Jamaican Oxtail Stew

This is a mouth watering dish , the oxtail is so soft and tender in a flavourful gravy. It’s fall of the bone tender goodness. Perfect to warm you on a cold winters day. It’s soul satisfying. 

This is a one pot dish that can be cooked in a pressure cooker /ninja/slow cooker.

Ingredients:

1 kg oxtail ( ask your butcher to cut into small pieces)

1 large onion chopped

2-3 spring onions chopped

2-3 garlic cloves chopped finely

1/2 tsp crushed black pepper

Handful of Thyme leaves 

1 stock cube

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

6-8 allspice berries

2 tbsp tomato puree

1 whole scotch bonnet chopped finely

1 tbsp honey/ brown sugar- this is to cut the spice 

1 tin butter beans

1 chopped carrot

Salt for seasoning

Method:

1. Wash the oxtail well. I usually soak for a little while in water and dash for vinegar. Once throughly cleaned, rinse and keep aside.
2. Marinate the oxtail with the above ingredients besides the honey/sugar, butter beans, carrots & tomato puree. Leave overnight or for atleast 2 hours.
3. When ready to cook, remove the meat pieces and separate from the rest of the marinade. 
4. Add oil to a large pot and add the oxtail to brown. Once it has got a nice colour & char, remove and keep aside.
5. Add the marinade and water, scrape the bottom and make sure you get all the caramelised bits. 
6. Add the oxtail back in and pressure cook for 10 mins. Release the pressure once done and check, if it’s not tender, pressure cook for further 5 mins.
7. Add in the butter beans and carrots and let the sauce thicken. Check the spice level and add sugar/honey. Once the carrot is soft and gravy thickened. Take off the heat.
8. Enjoy with rice & peas and coleslaw. 

Afghani Egg Curry

 A simple twist to the standard egg curry.. perfect dish to go along with parathas

Ingredients 

8 eggs boiled and slit

2 onions chopped

3 green chillies

1/2 tsp whole cumin

1 inch cinnamon stick

1 cardamom pod

2 cloves

6 peppercorns

1/2 inch ginger 

2 cloves of garlic 

Handful of cashew nuts 

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp pepper powder

2 tbsp beaten yoghurt 

1 tbsp kasoori methi

Salt for seasoning 

Method

1. In a kadai heat some ghee, add whole cumin and the whole spices. Once it starts to leave an aroma add the ginger & garlic. Fry for a minute and then add the onions and green chillies. Sauté until golden before adding the cashews. Take off the heat and blend to a smooth paste. When blending add 2 ice cubes as this will make it creamy.

2. In the same kadai, add some more ghee and the turmeric, red chilli powder and pepper powder, mix well. Fry the eggs in this mixture and keep aside.

3. Add the blended masala now to the kadai, check for seasoning. Add the yogurt and stir well. Once it starts to bubble add crushed kasoori methi. Stir and then add the eggs. Check for seasoning and serve with hot parathas.