RecipeMuncher

Clockwise: sauteed smoked fish, dhal, tomato choka & sauteed pakchoy
Bear with me as I muse again about breakfast. I have really been making an effort to eat this important meal. In addition to having cereal, fruit, yogurt, eggs etc. I have been eating leftovers for breakfast and boy is that a great idea! The leftovers often satisfy my desire for something savoury in the mornings and it is

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Woven Beauty - My Bamboo Steamer

My Contribution to Black &amp; White Wednesdays.

I’m sure that like me, you try to eat seasonally too. The thing is that sometimes things can be in such abundance that you run out of ideas how to prepare them. We’re always trying to come up with ways to make the familiar a little different, if not, we can find ourselves eating the same dish over and over again.
In Indo-Caribbean cooking, infused oils are used to chunkay (tadka) certain dishes

Hi Everyone,I’m here. I was hoping to post yesterday but I’ve been too tired. This week has been particularly rough for me. I returned from a very successful book signing and book launch in Guyana last weekend (all the books were sold out before the actual book signing! The bookstore is currently restocking). Thank you Guyana!Upon my return on Monday, I immediately began to prepare for my Tuesday

I know. I know. The weekend came and went and not a peep out of me on this blog. I’ll be honest with you, I was too tired to post.I have a bone to pick with techie people. Ever so often as the technology advances they change things and tout that it is improved and better, but you know what? It is improved and better for them because they are so savvy with the technical stuff. They fail to realize

Here’s the final soup in my hearty Caribbean soup series - Cow-heel Soup. Rich, thick and totally satisfying. Get the recipe here.<!–StartFragment–><!–EndFragment–> If you are living in Guyana and read this blog or have relatives and friends there. Please share with them the following information:I am going to be signing books at Austin’s Book Services on Saturday, Feb 19 from 10.30 a.m.

I know that it is very cold where many of you that read this blog live and I know that any one of these soups will warm you up good and proper. If you are in the tropics like I am, well, let’s just say that the soups will lighten your eating in a fulfilling way.This week, rather than just tell you about the soups over at About.com, I thought that I’d show it to you… entice you… Tuty, I did

Always in search of new ways to use familiar ingredients, I was delighted to discover Red Lentil Kofta, which according to my friend, Burcu, is one of the most popular appetizers of Turkish cuisine. When shopping, I pick up at least 4 packets of red lentils because they cook up so easily and quickly and I can make a lot the things with them. For example, one of my favourites is red lentils cooked

I love plantains. They are so versatile, particularly when they are green. There are many ways to prepare green plantains - you can make chips, wedges, tostonnes or fritters; they can be pounded and molded, stuffed with vegetables or meat. Or they can be boiled and sauteed with tomatoes, onions and fresh herbs. And yes, with salted cod too!Throughout South America, Latin America, India and other

It’s a new year but that does not mean that we do not continue to struggle with old issues. In my case, the all-important meal of breakfast. Staying resolute on the savoury side of things, I share with you two recipes for potatoes that can be served for breakfast. In fact, in some countries in the Caribbean, the fried (sauteed) potatoes makes a regular appearance at breakfast and is usually eaten

I do not make New Year resolutions for I believe that each hour and each day is a new year in which to resolve many things. Each day we can turn a new leaf and start all over as sure as the sun will rise and set.Here are some of the things that I am continuing to work on in my life. Life is not static so the order is constantly revolving.Forever praying - to be a better person. And, to make the

<!–StartFragment–><!–EndFragment–> Wherever you are, whatever you’re celebrating, whom ever you’re with and whatever you’re doing - have a great time. May your holidays be filled with lots of love, joy and laughter and let’s also pause long enough to remember those less fortunate and those of our friends and loved ones who are no longer with us. Happy Holidays Everyone!For some Punch de

