Mango Chow

Finally some warm(ish) weather on the East Coast! Bring on the tropical fruit!! I got some mangos that weren't quite ripe yet. Well being the impatient woman that I am, I decided to make mango chow, instead of waiting for them to get ripe :) #fooddiva 

Time: 20 minutes  

Ingredients:  

• 4 large mangos (almost ripe but still hard)
• Juice of half a lemon  
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, sliced with seeds removed  
• 2 - 3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• Salt/pepper to taste  
• 1 large handful cilantro, finely chopped

Recipe: 

1. Peel & slice the mangos into chunks.
2. Put all ingredients in a large basin & toss to coat the mango.  
3. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors combine.  

Eggball

Hard-boiled eggs covered in seasoned mashed potatoes & a homemade batter then fried to golden perfection! Try this delicious Guyanese recipe for breakfast, an easy snack, or appetizer.

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:  

• 6 hard-boiled eggs  
• 2.5 cups vegetable oil for frying  

Potato mixture: 

• 3 potatoes, washed & scrubbed
• 3 cups boiling water
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons ground onion  
• Salt to taste  

Batter:

• 4 tablespoons ground split peas 
• 4 tablespoons all purpose flour  
• 1/2 cup water (or more, added slowly to create batter consistency) 
• Salt to taste

Recipe:

1. Boil potatoes for 15 mins.
2. Mash them in a bowl with all the potato spices above, set aside.
3. Peel the hard-boiled eggs.
4. Use your hands to cover the eggs one by one with the mashed potatoes, creating a large ball.
5. Dip the ball into the batter so it's evenly coated.
6. Place the ball into the hot oil & fry for about 1 minute (or until golden).
7. Place on a paper towel to drain off any excess oil.

Serve with some homemade mango chutney or sauce of your choice!

Caribbean Chicken Patties

A warm, flaky, savory turnover with a kick of Caribbean spice!  

Time: 1 hour, 15 mins 

Serving: Makes 6 patties

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 1 pack ground chicken (or meat of your choice)
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons chilli powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1-2 sprays of PAM/other cooking spray

Crust:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons cold butter, chopped into cubes
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 egg yolk + a splash of water for egg wash

Recipe:

1. Put all crust ingredients into a food processor and pulse until a dough forms. 
   
2. Take the dough out of the food processor and form it into a ball with your hands. Cover it with clear wrap and leave it in the refrigerator for about 15-20 mins.
3. Heat a large frying pan to medium heat.  Coat the bottom evenly with cooking spray.
4. Add the ground chicken and seasonings, fry until the chicken is browned.  Allow the chicken to cool for 10 mins. 
5. Take dough out of the refrigerator and break it into 6 palm-sized balls. 
6. Roll each ball out using a rolling pin, and fill with 2 tablespoons of the ground chicken mixture. 
7. Fold the top of the dough over the filling and seal with your fingers, pressing the top and bottom together.  You can provide an additional seal using a fork pressed into the dough.
8. Make your egg wash by beating the egg yolk and a splash of room temperature water together.  Use a pastry brush to coat all of the patties with the egg wash. 
9. Bake on 350 for about 30 mins or until crust is golden brown.
10. Enjoy!