Duck curry has always been one of my favorite Guyanese dishes! It tastes complex and seems like a lot of work, but once you get all of the ingredients, it's super easy to make!
Tip: Get a good-sized duck from your trusted butcher and ask him to skin, clean, and cut up the duck for curry/stew before you buy it. This takes out a lot of the work!
Time: ~2.5 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 duck, chopped into smaller pieces for curry (I used a 10.5 lb one for this recipe)
- 7 - 8 tablespoons Chief curry powder for duck/goat curry (you can also get a plain curry powder and add garam masala & geera masala, but this way is easier).
- 2 -3 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons cassareep (from the cassava root) - this is optional
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 large onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium rustic potatoes, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
- ~5 cups water (enough to cover the meat in the pot) + additional for steaming the meat
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds (optional)
- 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce or diced hot pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon dried methi leaves (fenu-greek leaves)
Recipe:
- Use a large pot filled with boiling water to steam out the duck meat before cooking it. Let it boil for about 15 - 20 minutes.
- Strain the meat then put the pot back onto the stove and turn the heat back on.
- Add the vegetable oil, chopped onion, and garlic. Stir and let sit for about 30 seconds - 1 minute. Then add your meat back to the pot.
- Sprinkle the curry powder over the meat, stir to coat evenly.
- Pour the water over the meat so that it just about covers the top layer of meat, add in the dried thyme, methi leaves, and bring this to a boil. You'll want to cover it so that it gets boiling quicker since there's so much meat!
- Stir occasionally so it doesn't burn; add more water if needed. Add the potatoes after 35 minutes.
- After another 20 minutes, taste the curry for salt, then add if needed. You can also add curry powder if you feel the flavor isn't strong enough. At this point you can add the pepper or pepper sauce if you want, and any additional spices if the flavor isn't what you prefer.
- Once the meat is tender, you can leave it uncovered and let the water dry down. This will thicken into a nice sauce for the meat.
- Serve with rice or roti and enjoy!
Super food = super delicious! I'm trying to find ways to replace meat with something "meaty" that will keep me fuller, longer. Butternut squash is perfect for this! Toppings can be substituted for whatever you have on hand, the possibilities are endless.
Time: 30
Ingredients:
- 1 handful chopped kale (or kale salad with cabbage & carrots)
- 1 cup diced butternut squash (I bought mine already diced from Shoprite!)
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon sliced black olives
- 1 tablespoon sliced pepperoncinis
- 3-4 grape tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Salt/pepper to taste
Recipe:
- Roast the diced butternut squash with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, salt and pepper on 375 degrees for about 30 mins. Depending on the size of your dices, this could take more or less time.
- While your squash is roasting, you can prepare the rest of the salad. Throw all remaining ingredients (including the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and salt/pepper) into a small/medium basin and toss to combine.
- Once the squash is roasted - let it cool completely so that it doesn't wilt the kale when added to the salad.
Serving suggestion: Put the salad mixture on your plate or bowl first, then top with the cooled squash. Enjoy!
Too busy to make lunch? Here's a 20 min meal that you can make the night before! It's healthy, delicious - and fast! This also works great for dinner or as an appetizer if you cut the lettuce into smaller pieces. Also, you can get creative with your seasonings and toppings!
Time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 pack ground chicken
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon sour cream (optional)
- 6 leaves of romaine lettuce
Recipe:
- In a medium frying pan, mix the ground chicken and all of the above spices.
- Let simmer until the meat is cooked through - using your pot spoon to break it up into bite-sized pieces.
- Wash the lettuce and lay it out to dry thoroughly on paper towel.
- Once the meat is finished cooking - let it cool to room temperature.
- Fill the lettuce with a few spoons of the meat mixture. You can add shredded cheese if you like.
- Top with sour cream (optional) and enjoy!
Hard-boiled eggs covered in seasoned mashed potatoes & a homemade batter then fried to golden perfection! Try this delicious Guyanese recipe for breakfast, an easy snack, or appetizer.
