Callaloo is a soup. Or is it a sauce? Thin, or thick? It’s as thick as you want it to be! Play with the amount of water you add for your favorite consistency. Okra has a bad reputation because of its texture, but here it holds together the greens.
Callaloo is made in Jamaica, Trinidad, and all over the Caribbean! It is traditionally made with dasheen (taro) leaves. Go with any leafy green that’s fresh!
Easiest method ever. Boil everything for a while. Then eat it. That’s it!
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about 2 lbs of chopped collard, torn spinach, lamb’s quarter, kale, or whatever dark leafy greens you have (remove the toughest ribs if you’re using thick greens like collard)
1/4 cup pumpkin or other winter squash, peeled and chopped
8 okra, trimmed (fresh if you can)
1 – 2 cans of coconut milk, then fill the cans with water and add those
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 scallion, chopped
1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional – just a deseeded piece if you like it mild, or whole if you like it extra hot)
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
2 sprigs thyme
1 tsp. parsley, finely chopped
stock, broth, or water and bouillon (as needed)
Salt to taste
Add everything to a soup pot and simmer for 30-40 minutes (with baby spinach or other young greens) or an hour (for collards or tough older greens), or until the greens are tender. Leave the heat fairly low and stir often – coconut milk will burn. You will have to add extra liquid if it gets thick, so keep an eye on it. You can add stock or broth if you have it, or even just water.
When it’s done, add a teaspoon or two of butter or margarine.
Simply Trini shows it over rice with avocado slices and chunks of meat. It’s just as good with rice and beans!
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adapted from simply trini cooking and caribbean pot
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edit 1/14/2016
It’s delicious! I made it with a pound of baby spinach, green chard, red chard, and kale, and a small golden nugget squash. I left out the parsley and okra and it was still great. If you like your greens sweet, you’ll love this!
fried sig 