I’ve mentioned before that my uncle is Trinidadian, so West Indian food is very familiar and comforting to me. What a delight that there is Caribbean food on every single corner in Toronto and that we moved within a few blocks of Little Bangladesh and have access to some of the most delightful spices. I made a fresh curry for this stew and recommend you do the same. The smell is heavenly and the taste is out of this world! You can easily control the heat in this stew, as well, so take heart if you’re not well versed in chili peppers. Figuring out that my husband is allergic to the flesh of the coconut and not the milk has been a revelation for us and has opened up so many new cuisines. Not sure what Caribbean pumpkin is or how on earth to find it? No problem! Substitute any winter squash you want, such as butternut or acorn. Even large sweet potato chunks would do that trick here. This stew is well-spiced, but there are no chilies in it, so it is not spicy. Add as many chilies as you like, of course. We like to top with Trinidadian pepper sauce.
I used fresh tomatoes and blanched them to make them easy to peel, but canned would work just as well. It may end up needing a little more simmering time, as there will be extra liquid. It’s not a really thick stew, as it you’d serve it over rice generally, so you could add a thickener in there if you’d prefer. And feel free to add more, or different, veggies as you feel comfortable; it’s very flexible. The second time we ate it, I added some soy chunks while reheating, which were lovely.
Trinidadian Curry Powder
Adapted from here and with the help of my most beloved Auntie
Makes ~ 3/4 cup
Total time: 15 minutes
1/4 cup cinnamon bark or sticks
1/4 cup whole cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds (menthi)
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon white poppyseeds
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
8 star anise pods
6 green cardamom pods
3 tablespoons ginger powder
1/4 cup turmeric
In a heavy bottomed skillet, over medium heat, toast all the spices except the ginger and turmeric until they become fragrant. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until you can handle them. Using a spice grinder, or all your strength and a mortar and pestle, grind until smooth. Run everything through a sieve and make a second pass at the large chunks left. Store in an air-tight container, in a cool, dark place.
Pumpkin Tofu Stew
Serves 8
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 90 minutes
1 lb firm or extra firm tofu, cut into small cubes
1/3 cup canola oil, or other neutral oil
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1/4 cup garlic-ginger paste
8 medium Roma tomatoes, peeled
3 tablespoons Trinidadian curry powder, or more to taste
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 cans 440 ml (13.5 oz) full fat coconut milk
1/2 litre (2 cups) vegetarian chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups pumpkin, peeled and cut into small cubes
~1 1/2 cups chickpeas
2 large potatoes, roughly chopped
1 head of swiss chard, stems included, roughly chopped
10 okra, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon Trinidadian green seasoning, or to taste
After you’ve cubed the tofu, salt it generously. In a large skillet, heat half the oil over medium high heat. Add the tofu and brown on each side of the cube. Set aside when fully browned. In the meantime, add the other half of the oil to a large pot. Turn the heat to medium high, and add the onions and cumin seeds. Sautee until the cumin seeds become fragrant. Add the celery, carrot and garlic-ginger paste and stir to combine. Heat for another couple of minutes, stirring often to make sure the garlic-ginger paste does not burn. Add the peeled tomatoes, curry powder, thyme, coconut milk and chicken stock and taste for seasoning. Add the browned tofu, pumpkin, chickpeas and potatoes and bring to a full boil, stirring to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. Once it has boiled, reduce the heat and simmer for about a half an hour, stirring occasionally. Test the potatoes for doneness and once they are tender, add the Swiss chard and okra and taste for seasoning again. Simmer until the greens are wilted and the okra is soft. You can simmer as long as you like, and longer is always better with a stew, but as soon as the vegetables are cooked it is ready for you to add the Trinidadian green seasoning and eat. Serve with rice, dhalpuri, salad or whatever you’d like, really.