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 6 hard-boiled eggs
- 2.5 cups vegetable oil for frying
Potato mixture:
- 3 potatoes, washed & scrubbed
- 3 cups boiling water
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons ground onion
- Salt to taste
Batter:
- 4 tablespoons ground split peas
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup water (or more, added slowly to create batter consistency)
- Salt to taste
Recipe:
- Boil potatoes for 15 mins.
- Mash them in a bowl with all the potato spices above, set aside.
- Peel the hard-boiled eggs.
- Use your hands to cover the eggs one by one with the mashed potatoes, creating a large ball.
- Dip the ball into the batter so it's evenly coated.
- Place the ball into the hot oil & fry for about 1 minute (or until golden).
- Place on a paper towel to drain off any excess oil.
Serve with some homemade mango chutney or sauce of your choice!
Feeling lazy at lunchtime? Try my spinach tortellini lunch salad! It's quick - it's easy - it's delicious!
Time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 cup spinach tortellini
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles
- 1/4 cup grape tomatoes, whole
- 1 tablespoon roasted garlic slices
- 1/4 cup olives of your choice
- salt/pepper to taste
Recipe:
- Bring 2 cups water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt
- Strain when cooked through and let cool
- Toss in a bowl with desired toppings
- Sprinkle with salt/pepper to taste
- Eat cold or at room temperature
Putting my basil plant to good use! Such an easy, quick meal; perfect for my Meatless Mondays!
Time: 15-20 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pasta of your choice (I used a gorgeous colorful Fettuccine)
- 1 tablespoon salt for the pasta water
- 2 cups (4 handfuls) fresh basil leaves, washed and dried completely
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup pine nuts (you can sub walnuts)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- A few shreds of fresh parmigiano-reggiano (parmesan) cheese (optional)
Recipe:
- Bring 2 cups water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt.
- Add pasta and cook al dente (your pasta package should give timing instructions based on the thickness of the pasta, mine took 3 mins). Make sure it's al dente because pesto is a thick sauce, so you don't want the pasta to be too soft when you mix the sauce in or it will get mushy.
- Place the basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, salt and black pepper in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground.
- Strain the pasta and return it back to the pot while it's still hot.
- Mix the pesto into the pasta until well-coated, careful not to mush it.
- Use tongs to plate the pasta and grate the fresh cheese over it (if desired) using a potato peeler.
- Enjoy!
Tried an eggless crust! (FYI, it's fantastic).
Eggless homemade pizza!
Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 packet fast acting yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons dried oregano
- Toppings of your choice
Recipe:
- Mix all dry ingredients together for dough (including garlic powder and 2 tablespoons of the oregano).
- Slowly add warm water & 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, mix with a wooden spoon to incorporate then knead lightly with your hands (don't over-knead or it'll get hard)
- Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a dark area for 30 mins to rise
- Spread crust out onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, you will need to stretch the dough for a little bit with your hands until it stays flat.
- Poke holes in the crust with your finger tips.
- Sprinkle the top of the crust with the last tablespoon of olive oil and some additional Italian seasonings of your choice (I used the last tablespoon of oregano and another teaspoon of garlic powder because I love garlic!).
- If you have a pizza stone, put it in the oven & turn on the oven to 500 degrees. Then, carefully take it out, place the pizza (with toppings) on it & bake for ~8 mins or until done.
- If you don't have a pizza stone & are using a cookie sheet lined with foil, sprinkle a little dry flour on top of the foil (or use breadcrumbs). Bake crust alone for 15 mins on 350.
- Take crust out of the oven, add desired toppings (I used 1/2 bottle of marinara sauce + slices of fresh mozzarella cheese + torn slices of fresh basil leaves.
- Bake on 350 for ~30 mins or until cheese is melted & crust is cooked through.
- Enjoy!
