Recipes

Simplified Caribbean Style Stewed Pigeon Peas using canned Pigeon Peas {Vegan}

Simplified Caribbean Style Stewed Pigeon Peas {using Canned Pigeon Peas}

When I was a child, in my mind, the Dominican Republic was clearly divided into 3 groups of people: the stewed kidney beans lovers, like me and my grandpa. The pigeon peas lovers, like my sister and my mom; and the “undecided”, who loved  every legume on earth; including split peas, chickpeas and lentils that I hated at the time. As I grew older, and moved around different countries, the flavors from home became very dear to me, so I opened my heart and tummy even for those dishes I didn’t enjoy at the time, and my love for traditional foods grew from there. 

In this recipe for Caribbean Style Stewed Pigeon Peas I use canned pigeon peas to make it easier and more convenient if you are abroad. You can often find canned pigeon peas in some African shops and latin mini markets in cities like Rotterdam and Antwerp. Even some surinamese shops sell it sometimes. If by any chance you come across frozen pigeon peas, you can grab those as well. Just rinse before using, and keep in mind the cooking time is going to increase. 

Probably the most important steps for this Caribbean Style Stewed Pigeon Peas are the preparation of the garlic-oregano base, and the blending of the veggies and some legumes. Keep that in mind if you want to have authentic flavor and texture. 

Simplified Caribbean Style Stewed Pigeon Peas {Vegan}

Course Lunch
Cuisine Dominican Republic

Ingredients
  

  • 1200 gr Pigeon Peas, canned
  • 30 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2 Tbsp)
  • 20 gr Fresh garlic cloves
  • 10 gr Dried Oregano
  • 50 gr Yellow onion, cut in half
  • 1 Green bell pepper, cut in half
  • 10 gr Fresh Cilantro (also known as Coriander and Chinese Parsley)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a mortar and pestle, crush garlic and dried oregano with a pinch of salt, into a paste.
  • Add the olive oil in the pot and cook the garlic-oregano paste on low flame until fragrant.
  • Add the canned pigeon peas, and the rest of the ingredients, except for the salt. Cook on medium-low with the lid on for about 20 minutes.
  • Remove the lid, and with a soup ladle take one full spoonful of pigeon peas and add to a blender, together with the cooked onion, green bell pepper and cilantro. Blend until smooth. You can add a little bit of the liquid to avoid overheating the blender.
  • Add the blended mixture back to the pot and let it cook for a few more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve with white rice, salad and fried yellow plantains on the side. Enjoy!
Keyword legumes, pigeon peas

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3 Ingredients Coconut Macaroons {Gluten-Free, Passover-Friendly}

3 Ingredients Coconut Macaroons {Gluten-Free, Passover-Friendly}​

3 Ingredients Coconut Macaroons {Gluten-Free, Passover-Friendly}

I remember being a fan of all things coconut, and I still am. It’s aroma it’s one of those things that easily transports me to my roots in the Dominican Republic. It is also a feeling ingredient, that can be added to many dishes, savory and sweet, and prepared in many ways. Now, this cookies combine two things that I enjoy: coconut and crunch. 

Are you a fan of peanut or nut butters? You might want to try these Peanut Butter Cookies which are also made with 3 ingredients.

These cookies are perfect because: 

 – They are passover-friendly 

– It’s made with very few ingredients and requires short prep.

– You can increase this recipe easily to make bigger batches depending your needs.

 

I baked these cookies for 8 minutes and by the time they were golden all around, crunchy on the outside and a little creamy on the inside. You can reduce the oven temperature to 325F and bake for about 10-15 minutes if you want set cookies that are just lightly crunchy and more creamy. 

Semi sweet chocolate drizzle is a nice addition to this cookies, once they are baked and completely cooled down. 

 

Enjoy!

3 Ingredients Coconut Macaroons {Gluten-Free, Passover-Friendly}
3 Ingredients Coconut Macaroons {Gluten-Free, Passover-Friendly}
3 Ingredients Coconut Macaroons {Gluten-Free, Passover-Friendly}

3 Ingredients Coconut Macaroons {Gluten-Free, Passover-Friendly}

Course Snack
Servings 14 Cookies (20 grs each)

Ingredients
  

  • 140 gr Coconut  (Finely shredded)
  • 70 gr Egg whites
  • 70 gr Granulated Sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and line your baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment paper.
  • Mix all of your ingredients in a small saucepan, turn on the heat and start heating the mixture while stirring, until the mixture is well incorporated and the coconut is moist.
  • Scoop out cookies of about 20 grams onto your baking sheet. You can also shape little balls in your hands and flatten a little.
  • Bake in your preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until your cookies turn a light golden color.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.
  • This keep well stored in an airtight container for several weeks.

