Steamed Callaloo Recipe

Callaloo is both delicious and nutritious and is quick and easy to prepare, you can enjoy this dish with fried dumplings, rice or hard food. Callaloo is the country’s staple vegetable and leafy green. It is the edible leaves of the Amaranth plant– and while it almost resembles spinach, it doesn’t quite taste like it. It has a slightly bitter flavour with a wonderful nutty undertone.

When I was younger and living in Jamaica a lot of people grew “callaloo” in their yards especially in the country side. With lots of watering it grows fast like a weed, so it makes a handy green to have around. Fresh callaloo is generally steamed or sauteed, but in some places they make callaloo juice. Not something that appeals to me, but I’m sure it’s very healthy for you

Unless you grow it yourself it’s hard to find fresh callaloo outside the Caribbean. However, it is available in can’s at West Indian or tropical grocery stores, which is usually what I use. Canned callaloo is already cooked, so it’s simply a matter of warming it up with the seasonings.

One of the many brands of can Callaloo

The dish, is known all over the Caribbean where it’s cooked in similar ways, but in Jamaica Callaloo is cooked with Saltfish. It is usually seasoned with tomatoes, onions and scotch bonnet peppers and often eaten with roasted breadfruit, Boiled Green Bananas, Dumpling white rice or rice and peas for breakfast, lunch or dinner. However it’s more traditionally known as a breakfast dish.

There are many other ways I’ve seen callaloo being used, were as a filling to the iconic Jamaican patty, mixed in with rice (callaloo rice) and in soups. I’ve also come across some “less traditional” ways of incorporating the leafy green such as in frittatas, savoury pies, in lasagna and even on pizza. Regardless of the method, it is almost always delicious.

Ingredient:

• 6-8 stems of Callaloo

• 1 medium onion

• 1-2 cloves of garlic

• 1 tomato

• 1 sprig of thyme

• Other vegetables if available, such as carrots and string beans – cut up into thin slices

• 1/3 teaspoon Salt

• 2 teaspoon Butter or Margarine

• 3 tablespoons cooking oil

Glug of water

Method

1. Set on your Pot to Electric Mark 3 and leave for about 1-2 minutes to warm up, then carefully add cooking oil and leave to heat up (Keep children away from the Hob)

3. Put the Callaloo in a large bowl and cover with water, adding a little salt to the water encourages any stray bugs to unlatch themselves

4. Meanwhile wash and chop up the onion, tomato, garlic, thyme and other vegetables if desired

5. Add the chopped seasoning to the oil and lightly fry until softened

6.Take the callaloo out of the water and pick off any unsavoury parts of the leaves, remove flowers if present and discard. Cut off the end of the stalk and peel off the outer layer of the ‘skin’ on the stem – it is not necessary to remove every piece.

7. Roll the leaves together to make it easier to handle and using a sharp knife cut the callaloo into thin ribbons. Cut right down the stalk and include this in with the leaves

8. Turn down the hob to Electric Mark 2 Add a little water to the pot and add the chopped up callaloo and carrots / string beans if desired – do not add too much water as the callaloo will produce water as it wilts

9. Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper to taste and the butter and cover the pot

10. Steam for about 15-20 minutes, or until the callaloo has wilted

12. Remove from pot and serve with bread, fried dumplings, boiled hard food, rice or other