GREAT for my Meatless Mondays!
Eggplant Parmesan is vegetarian, but most recipes require you to use egg to coat the eggplant before adding bread crumbs. I don't eat meat or eggs on Mondays so I thought up this recipe. Enjoy!
Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 log herbed goat cheese
- About 3 tablespoons salt
- 1 bottle marinara sauce
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil or as needed to coat the pan
- 1 cup bread crumbs (you can use flavored or unflavored - I used Italian flavored). You can also sub regular bread crumbs with Panko
- 1 tablespoon crushed red peppers
- Black pepper to taste
Recipe:
- Cut the eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds - salt both sides and let them sit for 5 mins (so the salt absorbs some of the moisture, and doesn't make your eggplant brown or soggy)
- Next, coat the bottom of a non-stick skillet with olive oil, amount will vary based on how big your pan is. Get the oil to medium heat.
- Fry each eggplant round in the olive oil for about 1-2 mins on each side. You want the cooking to start, but not completely cooked through.
- While the eggplant is still hot, lay them out on a plate or napkin and drop about 1 teaspoon or 1/2 teaspoon of goat cheese on top so it can melt - then spread evenly.
- After the goat cheese is spread on one side, immediately coat with breadcrumbs.
- Turn each round over and spread the other side with goat cheese, coat it with breadcrumbs as well.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Place the coated eggplant rounds back into the skillet and fry them until they are golden brown on both sides. You may need to add more olive oil to the pan before this step.
- Lay eggplant rounds side by side into your baking pan.
- Take your 3 cloves of garlic, chop them up and add them to a sauce pan or pot with a little olive oil.
- After the garlic is golden brown, add marinara sauce, black pepper and crushed red pepper.
- Let this mixture simmer for about 10 mins then pour over your eggplant.
- Sprinkle your grated Parmesan cheese on top of this. Bake on 350 for about 15 - 20 mins or until cheese is melted.
- Serve hot & enjoy :)
Photo credits to Anand Bahadur, JR: https://www.facebook.com/abpdphotography
Another serving suggestion: If you don't have marinara sauce on hand, you can also serve the eggplant fried in goat cheese & breadcrumbs as an appetizer or snack! Just add some additional seasoning in the breadcrumb mixture (i.e. some dried oregano or basil).
This recipe originated from me craving fish n chips! I ended up having no potatoes to make fries, and I was on a "healthy" kick - in comes Baked Cassava Fries with Baked Flounder!
It's amazingly satisfying and very easy to create.
Time: ~45 mins + time for water to boil
Ingredients:
Recipe:
- Peel & cut cassava
- Boil until tender (~ 15 mins)
- Spread cassava on cookie sheet
- Drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper
- Bake on 425 for 20 mins
- Enjoy!
Serving suggestion:
I made this with a Baked Flounder Fillet:
Time: 20 - 25 mins
Ingredients:
- Flounder fillet
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Salt/Pepper
- Fresh dill (optional)
Recipe:
- Sprinkle flounder fillet pieces with lemon juice
- Drizzle the top with olive oil
- Sprinkle with salt and black pepper
- Bake on 350 for about 15 mins (or until golden brown)
- Optional: garnish with some fresh dill!
Add these burgers to a sandwich or use them without bread for a simple scrumptious lunch salad!
Time: 30 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 pack ground lamb (~2 lbs)
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or more if you like things garlicky)
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dark chili powder
- Salt/pepper to taste
Recipe:
- Mix all the above ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Form burger shapes with your hands - you will need to push a little dent in the middle of each patty with your thumb, so they cook evenly as a patty and don't have a mountain in the middle when they're on the grill.
- Grill or pan-sear the burgers for about 3 mins on each side or until rare to your liking.
- Enjoy!
Looking to squash some extra belly fat while still having a flavorful meal? Try out my spiced butternut squash recipe! I used spices that remind me of the holidays - and my apartment smelled amazing while this was cooking.
