MY FAVOURITE DISH

By johanne James

Hi there my friends, I hope you’ve all had a good week.

Anyway, we all like to eat, do we not? Indeed we do, so I’m going to tell you of my favourite dish, or dishes. Now me being of Caribbean descent, but being brought up in the UK, means that my tastes have become quite varied over the years. Now add a bit of vegan thrown in and we have a right old mix! I tell you what, I’ll give you just three of what sends my taste buds into overdrive!

So in reverse order at number three is something that is so simple you’ll ask what on earth is it doing here? I love making pasta and vegetables, you can buy a bag of mixed veg, stir fry, at Tesco for a £1.00. Add an onion, some garlic, olive oil and whole wheat pasta and hey presto, a healthy and wholesome meal, and quite filling to boot!

Coming in at number two is what we would have on a Sunday afternoon. For all you Caribs out there, you know exactly what I’m going to say. Yes, rice and peas! Now the peas could be Gongo, Kidney or Black Eye mixed in with a savoury rice. Add some side dishes, like sweet potato, brown lentils, callaloo (which is spinach), ladies fingers (ocra), herbs and spices. Plantain and green banana, dasheen, cassava and yam, which are root vegetables and full of natural steroids. Just ask Usain Bolt as to why he can run so fast? Thrown in are some more mixed veg, salad and there you have it. The only thing missing is the chicken, lamb or beef of which I do not indulge, and no, I’m not inviting any of you to dinner. And besides, those of you living outside the UK, due to the Brexit fiasco, just lick your fingers instead!

But at number one is a dish called Roti. For those of who don’t know what of this, it has an Indian influence, much rather like an economy sized Chapati, but this has split peas thrown into the mix. All very exotic. Now you can have whatever filling you like. Chicken, beef, lamb, fish, goat, vegetable or chickpea and potato curry. Now when you wrap the filling of your choice into this, let’s call it a Chapati even though it isn’t, and take your first bite, you’ll swear that you have just seen the face of God himself who is also indulging in one, along with a glass of carrot juice. I suspect that the man upstairs is a vegan? But I won’t argue if he wishes to partake in a bit of whatever he may fancy! I may find myself picking up single grains of sand in the Sahara until it’s cleared!

Cultures tend to borrow from one another, do they not, to enhance their own as nobody knows it all. Indian, Chinese and Caribbean are closely related in many culinary aspects. But whatever dish you most enjoy, then enjoy it. In fact talking about all this food has made me somewhat hungry. I’ll just nip down to Burger King. Just kidding!

Thanks for listening.

Johanne James