Callaloo and Crab Soup, A Caribbean Recipe
The National Dish of Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies
Feb 17, 2009
Callaloo is typically made from the leaves of the dasheen plant which is a tropical tuber. In the West Indies, it is commonly referred to as “Callaloo bush”. The bush is usually sold with the leaves rolled and the stalks bundled to preserve their freshness. If dasheen leaves (also known as taro leaves) are hard to find, fresh spinach leaves can be used as a substitute. One health benefit from Callaloo is that it is a food rich in iron and therefore an energy booster.
Crab is usually included in the ingredients but can be substituted with pigtail or if a vegetarian dish is preferred, both can be left out. It can be combined with red beans and coo coo or other foods such as plantain and even potato. Southern Fried Okra is another excellent dish that can be served together with Callaloo.
Callaloo and Crab
Serves 8
- 1 bundle of leaves (dasheen or spinach)
- 1 dozen okra, chopped
- 1 large chopped onion
- A few sprigs of thyme
- 4 cloves medium garlic
- ½ cup chopped pumpkin (butternut squash can be substituted)
- 1 whole habanero pepper
- 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- Salt to taste
- 2 or 3 chopped blue crabs (optional)
- 3 oz salt pigtail (optional)
Directions
- Clean the leaves, removing the skin from the stalk and the tip of the leaf which is usually tough. Rinse and chop into coarse pieces.
- In a large pot, place the leaves, okra, onion, thyme, garlic, pumpkin, pepper, coconut milk and water together. If you choose to include the salt pigtail, add it to the pot with these ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer over low heat for 40 minutes.
- Add the crab to the pot and simmer covered for another 30 minutes. If the consistency is too thick, dilute the soup to the desired thickness by adding more coconut milk.
- Remove the habanero pepper and season with salt.
- Cool and then puree with a swizzle stick or carefully with a hand mixer. It can also be pureed little by little in a blender. Remember to remove the pieces of crab before blending.
Note
Be careful to not burst the habanero pepper. It adds flavor to the food, but will make the soup very spicy if the skin is broken and will overpower the flavor of the other ingredients.
Instead of using pieces of chopped crab, you can use just the meat which can be easily pureed. For some people, they derive great pleasure in cracking the crab legs and pieces to get at the meat.
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