Callaloo Soup

The Callaloo is a creamy soup originally from the Caribbean. This soup is made with okra and dasheen or water spinach leaves. There are many variation of callaloo which may include coconut milk, crab, meat, etc.

This soup have a very dark green color, it's very rich in flavor and in iron. Callaloo is serve in Trinidad & Tobago as a side dish.

Every Sunday the majority of the Trinidadian enjoy what is called "Sunday's Lunch", almost every body cook the same meal that day, thi may include macarroni pie, curried meat, boiled plantain, white rice and of course callaloo, some people eat it as a soup while others just used it as a dressing for other dishes like macarroni pie.


Ingredients
Serves 8

12 dasheen or callaloo leaves
1/4 lb. salted beef or salted pork or 1/2 lb.
8 ochroes / okras
4 stalks chive
2 spring thyme
1/2 cup chopped onion
t tsp. minced garlic
2 crabs, cleaned and broken in pieces
1 whole hot pepper (optional)
2 cups of coconut milk
2 cups hot water
1 tbsp. cooking butter

Method:

1. Strip stalk and midrib  from leaves; wash an cut leaves and the soft stalk.
2. Soak and cut salted beef or salted pork in bite-size pieces.
3. Cut ochroes, chives and thyme in small pieces.
4. In a large pot or skillet put callaloo leave, salted meat, ochroes, chive, thyme, onion, garlic, crab, hot pepper, coconut milk and water .
5. Bring to the boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or more until everything is soft and cooked.
6. Remove hot pepper, swizzle or beat with a hand beater.
7. Add cooking butter and stir well. Adjust salt and pepper.

Serve as a soup or accompanied with rice and ground provision




Recipe taken from: The Multicultural Cuisine of Trinidad & Tobago  & the Caribbean, Naparima Girls' High School Cookbook.

For more Trinidadian food recipe check the Trinidadian Food link