It’s finally here. My book. There is so much I want to say, there’s so much I could say, but right now I just want to thank all of you. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your encouragement, and for some of you, thank you for your patience.Without you, there would be no book. It was written for you. This is your invitation to join me in revelling in the tastes of

Four ingredients are all that is needed to make Pommes Anna, a simple, yet elegant side dish. Potatoes, butter, salt and pepper come together and create a crisp and creamy mouthful that’s sure to please all potato lovers.The first time I made and serve this dish, I noticed that people were enviously looking at those who still had pieces of the crust on their plates - nibbling and savouring each

<!–StartFragment–><!–EndFragment–> I made bacon! Michael Ruhlman made it sound so easy. And you know what? It is! I am over the moon with happiness that I successfully made bacon at home. Me. Right here in my own kitchen. Read about my experience in this week’s column. If you’re up to experimenting, do give Michael’s recipe a try. Look at the proof below. One thing of note. I omitted the

<!–StartFragment–><!–EndFragment–> Like I said in my column, I had a different idea planned but it got tossed the minute I popped one of these babies into my mouth. I am not going to say much, I’ll let the photographs do the talking and give you the opportunity to head over to the column, get the recipe and makes these as soon as possible.<!–StartFragment–><!–EndFragment–> Be warned

Now here’s a suggestion to rock your Turkey-Thanksgiving world upside down - in a good way! Fall-off the bone, tender, succulent meat, ready-made gravy to ladle over your sides and to sop up! A pot of meat and sauce fragrant with whole spices that gives a depth of flavour that will have your family and friends asking for more and for the recipe. With this method, you won’t have to worry about

Making Peda (Peera) - a soft fudge - from scratch is no simple task. It requires patience and determination, traits I felt I possessed but I did not know to what extent until I made Peda. This is not to say that at one point in the process I did not feel like tossing the pot into the sink, filling it with water, and giving up!This week’s column is a must-read in order to understand the three very

I am all for creating new tastes and flavours. And I am all for convenience, but I draw the line when things have reached a stage where I am being told, "We no longer stock (insert the name of an item) in that plain form. We only carry it in the flavours you see on the shelves." Continue to my rant about this flavour frenzy that has gripped manufacturers! All I wanted was a simple can of chunk

Like many of you, I buy and eat the same things every week, particularly when I am busy. The familiar is quick and easy to prepare because we can make it with our eyes closed. In this week’s column, I share with you a Middle Eastern rice dish, Tatbileh, which I discovered when reading a blog! Truly, food blogs are the best places to discover food. Thanks to Sarah Melamed over at Food Bridge, I

Like many of you, I buy and eat the same things every week, particularly when I am busy. The familiar is quick and easy to prepare because we can make it with our eyes closed. In this week’s column, I share with you a Middle Eastern rice dish, Tatbileh, which I discovered when reading a blog! Truly, food blogs are the best places to discover food. Thanks to Sarah Melamed over at Food Bridge, I

When you live overseas, one often thinks of their parents back home, particularly as they get older… My mom and I chat on the phone every week, and last weekend when she told me she felt like eating raisin bread, I wished I was there to bake it for her. Read this week’s column to find out how I like to have raisin bread and for the recipe. My mom is not nearby but perhaps you can make it for

Each nation the world over has its own signature bread. The same is true for the Caribbean. We have various bread-rolls with their one-of-a-kind flavour and texture. Trinidad &amp; Tabago has Hops Bread, Jamaica has Coco Bread, Barbados has Salt Bread and Guyana has Tennis Rolls. The Eastern Caribbean islands - St. Lucia, St. Vincent &amp; The Grenadines, Dominica etc. each has their own bread too.These

Contrary to popular belief, Allspice is not a ground up mixture of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. It is a spice all by it self. Read this week’s column to find out more about this dried unripe berry that is a major export from Jamaica and how you can use it.Jamaica Pepper, English Spice, Clover Pepper, Myrtle Pepper and Pimento are a few of the other names given to Allspice.This week on