Callaloo soup recipe

Dominica national dish of young dasheen leaves stewed down with okra, coconut milk and salted pork until thick and green.

2 hours and 5 minuteseasy11 ingredients

Ingredients

• 400 g dasheen leaves
• 8 okra
• 300 g salted pigtail
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 250 g pumpkin
• 1 onion
• 3 clove garlic
• 1 bunch thyme
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1500 ml water

How to make Callaloo soup

1. Cover 300 g salted pigtail with cold water, boil 10 minutes, drain and repeat once to pull out the excess salt.
2. Strip the tough midribs from 400 g young dasheen leaves and shred them; use only young leaves, older ones stay itchy on the throat.
3. Simmer the pigtail in 1.5 litres of fresh water for 40 minutes until it starts to soften.
4. Add the shredded dasheen leaves, 8 sliced okra and 250 g diced pumpkin and cook 20 minutes; the okra is the thickener, do not leave it out.
5. Stir in 1 chopped onion, 3 crushed garlic cloves, 1 bunch thyme and 1 whole scotch bonnet left unbroken for aroma without heat.
6. Pour in 400 ml coconut milk and simmer uncovered 15 minutes.
7. Fish out the scotch bonnet, then swizzle the pot hard with a wooden lele (or mash with a whisk) until the leaves break down into a thick green puree with some texture left; a blender gives a smooth soup that is not callaloo.
8. Season with 1 tsp black pepper, taste for salt, and simmer 5 more minutes.
9. Serve hot with boiled provisions, dumplings or rice.

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