Does anyone have any knowledge of Carribean quisine..please advise.

[shadypines]

Hi, I am thinking of buying a Carribean cookbook called Original Flava as I read an amazing review of it. I also love watching people talk about and cook it on programmes like Masterchef. I am just wondering if anyone cooks Carribean food and where do you buy the ingredients that seem particular eg. ackee ?

Thanks ahead for any help people!

I drive to another suburb and go to Asda there. Or you could google West Indian supermarkets.

My local Sainsbury’s has a tiny West Indian section in the world food aisle too.

Akee is toxic if it’s not ripe and it’s banned in some countries, I don’t know if the UK is one of them.

On thank you for that advice noted

They sell akee in tins in Tesco and other supermarkets. Depending on where you live you can get Caribbean ingredients in supermarkets or online.

If it is the book I think it is there were some shocking typoos where you could not work out where the recipe was going ! I read it in a library. Shame as it looked great.

Most big supermarkets sell some of the key ingredients you'll need eg. Scotch bonnet peppers, Caribbean curry powder, all purpose/jerk seasoning, allspice etc

You need to go to an area where there are shops that sell Caribbean food for more specialist ingredients, though.

Ackee is expensive in the UK! About a fiver a tin.

I'm Caribbean, depends where you live. All ingredients will be available in the UK but scarcer outside of big cities. You can order Caribbean fruit & veg online from specialist stockists. I'm in London and all the supermarkets here stock Caribbean ingredients.

It's a good cookbook covers the most popular meals.

I've cooked a few of Andi Oliver's recipes from bbc.co.uk and loved them. Her 'rundown' (coconut curry) sauce was amazing with fried fish or chicken. Also Africanbites.com has Caribbean recipes, I made their curry powder and used it to make their curry goat (with lamb) and I'm hooked now. If you do find a supermarket near you that stocks ackee etc be sure to buy the tinned black beans (turtle beans) they are lovely. Anyone got recipes to share?