November 7, 2019April 22, 2020 3min readBy Zheel Patel
Nothing beats summer time, but I think there is something even more special about the fall. Fall is my favorite season because there are sooo many reasons to love this time of year. The crisp air, the warm smells, foliage, chunky sweaters, apple-cider donuts, and of course pumpkin spice EVERYTHING… Yes, I know I’m basic AF, ohhh well!
What better way to welcome the fall than to have a bowl of hearty warm chili on a crisp cool night? It’s a one-pot wonder, filled with beans, vegetables, and deep warm flavors; topped with sour cream, cheese, and jalapeños.
This chili is my go-to meal for the fall, its super easy and quick to make. And best of all, it only requires one pot! Which means easy clean up, giving you more time to cuddle on the couch with Netflix and your loved ones! Hope y’all enjoy this warm bowl of happiness.
Stay happy, stay hungry!
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes Total time: 40 minutes
Serving: 6 People
Ingredients:
· 1 can black beans
· 1 can garbanzo beans
· 1 can red kidney beans
· 1 can white kidney beans
· 1 large onion, chopped
· 2 celery sticks, chopped
· 3 carrots, chopped
· 4 garlic cloves, chopped
· 1 green bell pepper, chopped
· 2 jalapeños, 1 chopped/1 sliced
· 1 tomato, chopped
· 1 tbs olive oil
· 3 tbs chipotle adobe sauce
· ½ cup of salsa (optional, highly recommended)
· 1 pack Old-El-Paso taco seasoning
· 1 tsp red chili powder
· 1 tsp paprika (optional)
· 1 tsp garlic powder
· 2 cups water
· 3 cubes vegetable bullion (you can use vegetable stock instead as well)
· Salt to taste
· Sour cream, for topping
· Cheese, for topping
1. In a large colander, add all the canned beans and rinse thoroughly with water. Set it aside until ready to use.
2. Heat a large stockpot to medium high heat, add the oil to the pan then add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Then add the peppers and jalapenos and cook for additional 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes to the pan with a little bit of water. Add all the seasonings, spices, chipotle sauce, and the bullion cubes. Mix everything thoroughly and let it cook until the spices are fragrant (1-2 minutes).
4. Add the salsa, beans, and water. Mix well and let it cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Then turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes with closed lid, stirring occasionally.
5. When serving, top it off with jalapeños, cheese and sour cream.
NOTES:
· You can use any beans and vegetables you like.
· Chili can be served over quinoa as well.
· This dish can also be made in a crock-pot or slow cooker.
January 3, 2023January 10, 2023 3min readBy Subrina Singh
Curried Chicken with Roti Parata or Roti, popular Middle Eastern/Indian cuisine
It is officially that time of year—the holiday season. There’s nothing like Christmas and New Year’s in the West Indies. Between the pepperpot in Guyana and the palm trees decorated in lights in Trinidad, the home food, warm weather and laid-back ambiance makes us wish we could escape the cold and head back to the Caribbean. Most of us, however, cannot “take holiday” and find ourselves hungry for fresh dhal puri and doubles. But, thanks to these Indo-Caribbean food bloggers, we can bring the motherland to our kitchens.
From Diwali mithai specialties to curry chicken, Matthew is creating a name for himself as a young Guyanese food blogger. He makes a great effort to incorporate Hindu holidays and traditions on his Instagram account, in conjunction with the customary foods and sweets associated with these religious events. However, his expertise does not end there, with new and alternative recipes for classic dishes such as curry chicken and bhara, Matthew takes center stage sharing both traditional Guyanese dishes as well as specific religious dishes made for festivals. His most popular YouTube video, with 1.4 million views, features his grandmother and focuses on the best tips to make the softest Guyanese paratha roti. In addition, his YouTube account is home to many videos offering guidance to Indo Caribbean cooking. Find recipes at @mattews.guyanese.cooking
Natasha Laggan of Trini Cooking with Natasha is wildly popular throughout the Caribbean and the U.S. With humble beginnings, Natasha credits her love of food to her family’s business. She speaks of the nostalgia home food provides her as she reminisces memories of her grandmother’s cooking and helping her mother make sandwiches early in the morning. Featured by Forbes, Natasha grew her Facebook following quickly throughout the pandemic by posting old YouTube videos. Today, she has more than 1 million followers on Facebook and over 200K followers on YouTube. She uses her passion for cooking and Trinidadian culture to bring easy-to-follow recipes to viewers. Her following has now reached the West Indian diaspora globally as she has also become a brand ambassador to two well-known food companies. Follow the food expert @trinicookingwithnatasha.
With over 100K followers on YouTube, Ria is quite the expert when it comes to making roti. Her dhal puri, sada roti and paratha roti tutorials have over 1M views! However, her expertise does not stop there. Of the 180 YouTube tutorials, her recipes vary from curry to other Trinidadian favorites like macaroni pie and pigtail soup. Just scrolling through her YouTube page makes your mouth water. From doubles to classic Trinidad bakes like pound cake and sweet bread, she provides precision and anecdotal commentary while guiding you through the familiarity of home food. Check out Ria’s page at @cookingwithria.
Known as Chef Devan, Devan Rajkumar embraces his Guyanese Canadian heritage by creating recipes combining flavors of both the East and West Indies. His love of food has allowed him to expand his role to judge in a popular Canadian cooking show: Food Network Canada’s Fire Masters. His cooking often blends the flavors of multiple cultures but also creates the classic recipes of his motherland. With a multitude of interests, Chef Dev uses his social media platform to connect with followers by sharing various aspects of his life that go beyond cooking. His most recent YouTube video provides a trailer for an upcoming video “Tastes Guyana” which shows him exploring Guyana from the inside, specifically deep parts of the inner country. To learn more about Chef Devan follow @chefdevan.
Reshmi is the chef behind the growing blog, Taste of Trinbago. A Trinidadian native who now resides in Texas, she uses her love of food and Trinidadian culture to share hacks, tips and easy recipes with West Indians throughout the globe. She finds a way to simplify traditional West Indian meals, that we once watched our elders make with curiosity. From holiday specialties like black cake to Diwali delicacies, Reshmi has brought vegetarian and non-veg recipes to followers in an extremely accessible way. She even posts recipe cards on her IG highlights for followers who may need written instructions. Her IG profile is a mix of various West Indian foods while also sharing bits of her life and even her secrets to baby food. Follow her @tasteoftrinbago.
These are just five Indo Caribbean food bloggers sharing their secrets to easy cooking. The once very daunting recipes and food instructions our parents gave have been simplified by most of these bloggers through video, voice over and modernized recipes. We no longer have to estimate a “dash, pinch or tuk” of any masala. We are just days away from Christmas and this is the perfect time to find the best-suited recipe to make that paratha for Santa.
[Read Related: A Perfect Weekend Brunch: Red Curry Shakshuka]