Notes

Optional: You can drizzle or cover these cookies with semi-sweet chocolate or couverture.
Keyword baking, cookies, dairy-free, Gluten-free, passover, sweet treats

Have you make these Peanut Butter Cookies? Use the tag #kasheribbean to share on social media and, don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our easy recipes from us and the blogosphere!

 

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Super Crusty No Knead Bread {Vegan}

Super Crusty No-Knead Bread {Vegan}

With this easy No-Knead bread we officially start our Pre-Pesach cleaning season. Ha! Better to start early with the cleaning of the infamous flour in the cabinets and this is an excellent recipe to get started, as it is effortless and you just need 4 basic ingredients, a bowl, a “caldero” ( or you can use a cast iron pot or dutch oven with a lid) and patience to wait until is done!  

You may also like Coconut Milk Brioche with Chocolate Chunks & Vegan Challah

Any person that bakes at home has to eventually make this super crusty No-Knead Bread. The most basic of all breads, continue to be the king, for its simplicity and perfect crusty exterior. It also requires minimum effort on our part, and it so versatile you can have it ready tomorrow for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. Any time is the perfect time to have freshly baked bread at home so, let’s get to it! 

Once you have mixed the dough, the dough have to rest for a long time. This is the price we have to pay for “no knead bread”!! This process is call “fermentation”. It is when the yeast is activated and start eating the sugars and fermenting the dough. I am not going to get into the nitty gritty of bread baking here, but essentially this process will help our dough rise, among other things. 

I let my dough for 12-14 hours at room temperature, and it was good; but in reality the fermentation process can be a lot longer (up to 24 hours in this particular case) if you want. This will develop more complex aromas in the dough. It’s magic happening. Your dough will be ready when is full of tiny air bubbles, very elastic, and at least doubled in size (image #1). At this point you need to she a ball. Your dough will be sticky so don’t panic. Shape a ball and get ready to bake. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: keep in mind that, when shaping YOU DON’T WANT TO INCORPORATE MORE FLOUR INTO THE DOUGH , you just need enough flour to be able to shape the dough into a ball without it being a sticky mess.

It is always a good idea to have some hummusbabaganoush and salads ready for when it’s munch time! 

Easy, Vegan & Super Crusty No Knead Bread {Just 4-ingredients}

Course Breakfast, Dinner

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven or Cast Iron

Ingredients
  

  • 450 gr Bread flour
  • 300 gr Lukewarm water
  • 4 gr Instant yeast
  • 10 gr Salt

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl, combine flour, yeast and salt. Add the water and mix well with a fork or wooden spoon until a rough dough is formed.
  • Place the rough dough on a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature (see notes) for at least 12-14 hours.
  • Before you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 232°C (450°F). Place the cast iron pot or dutch oven with its lid inside to preheat as well.
  • Place the fermented dough on a flat surface sprinkled with enough flour to avoid the dough from sticking. Gently shape a ball.
  • Carefully take the cast iron pot out of the oven, place a piece of baking paper on it and gently place the dough ball inside.
  • Put the lid on the dutch oven, take back to the oven and bake for 30 minutes
  • After 30 minutes, carefully remove the lid and bake for another 30 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and crusty.

Notes

The time of 12-14 hours is average for room temperature (around 20°C or 68°F).
If the average temperature in your kitchen is over room temperature, you can ferment your dough in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap for up to 24 hrs. If that's the cake, before you are ready to bake, take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before shaping and baking. 
If the average temperature in your kitchen is colder than room temperature, you can leave your dough to ferment in he counter. It might just take a bit longer to be ready for baking. 
Keyword baking, bread

When you make this easy Crusty No-Knead Bread use the hashtag #kasheribbean to share on social media and, don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our easy recipes from us and the blogosphere!

 

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Peanut Butter Hamantaschen

4-Ingredients Peanut Butter Hamantaschen {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free}

4 Ingredients Peanut butter Hamantaschen {Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free}

Call me crazy for taking the classic Peanut Butter Cookies and making them “purim style”  in hamantaschen shape. This was the genius idea of my son and niece who wanted to make peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips, but changed the shape of the cookies mid-way through the process, and although I was skeptical, it worked. 

If you are looking for an easy recipe to have some baking fun with the little ones, these 4 ingredients Peanut Butter Hamantaschen with chocolate filling might be what you are looking for. 

Turning a classic into Peanut Butter Hamantaschen

To make these Peanut Butter Hamantaschen you’ll need 4 simple ingredients, you probably have at home right now:  peanut butter, eggs, sugar and chocolate chips, ganache or nutella (or your filling of preference). 

The process couldn’t be easier, just mix the ingredients in bowl (except for the chocolate chips), as you would when making the classic peanut butter cookies, and and mix with a fork or hand mixer until it has the consistency of a thick batter.

