GRENADA'S NATIONAL DISH
Grenada's national dish is called "Oil Down". It is a simple, delicious and robust dish, which is very popular in local restaurants. It's a hearty onepot meal of salted meat, chicken, dumplings, breadfruit, callaloo - made from young dasheen leaves and other vegetables. The whole thing is stewed in coconut milk, herbs and spices to add even more flavour.
RECIPE
Ingredients
young dasheen leaves
1 sprig celery, chive and thyme
2 medium carrots chopped
2 green peppers chopped
1 lb dumplings
2 tsp turmeric (Grenada saffron)
1/2 lb Salt meat (pre-soaked overnight)
1 large Breadfruit peeled
2 cups coconut milk
1 medium onion chopped
Method
- Wash and peel breadfruit. Cut into 8 sections. Remove centre lengthways of each section and cut into half crosswise.
- Wash and scrape meat, cut into pieces and rinse in lime juice and water.
- Remove skins of onions, rinse and cut into small pieces. Remove seeds of chilli peppers and cut into wedges. Chop chives into small pieces.
- Put salted meat into cold water, bring to the boil and drain. Repeat 3 times to remove preserving salt. Put to cook until just tender and drain.
- Saute onions and garlic in hot oil until onions are pale yellow.
- Add chive, thyme, flavouring pepper, salted meat and salt to taste. Pour over 2 cups of coconut milk.
- Add wedges of breadfruit, green hot pepper and cook until breadfruit absorbs liquid.
- Add remaining coconut milk. Remove hot pepper. Cook at a reduced heat and never stirr, generally there should be liquid remaining in the pot.
- Serve hot.
Try your hand at the national dish.