This one is for all my Berbicians or anyone who is wanting to try something new.
Let’s talk about one of my all time favorite Guyanese food. Gosh, i say that about everything don’t I? But I seriously post things that I absolutely love to eat.
Today, my dad made some Cook- Up Rice. Cook-Up rice is one of Guyana’s national dish that is usually a household favorite on the weekends. It is such a hearty meal. No joke. It is made up of Chicken, Beef or Pork or sometimes fried fish, your preferred beans/chickpeas, lots of provisions and vegetables and everything that is good for you. Don’t forget your hot peppers. It wouldn’t be the same without those peppers.
I’m exposed to two kinds of cook up rice.This one is my family’s way of making. It’s a bit more on the soupy side. The other is more of a dry down style which is how my husband cooks it since he is from Georgetown. (That will be another post) It really doesn’t matter which type it is because it is so delicious either way. It seems like you can’t go wrong making this dish, everyone has a different way of cooking and their preferred ingredients are different from mine but that’s what makes it the best Cook-Up Rice.
In anticipation of the warmer weather, no doubt, we are all thinking of those cocktails that we have enjoyed over the years. Rightfully! As it has been a tough little bit. The only other obstacle in our way are all those Covid-19 restrictions that created a gap between us and our favorite mixer and watering holes.
Whiles we wait for things get back to normalcy, Here are some classical cocktails that is so easy to mix and just as refreshing and satisfying. We are also introducing one of the best Premium Caribbean Brew that is a must in your refrigerator this summer.
HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITE SUMMER DRINKS THAT YOU CAN MAKE AND ENJOY AT HOME WITH GOOD COMPANY
Gin & Tonic
Simple Cocktail, fill your glass with Ice add your Gin then your tonic and smile as the buzz comes around. There is also a calorie-wise version , use sugar-free tonic water.
Blend with ice until smooth. Pour into chilled glass, garnish and serve. Alternatively add Rum, Mix and Ice in cocktail Shaker , Shake for 30 seconds Pour into chilled glass ( Poco Grande) garnish and enjoy.
Keyword Cocktail, Piña colada, Summer Drinks
4. Red Stripe – When all else fails the Stripes neve lets you down. This Caribbean Beer with its origin in Jamaica is just as refreshing as the drinks mentioned above. They are available at most LCBO and Beer Store in Canada.
This will be a fairly short post but I knew I had to share this with anyone who might not have heard about the famous Cream Soda and Milk drink. At least that’s what I called it. I’m sure if you are from the Caribbean, then you are fully aware of this magical drink.
I remember having these when I was younger and then completely forgot about it until recently. My husband picked up a bottle of Cream Soda and I thought what a perfect time to introduce this delicious drink to my little ones. The idea was to give them a taste of home that they’ve never experienced. I can tell you that both Nate and Soph are now obsessed with it.
You need three things to make the best beverage for anyone with a sweet tooth.
Ice
Cream Soda. (We use the Pink one because the kids love the color)
Evaporated Milk
Follow these simple steps and be prepared to have had the best sweet drink ever. This is how I make it but others might have different ways.
Fill your glass with a quarter of crushed ice.
Add half the glass with Cream Soda.
Top it off by adding a quarter of evaporated milk. The thick creamy milk is the bomb.com. No joke.
Give it a stir and BOOM.
There you have it, the best beverage to have on a really warm day especially if you were craving something a little sweet. This is even better when paired with your favorite pastries. One of our favorites are Pine Tarts or Cheese rolls. Enjoy!
If you’ve never had Cassava pone, then you are missing out. Simple as that. My mom would make this treat every now and again and for some reason I’ve always thought that it was too difficult to try making on my own. It wasn’t until today, i realized how simple this recipe is and the taste would blow your mind.
Pones are a very popular snack in Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean. Although I’m not clear on where it was originated from, It seems that many believes that it was the Amerindians. Whether it is or not, I’m thankful for this delicious, gooey snack.
The main ingredients are Cassava and Coconut, everything else is just a support. For this recipe, we used the frozen versions of the cassava and coconut and honestly it was just as good as if we used the fresh ingredients. If you are like me and have a sweet tooth, try drizzling some condense milk over the pone. Enjoy and be sure to let me know how it comes out for you.
If you are here, it means you have a sweet tooth and Mithai is one sweets that I can never have too much of. My mom’s Mithai are so soft and delicious that there is never enough to go around the family. People make and share this sweet for religious functions such as Diwali, Holi or even when you are just craving something sweet, which is usually me every other week 🙂
This divine sweet is worth discovering and it’s even easier to make than one would think. I’m one of those people that thought it was too complicated to even try making myself and it wasn’t until I filmed my mom making it that I thought how simple this really is. I will be posting these videos on my youtube as well so that you can always reference back to. If you are the type of person that prefers to print the recipe out and keep in a binder, feel free to do so by clicking below.
Let’s make some Mithai !
Guyana Mithai Recipe (The secret to making it soft)
Diwali was a few weeks ago and although we didn’t celebrate the festival of lights this year as we had a death in our family, my mom wanted to make some of the treats for the grandkids. I took the opportunity to document the entire process and boy was I happy I did. It was not only delicious but I finally learned how to make some of our favourite snacks from Guyana.
In a large bow, mix the split pea flour and flour together.
Continue adding the baking powder, salt, dry yeast, tumeric and green onions.
Mix Mix Mix
Slowly start adding the water to the mixture.
Mix until your batter is sticky but not runny.
Cover bowl with a towel for 1 hour.
Heat oil in a pan.
Take a small amount of the batter in your hands and stretch it while placing it carefully into the hot oil. Continue doing this until with as much as needed to fill the pan.
Fry both sides until golden brown. Repeat until batter is finished.
Line your dish with paper towel so that you can drain the excess oil from the Bara.
Best serve with mango sour or any chutney of your choice. Enjoy.
