Ingredients:

·         1 lb salt fish

·         8-12 green bananas

·         1/4 c coconut or vegetable oil

·         1 large onion, coarsely chopped

·         1 medium sweet pepper, coarsely chopped

·         4 seasoning peppers, thinly sliced

·         1/4 c chives, finely chopped

·         3 garlic cloves, grated

·         2 tsp fresh thyme

·         Salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         Parsley for garnish

Preparing the Salt Fish:

1. Rinse the salt fish to remove excess surface salt. Place the salt fish in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes. Drain water; refill the pot with fresh water and repeat boiling process for another 15 minutes.

2. Drain and set salt fish aside until cool enough to handle. Clean salt fish by removing all skin, scales and bones. Flake the cleaned salt fish and set aside.

3. Put oil in a pan over meduim heat. Add onions, peppers, half the grated garlic and saute until fragrant, about 5 minutes.

4. Add flaked salt fish, 1 tsp thyme and half the green onions to the pan and stir to mix thoroughly.

5. Cover pan and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Uncover pan, add remaining garlic, green onions and thyme and mix well. Turn off the heat, season salt fish with salt and pepper to taste. Cover pot and set aside until ready to serve.

Preparing the Green Figs:

1. Wash the green figs, cut off the two ends, make one slice just through the skin, lengthwise and put in a heat proof bowl. Pour boiling water over the green figs to cover and set aside for about 10 minutes. Drain water and allow the green figs to cool enough to handle. Carefully remove skin from the green figs, using a small knife if needed. Put the peeled green figs in a pot of boiling water; add 1/2 tsp salt and 1tsp vegetable oil. Bring to boil and simmer for about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and leave to cool enough to handle.

2. Slice each green fig on the diagonal into 3 pieces. Place slices of green figs on individual serving plates and top with a generous portion of the cooked salt fish. Garnish with chopped parsley.

3. Serve with a grated cucumber salad and/or a mixed salad of lettuce, tomato and avocado on the side.

Ingredients

·         Chicken/Pork/Beef 500g (whatever 

  meat or amount you like)

·         Half a pumpkin (about 500g)

·         Red beans/lentils (400g) (precooked 

  would be better to save time,

    can also used canned beans)

·         Potatoes 2 (300g)

·         High Gluten Flour 1kg

·         Onion 1 bulb (250g)

·         Carrots 1 stick (300g)

·         Garlic 6 pieces (25g)

·         Ginger ½ a root (50g)

·         Chilli Pepper

·         Barons Pepper Sauce

·         Madrass Curry Powder 3tbs (optional)

·         Salt & Pepper or whatever other 

  seasonings you like.

·         Coconut cream/milk 1 tin (400ml)

·         Dasheen leaves/Spinach leaves

·         Herbs : Coriander, Basil and Scallions 

  (in the Caribbean you guys will have 

access to others like seasoning 

peppers, chadon benny etc so they 

    can  also work.   

·         Vegetable oil

·         Water

Method

Another way to add more depth of flavor would be to sauté your meat first till caramelized and remove...put aside for later and use the same flavor, in the same pan(don't wash) and continue making your bouillon. But this is what I did.

For "Dumplings"

1. Add some high gluten flour to a bowl.

2. Add in chopped up herbs of your choice.

3. Season with salt and pepper or whatever other seasonings you may want to add.

4. Mix the dry ingredients together and slowly add in water till it is somewhat "damp" consistency. Not soggy or like bread dough but a bit more dry.

5. Knead together, separate and stretch out the dough.

6. Roll into log like shapes and cut to your preferred sizes.

7. Place aside for when you start to make the bouillon. Toss with some flour and cover with a kitchen towel.

For Bouillon

1. Add in your vegetable oil to a hot pot.

2. Add in your curry(if you decide to use it). Cook your curry and to that add in the pumpkin.

3. Sautee the pumpkin till caramelized(add more oil if needed).

4. To that add your carrots(I did not add mine in then because it was left over carrots from knife cut practice so it was very thin and would over cook). Sautee.

5. Add in your onions and then garlic. Sautee everything then add in the chilli pepper.

6. When everything has sweated down and evenly caramelized, add in your water(pre boiled hot water would be best as it would shorten the cooking time and also keep the temperature high).

7. When it gets to a boil, add in your beans/peas. Let that do it's thing. Taste.

8. Add in meat, let it come back to a boil and then add in dumplings, separating them each time it's added in.

9. Let this simmer on medium heat for a while till the meat and dumplings are cooked.

10. Taste. Adjust seasoning.

11. Lower heat and add in coconut cream/milk. (If heat is too high the milk solids in the coconut cream will split and your soup will have a grainy texture.

12.  Lastly add in your spinach leaves and chopped herbs.

13. Taste and enjoy!

Ingredients:

·         2 cups flour

·         2 tsp baking powder

·         2 scallions, chopped

·         1/2 lb chopped shredded saltfish

·         1/2 medium size chopped bell pepper

·         3 chopped seasoning peppers

·         1 small onion, chopped

·         2 chopped cloves of garlic

·         1 tsp thyme

·         1 tsp baking powder

·         1 tsp chopped parsley

·         hot pepper sauce to taste (optional)

·         water for mixing

·         cooking oil for frying

Preparation:

1. Boil the saltfish twice to remove excess salt.   

2. Shred the saltfish.

3. Combine the chopped green pepper, seasoning peppers, scallions, shredded saltfish, onions and garlic in a bowl.

4. Add remaining ingredients except water and mix thoroughly.

5. Carefully add water making sure that the mixture reaches a thick consistency.

6. Beat the mixture until all ingredients are well  folded in.

7. Heat the oil in a frying pan and drop the mixture by spoonfuls into the hot oil. Fry until both sides are brown.

8. Place fishcakes on paper towel to absorb the excess oil.