West Winds: Recipes, History and Tales from Jamaica

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TI: When it comes to newer Caribbean restaurants, do you think it’s important that they serve other communities as well as their own? Heat three tablespoons of the oil in a large wok or frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the tofu, in batches, for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper while you cook the rest of the tofu, adding more oil when needed. Drain and set aside. Mix the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl. Add the goat and, using your hands, turn the meat in the marinade until coated. Cover the bowl and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight –or even 72 hours is welcome. Did you know that there has been growing interest in Caribbean food worldwide, with the highest number of searches taking place in Australia, India, Western Europe, and the US. There has also been a strong rise in Caribbean cooking in the UK, which has remained a popular search over the last year. Whilst there are not many Caribbean cookbooks on the market, especially those that include vegan food, baking, and zero-waste dishes, West Winds successfully taps into fashionable food trends such as fakeaways, veganism and baking.

Riaz blends authentic Jamaican ingredients and dishes with popular trends – discover recipes for nose-to-tail and vegan cooking. Why not also recreate popular takeaway food, Oxtail and Butterbean, or feel as though you’re on the beach with a Langoustine Soup. This cookbook has everything – main meals, sauces, soups, juices and preserves, bakes and desserts. Want to feel like you’re on a walk in Jamaica with a local, talking to his friends and sharing plates of food? Then this is the cookbook for you. That same curiosity about people, what they eat, and how they cook infuses this book. It’s loaded with gorgeous photos that transport you to warmer climes and recipes with narrative vignettes woven into the headnotes. It’s delicious food, yes, but there’s always a story there, too. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6) and grease and line the base of a 24cm round cake tin. (If making a double-layered cake, use 2 tins and double the quantity of the cake mixture and frosting.) RP: Not because of the book, but I just think mostly all the people strive to do Caribbean food in new ways and modern ways. It's definitely pushed the whole food culture forward. If you go to a food market now, you're always going to see maybe even more than one Caribbean food stall. In more cities across the UK there are sit-down Caribbean restaurants than there were, I guess, when I wrote the book. So I think it's something that is definitely on the increase. Just as people's knowledge and awareness of it grows.Meanwhile, cook the okra. Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the chilli flakes. Add the okra and fry for 3-4 mins, until they start to brown slightly, then flip them over and fry for another 3-4 mins. Transfer to some kitchen paper to drain, and tip any excess oil from the pan into the curry. Introducing West Winds - the most-talked about cookbook of 2022 and a joyous celebration of Caribbean cooking, with a special focus on the sensational flavours of Jamaican cuisine. Winner of the Jane Grigson Trust Award 2022, the all-encompassing Caribbean cookbook West Winds introduces everyone, everywhere to the enriching and mouth-watering flavours that Jamaica has to offer. Wipe the wok or pan clean, and heat the remaining oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, spring onions, saving some of the green part to garnish, thyme and scotch bonnet. Stir-fry for three to five minutes, then add the garlic and ginger, then cook for another two minutes.

What’s it about? Celebrating Jamaican culture, cuisine, and history, West Winds is a uniquely rich and deeply personal cookbook. Award-winning writer Riaz Phillips draws on his own memories of growing up in the Caribbean diaspora of London, as well as of his time spent living in Jamaica, to create a set of over 100 vibrant and intensely flavoursome recipes, interspersed with travel and food photography. From hearty soups and bakes to thirst-quenching drinks, these recipes are rooted in centuries of Jamaican traditions, folktales, and anecdotes. Riaz also explores how veganism, healthy eating, fermentation, and zero-waste cooking formed part of Jamaican cuisine long before they became modern trends. Whether you want to delve deeper into your heritage or discover new facets of regional Caribbean cuisine, West Winds will help you bring the spirit of traditional Jamaican cooking to your kitchen. In a bowl, combine the dark soy sauce or ketchup, vinegar, maple syrup or sugar, the browning, if using, and 90ml water, then set aside. In a separate bowl, mix three tablespoons of water with the remaining cornflour. Sift all the dry ingredients, up to and including the salt, into a mixing bowl, then stir until combined and set aside.

The Caribbean food scene in the UK is akin to a private members’ club. Invite-only. Unless you run in certain circles, you might not know much about it. Family recipes, the best butchers, where to buy a quality Dutch pot, how to make the perfect dhal puri roti… The community is powered by word of mouth, not to mention the sheer breadth of culture emanating from the islands, each of which is unique. Put simply, it can be intimidating for an outsider. Enter Riaz Phillips, who’s on a mission to make Caribbean cooking feel more accessible.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and saute for two minutes, add the garlic, ginger and the white part of the spring onions, then cook for another two minutes. cooking, it is also rooted in the exploration of the island’s heritage and culture. Featuring colorful and sun-drenched imagery, and easy-to-follow instructions, the versatility of Jamaican cuisine is apparent. So whether you seek connection with your heritage, or you're simply looking to expand your culinary repertoire, take a trip to Jamaica with West Winds, proving the ideal cookbook for those with an interest in Caribbean flavours, cooking and culture, or doubling up as the perfect gift for chefs who are looking to experiment with new flavours. Read it, cook from it, immerse yourself in it and more! Introducing West Winds– a joyous celebration of Caribbean cooking, with a special focus on the sensational flavors of Jamaican cuisine. Winner of the Jane Grigson Trust Award 2022, the all-encompassing Caribbean cookbook West Winds introduces everyone, everywhere to the enriching and mouth-watering flavors that Jamaica has to offer. TI: There’s a gap in the syllabus when it comes to imperialism and colonialism. Do you think that food could be a good vehicle to turn that into more mainstream knowledge?

Riaz blends authentic Jamaican ingredients and dishes with popular trends - discover recipes for nose-to-tail and vegan cooking. Why not also recreate popular takeaway food, Oxtail and Butterbean, or feel as though you're on the beach with a Langoustine Soup. This cookbook has everything - main meals, sauces, soups, juices and preserves, bakes and desserts. Add the potato and bell pepper, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste the meat, if it’s not as soft as you’d like, cook for a further 20 minutes, or if the sauce is too dry, add 3–5 tablespoons of water and heat through. Turn off the heat and let sit for 20–30 minutes before serving with rice & peas or Syrian flatbread.

And there are spiced patties, the irresistible hand pies with golden pastry so buttery-crisp, ‘you just have to accept the pastry flakes are going to get everywhere.’ Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based sauce pan or Dutch pot over a medium heat. (If using a pressure cooker, see note below.) Remove the goat from the marinade, reserving the marinade for later. Add the goat to the pan or pot and brown on all sides; this will takeabout 5 minutes. (Do this in batches to ensure the meat browns, rather than steams, adding more oil if needed.)

Stir in the sweet potato, carrot, bell peppers, tomatoes, thyme, maple syrup or sugar (if using), desiccated coconut, scotch bonnet and 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25-30 mins, stirring halfway through, until the sweet potato is tender. In a separate bowl, add the bananas, coconut oil or butter, reserved pineapple juice, vanilla, vinegar and egg, if using. Whisk until combined, then add to the dry ingredients with the pecan and pineapple mix. Briefly stir until combined, but do not over-mix the cake batter. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and level the top. Put the tofu in a shallow bowl and add the soy sauce. Gently turn it until coated, taking care not to break up the slices. Add three tablespoons of the cornflour, then turn to coat all sides of the tofu and set aside.