This recipe is great as a snack, side dish, or even throw it into a salad for lunch! I actually had it as a full meal for dinner last night!
Time: 30 - 35 mins
Ingredients:
- Small/medium sized butternut squash
- About 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil depending on the size of your squash
- Salt/pepper to taste
- Smoked paprika to taste
- Ground cinnamon to taste
Recipe:
- Peel and cut the butternut squash into small bite-sized cubes
- Lay the cubes out on a cookie sheet that's covered with foil
- Drizzle olive oil over the top of the squash pieces
- Sprinkle desired spices - I used smoked paprika, ground cinnamon, and salt & pepper
- Bake on 400 degrees for about 20 - 25 mins or until the tops are golden brown and you can easily stick a fork into the pieces.
Enjoy!
FYI - there are several health benefits of butternut squash. These gourds are high in Vitamin A and B-complex. They have no saturated fats or cholesterol and are a rich source of dietary fiber. They are also great for controlling your cholesterol and weight. Read more about their benefits here: http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/butternut-squash.html
TIP: Save the seeds! Butternut squash seeds are also really high in fiber! Wash them thoroughly after scooping them out of the squash and roast them (try my roasted pumpkin seed recipe with these seeds, use whatever spice you like!)
Disclaimer: the burger is not homemade - it's Gardenburger brand (I'll post a homemade veggie burger recipe soon!) but this twist on your typical burger & fries is decadent and EASY! Thanks to this recipe, I'm obsessed with truffle oil!
Time: ~30 mins to depending on if your toppings are pre-sliced.
Ingredients:
- 2 Gardenburger brand veggie burgers (original or flavored, I used original)
- 2 Sesame buns
- 1 tablespoon truffle oil
- 2 slices of pepper-jack cheese (or cheese of your choice)
- Toppings of your choice, I used:
- Baby argula
- Sliced grape tomatoes
- Sliced pepperoncinis
- Salt/pepper to taste
Recipe:
- Grill burger patties (I used a stovetop grill, you can pan-sear them)
- When the burgers are almost done, add sliced pepper-jack cheese and allow it to melt before removing from the grill.
- Brush truffle oil on all sides of the bread, and lightly toast them.
- Place burgers on buns, layer with your toppings.
- Enjoy!
Homemade Fries
Time: 30 mins
Ingredients:
- 2 potatoes, washed and patted dry
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- Salt/pepper to taste
Recipe:
- Slice potatoes on a mandoline with the skinny blades (TIP: slice them long-ways so they look like fries!) You can use a knife to cut the potatoes, just ensure that they are thin pieces so they cook fast and crispy.
- Heat oil to medium ~350 and fry the potato slices until almost golden, but just cooked through
- Strain potatoes out of the pot, let them sit to cool as you fry more.
- After about 10 mins, put the fries back in the fryer and raise the heat to medium-high. The fries will be golden and crispy on the outside, but amazingly soft and delicious on the inside!
- Toss with salt and black pepper if desired - you can also add some grate Parmesan cheese if you're feeling adventurous!
- Enjoy!
Time: 25 mins
Ingredients:
- ~ 4 chicken tender pieces
- salt/pepper
- chipotle seasoning (optional)
- 1/4 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning
- 1 tortilla (I used a multi-grain, jalapeño cheddar flavored tortilla)
- shredded lettuce
- diced tomatoes and chillies (optional)
- sour cream (optional)
- Take about 4 chicken tender pieces, strip them into smaller pieces and season with salt, chipotle peppers, and some Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning (about a teaspoon from the packet).
- Brown chicken pieces in a skillet on medium-high heat.
- Warm a tortilla on the skillet for about 5 mins on medium heat, until the ends are curling up and crispy.
- Top tortilla with chicken, diced tomatoes and chilies, lettuce, and sour cream (I seasoned my sour cream with Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning from the packet as well), and shredded cheddar cheese.
- ENJOY!
