Caribbean Curry
Caribbean curry: a dish with unique origins that embodies some of the region's complex geopolitical history.
Curry is thought to have been introduced to the Caribbean by Indians, who were brought to the region through the system of indentured servitude. Following the abolition of the slave trade in the early 19th century, more than one million people were taken from the Indian subcontinent to European colonies across the globe as a substitute for slave labour, and their influence can be detected in the cuisine of numerous Caribbean nations, most notably, former British colonies such as Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana.
In spite of obvious similarities, there is one key ingredient that distinguishes the popular Caribbean versions from those of the Indian subcontinent: allspice.
Made from the dried berries of the Pimenta Dioica, a plant native to the region, allspice features prominently in dishes throughout the Caribbean, and can be traced back to the indigenous Taíno, who inhabited modern-day Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
The Taíno often used allspice wood to stoke the fires over which they cooked food, a process that would later become known as ‘jerking’. By the turn of the 19th century, the Taíno had been almost completely wiped out by the Spanish colonizers, but aspects of their culinary traditions were inherited by African slaves and thus kept alive to the present time.
Though today, Caribbean curry is often made with goat or chicken, vegetarian iterations are common, thanks, in part, to the influence of Rastafarianism, which emerged in Jamaica in the 1930s and advocates for the consumption of natural cuisine, free from chemicals, additives, and animal flesh.
Our version features squash and chickpeas, cooked with a blend of warm spices and fiery scotch bonnet in creamy coconut milk. We recommend serving alongside rice and peas, fried plantain, and greens.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 butternut squash (approx 800g), skin removed, deseeded and cut into 1 inch² cubes
2 tsps of allspice, ground
2 tsps of cumin, ground
1 medium-sized brown onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ a scotch bonnet, deseeded and finely chopped [adjust the heat according to your preference]
3 tsps of mild curry powder
1 bay leaf
2 x 400g cans of chickpeas, drained
1 x 400g can of peeled plum tomatoes
1 x 400ml can of organic coconut cream [we use Biona]
Vegetable oil
Sea salt
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 180°C fan.
Add the butternut squash pieces to a large roasting tin, generously drizzle oil along with half of the allspice and cumin, and a couple of generous pinches of salt. Mix well and place in the oven for approx. 25 minutes, or until al dente, stirring halfway.
Meanwhile, place a large deep pan over a medium heat. Add 2 tbsps of oil until hot. Add the chopped onion with a pinch of salt and sauté until soft and translucent, stirring regularly.
Next, add the garlic, scotch bonnet, and cook until fragrant.
Add the remainder of the herbs and spices, the drained chickpeas and gently stir.
Once the chickpeas are coated in the spices, add the tinned tomatoes, coconut cream, 150ml of water, and 1 tsp of salt. Break the tomatoes up slightly with the back of your spoon. Bring to the boil, and gently simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Next, stir the cooked squash into the curry sauce. Gently simmer, adding a splash of water if required, until you have a thick, glossy sauce and the squash is soft. Adjust the seasoning if you deem necessary.
Serve with rice and peas, fried plantain, and greens.
Words Poppy Mist / Illustrations © Diogo Rodrigues