken stock.
1 cup dry red wine.
1 tsp. brown sugar.
½ tsp. each: dried rosemary, dried thyme.
2 or 3 bay leaves.
Dash of Tabasco.
Salt and ground pepper.

Rinse the rabbit well and pat the pieces dry. Cook the bacon evenly brown in a large skillet. Drain on paper towels and reserve. Sprinkle the rabbit with salt and pepper, brown it in the rendered bacon fat. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Fry the onions, garlic, and ginger in the skillet for about 4 minutes, until tender. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Stir in wine and chicken stock. Raise to boil, then stir in sugar, rosemary and thyme, and add the bay leaves and the dash of Tabasco. Return both the rabbit and the bacon to skillet. When it boils, reduce the heat to low and let simmer about an hour or until the rabbit is tender.

With a slotted spoon remove the rabbit pieces from the skillet to a platter. Discard the bay leaves.

The cooking liquid can either be cooked down till velvety as a sauce, or two tablespoons light brown roux can be stirred in to make a gravy.

Serve over boiled rice, with a crisp green salad on the side.

CHICKEN AND ABALONE RICE PORRIDGE - BAU YÜ JUK 鮑魚粥

Originally posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2012/03/and-company.html.



鮑魚粥 BAU YU JUK
Chicken and Abalone Rice Porridge.

One cup of rice.
One carrot, cut into three or four pieces.
One can of abalone.
Six chicken drumsticks.
Six dried scallops (conpoy).
Eight to ten cups water.
Pinches of ground white pepper.

Plus chopped cilantro, shredded ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

Set the dried scallops to soak in a little water with a pinch of sugar added.
After rinsing the rice cook it in half the water, simmer the chicken pieces and carrot in another pot in the remaining water.  Once the rice is fully cooked, remove from heat. Same with the chicken.  Drain the chicken liquid into the rice and while this cools, pull the chicken flesh from the bones and set aside.
Dump the carrot chunks into the pot with the rice.

[Traditionally the rice would be simmered for several hours with frequent stirring (to prevent scorching) till the grains start falling apart. But it saves a lot of time to simply put the rice and cooking liquids into the blender - which is why you should let it all cool down a bit first.
When the rice has been osterized, return it to the soup pot, and bring it back to boil.]

Carefully pull the re-moistened scallops apart, and add them and their soaking liquid to the pot.
Mix a little soy sauce and sesame oil with the chicken. Do not add too much, just enough to aromatize.
Slice the abalone, and add some of the abalone liquid into the rice porridge if you wish.
Add the sliced abalone only a minute or two before serving, while the soup pot is still on the burner. Abalone toughens up if cooked too long, so remove the pot from the heat shortly thereafter. Adjust taste with white pepper.
Divvy up into bowls, add the chicken meat, shredded ginger, and cilantro on top.

[Dried scallops (gon bui 乾 貝, gon yiu ju 乾瑤柱) are available in Chinatown. They look like amber-hued or honey-coloured disks.  Conpoy is not optional, as the dish will lack a certain distinction if it is left out.  You should buy high quality large conpoy which have a vibrant look and smell, and clean sharp edges. Abalone (bau yu 鮑魚) is seldom used fresh in Chinese cuisine, mostly dried or canned.  It likewise can be bought in C'town.  Abalone is considered healthy and easy to digest.  Which it is, if not rubberized by prolonged cooking.]

The quantity above is enough for four servings, or two large bowls.

SHARK FIN SOUP - PERSONAL FAVOURITE

魚翅湯 SHARK FIN SOUP - YÜ CHI TONG


This is my own variant on sharkfin soup.
I used both roast duck and baby bokchoi, neither of which are standard inclusions in this soup. The first because I love the added taste, the second because of the visual appeal and the texture.

Originally published here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/11/chinese-slimy-things.html

6 - 8 oz Sharkfin, ready for use.
4 - 6 Cups superior stock or clear broth (高湯 - ko tong).
Quarter cup Cantonese roast duck (燒鴨 - siu ngaap), boned and shredded.
Quarter cup soaked trimmed sliced black mushroom (香菇 - heung gu).
Quarter cup whole shelled shrimp.
Quarter cup chopped baby bokchoi(小白菜 - siu pak tsoi).
4 Tbs Sherry.
2 Tbs Soy Sauce.
2 Tbs Cornstarch, mixed with equal amount water.
Ginger, two or three slices.
Scallion, two or three stems, in two or three inch pieces.
Ground white pepper, sesame oil, finely minced scallion, Tabasco.

Heat about three TBS oil in a wok. Add the ginger slices and the scallion pieces. Whack around briefly, and before the scallion burns remove it, followed by the ginger slices. This 'tempers' the oil.