Peanut butter Hamantaschen
Peanut butter Hamantaschen

After this what is left is portioning the cookies, shaping and baking. I find that smaller cookies are easier to handle, so I weigh portions of 25-30 grams each. Flatten each one in your hands, pinch with a fork, place the filling in the center and shape. Transfer to a baking sheet for baking, and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 12 minutes. 

Peanut butter Hamantaschen
Peanut Butter Hamantaschen

4-Ingredients Peanut Butter Hamantaschen {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free}

Course Dessert

Ingredients
  

  • 400 gr Creamy Peanut Butter

  • 100 ml Eggs
  • 100 gr Granulated Sugar
  • 200 gr chocolate chips, ganache or nutella

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF) and line a baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment paper.
  • In a bowl, combine peanut butter, sugar and eggs and mix well with a fork until the mixture thickens
  • Scoop out portions of 25 grams each (you can make them smaller or bigger as you please), flat them out and pinch the center with a fork.
  • Add the chocolate chips, ganache or nutella in the center and shape the cookies into a triangle by folding in the edges.
  • Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a gap in between so they can expand.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes (baking time may vary depending on the size of your cookies)
  • Cookies are done when they are lightly brown at the bottom and firm to the touch.
Keyword baking, cookies, Purim

Have you make these Peanut Butter Hamantaschen recipe or any other from the blog? Use the tag #kasheribbean to share on social media and, don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our easy recipes from us and the blogosphere!

 

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Classic Hamantaschen {Dairy-Free}

Classic Hamantaschen {Dairy-Free}

These must be the easiest crunchy on the outside and cake-y on the inside Classic Hamantaschen.

Easy to make,
No need equipment. Just basically a bowl, a whisk and an oven.

It is made with simple, accessible ingredients.
Seven to be exact.

To make these Classic Hamantaschen, you’ll need the most basic ingredients for baking: Flour, sugar, eggs, oil and some flavorings. In this particular recipe I used melted coconut oil to avoid the vegetable oil, but you can use vegetable oil if that’s what you have on hand.

What I love the most about these cookies is that you don’t need a stand-mixer or hand mixer. Your hands, a whisk and a bowl will do the trick. All you have to do is mix all ingredients (except flour) in a bowl. Then, incorporate most of the flour, making sure there is not dry bits when you finish mixing. Finally, add the last 50 grams or so of flour, and work the dough lightly with your hands to finish mixing very well (make sure you don’t overwork it).

Some of you may be wondering, “how do I weight eggs?” In USA, you’ll find a standard large egg is about 50 grams and, an extra large weighs approximately 55 grams. To measure eggs by weight start by cracking a few into a bowl until you are close to the amount you need. Once you are short a few grams, take another egg, whisk it on a separate bowl, and weigh the amount you need. 

This is not your typical cookie dough. It is slightly sticky and that can make it a bit challenging to work. You can help yourself with baking paper, or just shape the cookies in your hands. It might be helpful to use gloves or lightly oil your palms before starting.

All you have to do is place one ball of dough  in your hand, flatten it out to form a circle, place the jam on the center and fold in the edges to form a triangle. You can also roll out the dough and between two sheets of baking paper. 

My favorite fillings for these cookies are berries jam, pineapple jam, Nutella or chocolate chips, and peanut butter, but the possibilities are endless. If you need some inspiration check these posts for some sweet and savory ideas: 

 Sweet Hamantaschen Round-Up & Savory Hamantaschen Round Up

Classic Hamantaschen {Dairy-Free}

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 450 gr Self-Rising Flour*

  • 130 gr Granulated sugar
  • 125 gr Eggs
  • 100 gr Coconut Oil, melted** (or vegetable oil)
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp Salt

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl mix eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla extract and salt.
  • Then, add 400gr of the flour and start mixing with a fork until you have a homogeneous dough, with no dry flour. Then, mix in the rest 50n grams with your hands.
  • Weight balls 0f 30 grams each (each ball will be a cookie). Place the dough on your hands, flatten the dough out, shaping a circle with approximately 1/4" thickness.
  • Place your preferred jam in the center, then fold in the sides of the circle to achieve a triangular shape.
  • Place carefully on a baking sheet covered with parchment and bake at 180°C (350°F) for aprox. 12-15 minutes or until the bottom is light golden brown.
  • Let them rest for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely if you really can wait lol (I couldn't!)

Notes

  • For this recipe I use Self-Rising flour because is the one I had at home. If you don't have it you can also mix All-Purpose with 1 1/2 (one and a hallf) teaspoon of baking powder. Mix well and sift a couple of times for even distribution of the baking powder.
  • You can also use vegetable oil for this recipe, or any other with mild flavor. 
Keyword hamantaschen, Purim

Have you make this Spinach-Basil & Walnut Pesto, or any other from the blog? Use the tag #kasheribbean to share on social media and, don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our easy recipes from us and the blogosphere!

 

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