Callaloo
Dasheen (taro) leaves simmered down with okra, coconut milk, and crab or salted meat until thick, silky, and smooth, the okra's natural mucilage a deliberate feature rather than a flaw. Rooted in West African leafy-green stewing traditions carried by enslaved Africans, Trinidad's version is genuinely distinct from Jamaican callaloo, which uses amaranth greens sauteed dry rather than dasheen leaves simmered into a soup; the two are not interchangeable despite sharing a name.
Meat-optional
⚠ Contains: Shellfish, Dairy. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 2 lb dasheen (taro) leaves, stems removed and chopped
- 1 lb okra, sliced
- 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
- 4 cups water or stock
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 scallions
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper, whole
- 1 lb crab, cleaned and halved, or smoked/salted pigtail, optional
- 2 tbsp butter or oil
- Salt, black pepper, and fresh thyme, to taste
Steps
- Wash and chop the dasheen leaves and okra.
- In a large pot, combine the dasheen leaves, okra, onion, garlic, scallion, thyme, and water or stock, and bring to a boil.
- Add the crab or pigtail if using, and the whole scotch bonnet.
- Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 30-40 minutes until the leaves are fully soft and starting to break down.
- Remove the scotch bonnet and any bones or shells.
- Blend or mash the mixture until smooth, then stir in the coconut milk and butter.
- Simmer another 10 minutes until thickened and silky, season with salt and pepper, and serve as a soup or side with rice.