About this Dish
A creamy dasheen leaf and okra stew, often served alongside Sunday lunch.
History & Origin
Callaloo varies across the Caribbean, but Trinidad's version — dasheen leaves, okra, and coconut milk — is a fixture of the traditional Sunday "ground provisions" meal.
IngredientsServes 2
🌿Dasheen (taro) leaves, about 12 large leaves, roughly chopped
🫘Okra, 200g, sliced into rounds
🥥Coconut milk, 400ml tin
🦀Blue crabs, 2 whole, cleaned and halved (or 200g crab pieces)
🧅Onion, 1 large, finely chopped
🌶️Whole Scotch bonnet pepper, 1 (kept whole, do not pierce)
🧄Garlic, 4 cloves, minced
🌱Fresh thyme, 4 sprigs
🥓Salted pigtail or salt beef, 150g, pre-boiled to remove excess salt and chopped
🧈Butter, 1 tablespoon
Method
1
Add the dasheen leaves, okra, crab pieces, pigtail or salt beef, onion, garlic, thyme, and whole Scotch bonnet into a large heavy-bottomed pot. Pour in the coconut milk and add just enough water to barely cover everything, about 1 to 1.5 cups.2
Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a medium simmer. Cover and cook for about 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the dasheen leaves and okra are completely soft and broken down.3
Remove the Scotch bonnet pepper very carefully without breaking it, and set it aside. Also remove the crab pieces and set aside.4
Using a swizzle stick (swazel) or an immersion blender, blend the mixture thoroughly until it becomes smooth and creamy. A traditional swizzle stick gives the best result — hold it between your palms and spin vigorously until the callaloo is silky.5
Return the crab to the pot, add the butter, and stir everything together. Taste and adjust salt as needed. If the callaloo seems too thick, add a splash of water to reach your desired consistency.6
Simmer gently for another 5 minutes on low heat to let all the flavours come together. Serve hot alongside rice, macaroni pie, stewed chicken, and provisions for a proper Trinidadian Sunday lunch.User Reviews
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