Callaloo Jamaican Style

Callaloo is a popular Caribbean dish that originates in West Africa. Its main ingredient is a leaf vegetable that ranges from water spinach or dasheen bush. In Jamaica, they use the name callaloo for the dish and the vegetable. There are a variety of ways to prepare the dish. It is usually served as a breakfast dish and eaten with roasted breadfruit, boiled green bananas or dumplings. Today, I will be teaching you a recipe that Ms. Annie and the CVC Office Staff recommended.

My first experience with the callaloo was during my first week. The office garden thrives to grow callaloo in the garden which is great because everyone shares the produce. They gave me a bag and I brought it home to cook. You can buy Callalloo in the supermarket for around $150-200 JMD/bag or on the streets for 100 JMD/pound. (They cut it too!) Unfortunately, I thought cooking callaloo was like cooking bok choy. I threw it in a pot and tried to steam it with a cup of water. It became a soup!

But- as the saying goes, practice makes perfect and I finally succeeded in making a callaloo Jamaican style dish. I call it my pride and joy because it is part of my first steps to becoming accustomed to living in Jamaica.

Ingredients:

1 bundle of Callaloo

1 small Onion (diced)

3 Plum Tomatoes (diced)

1 Green Sweet Pepper (chopped)

1 clove of Garlic (chopped)

A dash of All Purpose Seasoning

1 tsp of Black Pepper

2 tablespoon of Oil

Method

1. Place the callaloo in a large bowl filled with water. Stir with hand and let it remain for at least 10 minutes. Drain the water and remove the callaloo leaves from the stems/stalks. Cut leaves finely. Set aside. (The stem/stalks are edible-it is up to the individual if they would like to eat it. Not all Jamaicans like the taste!)

2. Turn on stove to medium heat in a medium sized fry pan. Add oil and garlic.

1. Once the garlic starts to slightly burn, add the onions, plum tomatoes, and sweet pepper. Cook until slightly crisp.

1. Toss the callaloo into the fry pan and stir until fried. The callaloo is naturally filled with water and should exert enough liquid to blend the ingredients. If the vegetables start to burn, add a table spoon of water.

1. Taste and season with all-purpose seasoning and black pepper

2. Serve as a side dish to saltfish and breadfruit!

Simple as 1-2-3! I hope you enjoy this popular side dish with your meal. A ½ cup of cooked callaloo contains less than 50 calories. It is a great source of Vitamin C to boost your immune system, Vitamin B for good mood and vitality and Vitamin A as an antioxidant. Its known to be a source of protein and is often used as a supplement for those who practice vegan and vegetarian. Callaloo is easy to grow and found all over the Caribbean! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!