Jamaican Celebration Curry
- Jamaican Jerk spice rub/paste
- 1/2 medium onion roughly chopped
- 1/4 red bell pepper roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 3 scallions roughly chopped
- 1-6 scotch bonnet peppers (halved and seeds and ribs removed)
- 2 tablespoons whole allspice (see next ingredient)
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns toasted in a dry skillet with allspice and coarsely ground in a spice grinder
- 2 tablespoons fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon 5 spice powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 16 chicken thighs (or other pieces)
- For the curry
- 2 teaspoons whole allspice
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon anise seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon Turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 3 cups rich chicken stock
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1-5 scotch bonnet peppers cut in half and seeds/stems removed
- 4 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 sweet red bell peppers
- 2 eggplants (peeled and cut into 1 inch rounds)
- 4 larger red or gold waxy potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 large sweet onions diced
- 5 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tablespoons Tamarind paste
- 2 ripe mangoes peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 ripe plantains(black) peeled and cut into slices
- 1 large ripe papaya peeled and sliced
- juice of 1 lime
- 3 tablespoons dark rum (I use Myers)
- vegetable oil
- 16 cups cooked white rice (while I prefer Basmati any rice...even brown or a mix would be fine.)
- For the Jerk paste combine oil and all ingredients above in food processor and pulse into a paste. Add soy sauce slowly...you wante a paste but one that is a little more wet than dry. If you use all of the soy sauce and still need more liquid add water a teaspoon at a time.rnRub paste all over chicken including up under the skin. Refrigerate overnight and allow chicken to come to room temperature before grilling.rnRemember to always wear gloves when working with scotch bonnet peppers.rnIn determining heat I would say 1 pepper gives noticeable heat, 2 would be considered hot but tolerable by most americans, 4 would be similar to what most Jamaican jerk stands would use and 5 or 6 for those who love their heat and can tolerate it. I personally prefer to add a little more heat here and a little less in the curry itself but to each their own. If you are extremely sensitive to heat you can leave it all out or add 1/2 or 1 whole jalapeno.rnYou never want heat to overpower a dish and take away your ability to savor and enjoy it so no need for bravado here...when in doubt opt for less.
- Start a charcoal and/or wood fire. Roast the sweet bell peppers until black all over, place in paper bag to steam for a minute and then remove charred skin under running water. Remove stem and seeds and cut into 1 inch pieces.rnBrush eggplant with oil and grill on both sides for 2-3 minutes. enough to mark and add a little smoky flavor. Remove and cut into 1 inch pieces.rnGrill chicken on medium to med high hot spots of grill being careful to not burn the skin (or paste) but to color it well. Then move to cooler part of grill. cover grill and allow it to smoke until finished. Don't overcookrnIn a medium sauce pan combine stock, coconut milk, bay leaves, scotch bonnet pepper halves and then water. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes and then remove bay leaves and pepper halves. Use the heat scale as suggested for paste to decide how many peppers to steep. (pepper halves can be rinsed and frozen to use again)rnIn a dry skillet toast the first six ingredients, add the thyme leaves and grind in a spice grinder to a powder. Add the cinnamon, turmeric and salt.rnIn a large deep skillet or dutch oven add 2 T of oil and heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft. Add spices and allow to bloom. Then add eggplant, potatoes and squash. If you need a bit more oil then add. Cook veg until barely soft. (about 10 minutes) Add stock/coconut milk and tamarind paste and simmer 10 more minutes. Add plantains and sweet peppers and simmer 5 more minutes. Add mango and papaya and simmer 2 more minutes. Add lime juice and rum and simmer 1 more minute. Mound 2 cups of rice in the center of shallow bowls and ladle the curry around. Top rice mound with grilled chicken. Garnish with fresh thyme.
spice rub, onion, red bell pepper, garlic, scallions, scotch, whole allspice, whole black, thyme, nutmeg, ground cinnamon, spice powder, salt, vegetable oil, soy sauce, chicken, curry, whole allspice, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, anise seeds, fenugreek seeds, thyme, ground cinnamon, turmeric, salt, chicken stock, coconut milk, scotch bonnet peppers, bay leaves, water, sweet red bell peppers, eggplants, potatoes, butternut squash, sweet onions, garlic, tamarind paste, mangoes, plantainsblack, papaya, lime, dark rum, vegetable oil, white rice
Taken from food52.com/recipes/23783-jamaican-celebration-curry (may not work)