Original Flava: Caribbean Recipes from Home

Product Information

I don't normally review but seriously, the red pea stew is one of my all-time fav comfort foods and it's the best base recipe I've found and I'm so happy to have it in an actual book. I wish the recipes had some general cook-times listed, but while they don’t, the recipes also don’t seem like they would take all day. This spicy tofu curry went down a real treat and I would happily devour this again and again (infact we froze leftovers and I have already had those too). Think Potato and C hickpea Curry with Roti, Jerk C auliflower Wings, Coconut, Black-Eyed Pea and Sweet Potato Stew, and Plantain Cookies . Classic recipes like Ackee ‘n’ Saltfish, Oxtail, Curry goat, Jerk Chicken and Caribbean favourites like Garlic butter lobster and Trini doubles.

But the recipe I’m sharing with you today, because it would be an act of unspeakable cruelty not to, is for the Rum-Roasted Potatoes. Caribbean food makes for brilliant vegan dishes because it relies on fresh and vibrant fruit and veg from plantain to pineapple. Our Mum and Nanny taught us to cook, and Original Flava is all about meals that are vibrant, lively, exciting, and full of the influences from different cultures that make the Caribbean island of Jamaica so wonderful.Natural Flava brings together Ital inspiration, punchy Caribbean flava and quick and easy recipes in this feel-good cookbook. A really refreshing and enjoyable cookbook that I would recommend to any Caribbean/spicy food lovers.

I was a little daunted by the book at the beginning when it kept asking for ingredients that I’ve either never heard of, or are very difficult to procure for the average Canadian. They have since been featured on the BBC, Buzzfeed, BET Network, London Live and Reprezent Radio, and successfully self-published their first cookbook Caribbean Cookbook in 2017.In April 2016, they launched the Original Flava brand, sharing videos of them cooking simple Caribbean recipes. All that having been said, if you can look past the new and surprising ingredients -the chapter in breakfast is especially stuffed with them- this is a great book. This is rare for many reasons that are maybe too related to neurodiversity/mental to go into but significant enough, reader, to get those 5 stars. We want to give you platefuls that taste like grandma's food so there are recipes for classics like Ackee 'n' Saltfish and Curry Goat, and Caribbean favourites from home such as Garlic Butter Lobster and Trini Doubles.