Now pour in the stock, sherry, and soy sauce, taking care not to splash or burn yourself. Bring to a boil, turn low to simmer. Add the shark fin, followed by the roast duck, black mushrooms, and shrimp. Add the bokchoi, stir in the cornstarch to thicken, and adjust taste with ground white pepper, a delicate drizzle of sesame oil, a few drops Tabasco. Garnish with the minced scallion and serve.

BROCADE EMBROIDERY UPON THE OCEAN SHARK FIN

BROCADE EMBROIDERY UPON THE OCEAN SHARK FIN
錦繡海上鮮 GAM SAU HOI SEUNG SIENEnough for a party of six to eight people.
Originally published here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/sharkfin-soup-and-san-francisco-racists.html

Half cup soaked sharkfin.
Half cup cooked crab.
Half cup peeled fresh shrimp.
Half cup chopped white-fleshed fish.
Quarter cup soaked sea cucumber, sliced.
Quarter cup bamboo shoot, sliced.
Quarter cup soaked black mushroom, sliced.
A dozen little clams, shelled (optional - I leave them out).
Three large conpoy.
One scallion, coarse cut.
A little sliced ginger.
Two to four TBS sherry.
Six cups superior stock.
Pinch of sugar.
One egg-white, beaten.

A little cornstarch water, rendered chicken fat.

Marinate the fish and shrimp in one tablespoon cornstarch whisked with one tablespoon sherry and an eggwhite for half an hour. Meanwhile steam the soaked sharkfin and conpoy until the conpoy can be pulled apart into shreds.

Heat oil, sauté scallion and ginger. Sizzle with sherry, add the stock, bring to a boil. Add the sharkfin, crab, sea -cucumber, bamboo shoots and black mushrooms, bring back to a boil, add the fish, shrimp and shredded conpoy, raise back to a boil. Stir-in a little cornstarch water to velvetize, along with the rendered chicken fat, and while stirring drizzle in the beaten egg white to form thin whisps.

CRAB MEAT CLUTCHED SHARK FIN

CRAB MEAT CLUTCHED SHARK FIN
蟹肉把翅 HAI YIUK PA CHI
Enough for a party of four to six people.
Originally published here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/sharkfin-soup-and-san-francisco-racists.html


One cup soaked shark fin.
Half cup crab meat.
Quarter cup sherry.
Two scallion.
Two slices ginger.
Two TBS oil.
One TBS soy sauce.
Six cups superior stock.
Pinch of sugar.
Pinch of ground white pepper.

A little cornstarch water, rendered chicken fat.

Simmer shark fin in two cups stock with one scallion and one slice ginger for an hour. Drain, discard liquid, ginger, scallion.

Heat the oil at the bottom of a soup pot, sauté the remaining scallion and ginger a few seconds, enough to temper the oil, then remove. Add the crab meat, stir around briefly, sizzle with sherry.
Pour in the remaining four cups of stock, soy sauce, sugar, pepper. Bring to a boil, add the shark fin, turn low and simmer for about ten minutes.
Thicken with a little cornstarch water, add a little chicken fat for glossiness and flavour.

Note: this soup can be frozen with little loss of quality. But there probably won't be any left, even if there's only two of you at the table.

ANGLO-INDIAN CURRY CHICKEN

This dish is not a bad choice for a casual celebration, especially around Chinese New Year. It's simple to make. That, you will admit, is a cardinal virtue.


ANGLO-INDIAN CURRY CHICKEN
One three pound chicken, chunked.
Two big potatoes, peeled and boiled, cubed.
Three or four Roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped.
Three or four garlic cloves, minced.
Two onions, chopped.
One cinnamon stick.
Two whole star anise.
Three green cardamom pods.
2 TBS ground coriander.
1 TBS turmeric.
½ TBS ground cumin.
½ TBS cayenne.
1 Tsp. dry ginger.
½ Tsp. fenugreek powder.
½ Tsp. ground pepper.
½ Tsp. English mustard powder.
1½ cups coconut milk, or somewhat more as needed.
1 cup regular milk.
½ TBS sugar.
½ Tsp. salt.


Gild garlic and onion in a little oil. Add the whole spices, stir till the aroma rises. Add the chicken pieces and cook till coloured. Add the powdered spices and a splash water, fry fragrant. Put in the tomatoes, fry for a few moments and loosen with another splash water. Pour in the coconut milk and the regular milk, simmer till the chicken is done.
It should be a very wet curry - adjust with a little water if necessary.
Stir in the sugar and salt, add the potatoes, and simmer for two or three minutes longer.
Garnish with cilantro.

Serve with plain white rice, and a plate of thick sliced cucumbers, as well as serundeng, sambal, and atjar tjampur.
Plus some vegetable dishes.

