Jamaican curry

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As a kid I lived for two years and went to school in Jamaica. I thoroughly enjoyed it—except for the stern lady who tried, in vain, to teach me the piano. I took up the instrument up much later and won a scholarship with it. Then I dropped the idea of becoming a musician and became a scientist/psychologist instead. Wise choice.

Anyway, I developed a lasting delight in Jamaican food—the stews, the curries, the fruit dishes. Their use of spices is inventive.  For this reason, Jamaican curries are quite unlike those of Thailand or the Indian subcontinent. There are spices you can get in the Caribbean that are quite unique and this makes Jamaican cuisine a rarity in most countries.

To make a genuinely Jamaican curry needs some creativity. To make one low in calories and high in nutritional value needs even more creativity. In my experience the Islanders are not really into dieting. And they love really hot curries.

Anyway, this is a favorite dish of mine. All the ingredients I’ve used can be found in any good supermarket and I’ve got around the lack of Jamaican spices with a bit of ingenuity. I have toned it down a bit so it’s somewhat milder than a Caribbean chef would prefer.

The resulting dish is healthy and really tasty. I’ve made it with coconut milk, potatoes, and everyday spices you can find at any grocery store. You can use almost any protein—chicken, beef, seafood (maybe the best) meat substitute, or very firm tofu. Best of all it’s fairly quick and easy to prepare.

I have assumed that you’re using chicken as your base protein.

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‍Ingredients

• 550 gms (1 1/4 lbs) boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper very finely chopped
• ½  tsp ground chili powder
• 1 tblsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 2 ½ tblsp curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 3/4 tsp allspice/mixed spice
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 medium potatoes peeled and diced
• 400 ml (13 ½ fl oz) can light coconut milk
• ½ cup non-fat yoghurt
• 1 tblsp Worcestershire sauce (this makes some of the spices I’ve used seem Jamaican)
• 1 1/2 tblsp white wine vinegar
• Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

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Directions:

1. Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks and set aside.
2. In a deep, sturdy pot, heat the oil. Add the onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and turn translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Stir in the red bell pepper, chili powder, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
4. Add curry powder, turmeric, allspice, and cayenne. Cook on medium high, stirring frequently, until spices become very fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Add the chicken and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often until the chicken looks golden on both sides. It does not need to be completely cooked through.
6. Add the potatoes. Cook on medium heat, stirring often, for 3 minutes.
7. Add the coconut milk, yoghurt, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer. Cover and continue to simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through, the potatoes are tender, and sauce has slightly reduced, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir every so often.
8. Sprinkle generously with cilantro or parsley and serve hot.

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It’s usually accompanied by rice. Some people (not me) like a chutney—usually mango—to go with it.

About rice. Brown rice and enriched white rice are just about equally nutritious. Purple rice (also called black rice) may be the healthiest of all and some studies in rats have linked purple rice to cancer prevention. Unenriched white rice is considerably more processed and less full of good nutrients than brown or purple rice. Studies have shown that large servings of white or brown rice should be generally avoided by diabetics. The best rice of all for this group of people is whole grain Basmati rice which is easily digested.

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‍Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

‍Energy: with chicken - 958 kJs (240 calories) per serve