NOTE: a few green chilies can be floated on top during the simmering once the liquids are added. Left whole, they will impart their fragrance, but only a little of their heat. The cooking will temper them somewhat, so adventurous diners may choose to eat them with some of the sauce.

POM

Chicken stew in a taro crust - Surinamese shepherd's pie.

Originally posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2009/05/pom.html


POM

One chicken, two and a half to three pounds.
Half pound salt pork or substitute (good chicken sausage works well).
Two and a half pounds to three pounds unpeeled taya (taro root).
Six to eight Roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped.
Two onions, chopped.
Two stalks celery, chopped.
Two bouillon cubes (use 2 - 4 TBS soy sauce instead.)
Salt, Pepper, nutmeg (or mace).
Juice of one orange and two lemons.
Two or three cloves of garlic, minced.
One tablespoon sugar.
Half a cup oil.


Cut the chicken into chunks, rub with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Soak the salt pork, if using, to remove excess salt.
Brown the chicken chunks and the salt pork (or whatever you are using as substitute), remove to a plate. The meat should not be fully cooked at this point, just nicely coloured.

Fry the onions, to which add the tomatoes, garlic, and celery halfway through.
Cook till nice (at this point, I would a hefty splash of sherry and a jigger of hot sauce - not authentically Surinamese, but I do this with many dishes - it just tastes better to me).

Add the chicken and pork, water to cover, and the bouillon cubes or soy sauce, as well as a fragrant chili pepper (whole).
When done, drain the cooking liquid into a bowl and reserve it, as you will need some of it for the taya. The meat, of course, is also kept.
Taste the liquid - it should be somewhat stronger in flavour than you really like, and a little saltier. This is because it needs to flavour the taya too.

Peel and rinse the taya, then rasp or grate it - a cuisinart is handy. Because of the calcium oxalate in taya, you may wish to use kitchen gloves.
Mix the taya with some of the cooking liquid from the meat and the orange and lemon juices to a thick gluggy paste, adding the sugar.
Scoop half of the taya sludge into a well-greased deep Pyrex baking dish in a thick layer, put the chicken mixture on top, cover with the remaining taya and smooth it down.

Pour the remaining cooking liquids on top, and bake for two hours in a hot oven (one hour at 425 - 450 Fahrenheit, one hour at 350 Fahrenheit).
By adding the remaining liquids to the top, you will end up with a very nicely dark brown surface after cooking. Don't worry about the darkness, worry rather if it lacks that darkness after having been baked.

It is done when a golden-brown juice extrudes when you prick it with a knife.
Keep enough of the cooking liquid from preparing the chicken that you can serve the pom with rice, adding a splash to wetten the serving.
Pom is also a good filling for hot crusty rolls (broodje pom).


Note 1.
If the taya causes a skin itch while preparing, use some lemon juice to counteract that characteristic.
Do not taste the taya sludge before it is cooked! Taya can not be eaten raw!

Note 2.
Some people mix the taya with a goodly quantity of mustard before cooking; the mustard changes flavour considerably, and even standard yellow mustard can be used.
Green banana, cut into pieces, can also be mixed into the taya before baking.

Note 3.
Surinamers use bouillon cubes as a flavouring in many dishes, but soy sauce and strong stock work just as well, without the monosodium glutamate and industrial fake-chicken flavour. Salt pork is also often used. Both are cultural markers of the cuisine, and there are better things to use.


The one thing for which no substitute is possible is the jar of sambal made from Madame Jeanette peppers, which are a fragrant local variety of Habanero and Scotch Bonnet. Just mash the fresh chilies with a pinch salt, a squeeze lime juice, and a dash of water, then thoroughly wash whatever utensils you used to make the sambal. A teaspoon of this one your plate will make it a memorable meal.
You may also want to put a selection of zesty pickles on the table, and several bottles of djindja biri (ginger beer).

PUMPKIN PRESERVE

This is what you should do with pumpkins

Originally published here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2009/02/pumpkin-preserve.html


PUMPKIN PRESERVE

A small Pumpkin, about two pounds.
2 cups Vinegar.
2 Water.
2 cups Sugar.
Four TBS Raisins.
Two TBS Ginger, peeled and slivered.
One TBS Salt.
One Teaspoon of Cayenne.
A squeeze of lime juice.

Scrape out the muck and seeds first. Then cut, peel, and coarsely grate the pumkin. Simmer with everything except the vinegar and the squooze lime till dry. Add the vinegar, squeeze the lime in, and cook thick. Decant into clean jars.


Note: For a beautifully hued preserve, substitute a measure of pomegranate juice for the water.

Use as you would any chutney or relish alongside meat. Or eat by the spoonful straight from the jar when you think no one is looking.