Chadon beni sauce

Ingredients

Herbs

• 2large bunches chadon beni, culantro
• a small bunch of parsley, optional
• 4spring onions
• a few sprigs of thyme

Aromatics

• 1whole head of garlic, peeled
• 1onion, roughly chopped
• 1scotch bonnet pepper
• or 3 pimento peppers, for no heat

To bind

• juice of 2 limes
• 3 tablespoonsoil
• 3 tablespoonswater
• 1 teaspoonsalt
• 1 teaspoonblack pepper
• 1 tablespoonvinegar

To store

• a clean glass jar
• a thin layer of oil, to seal

Directions

1. Use about three times as much coriander. Preparing the herbs takes the longest. Wash the chadon beni in several changes of water. Lift it out rather than pouring the water off. Shake it dry or spin it in a salad spinner.
2. Trim off the very base of the stems. Preparing the peppers needs a decision. Use scotch bonnet if you want a hot sauce. Never touch your eyes afterwards.
3. Remove the seeds and membrane for less heat. Put the garlic and onion in a blender first. Add the lime juice, vinegar and water. Those liquids help the blades catch. Blend well after each addition. Add the pepper, salt and black pepper. Pour in the oil at the very last. Some cooks blend it completely smooth.
4. Add water a spoonful at a time if it will not move. Do not add too much or it goes thin and watery. Taste it carefully and expect it to be strong. Add more lime if it tastes flat. Add more salt if the flavours seem muted.
5. Add more pepper if you want more heat. The garlic should be assertive. Spoon it into a clean glass jar. Press it down to remove air pockets.
6. Pour a thin layer of oil over the surface. That oil seal keeps the colour green. Seal the jar and refrigerate it. It keeps for two weeks that way. Spoon it over doubles and roti. Stir it into soups and stews at the end.
7. Rub it into meat and fish as a marinade. Use it as a dip for fried food. Mix it into rice or into a salad dressing.

Technique

• Chadon beni is culantro, Eryngium foetidum, a different plant from coriander with a stronger flavour that survives cooking.
• The name comes from the French chardon beni, meaning blessed thistle, after the serrated leaf shape.
• The same plant is called recao in Puerto Rico and ngo gai in Vietnam.

Substitutions

• Coriander stands in for chadon beni but is much milder, so use about three times as much.
• Pimento peppers give the pepper flavour without any of the scotch bonnet heat.

Variations

• Green seasoning, the Trinidadian marinade base, is a close relative made from the same herbs.
• Some cooks add celery, shado beni root or more thyme.
• A milder version made with pimento peppers is kept for children.

History

Chadon beni is Trinidad’s Creole name for culantro, a stronger relative of coriander used in every kitchen.

Frequently asked questions

What is Chadon beni sauce?

Chadon beni sauce is a sauce & condiment from Trinidad and Tobago: green sauce of culantro leaf, garlic and hot pepper, spooned over everything. Chadon beni is Trinidad’s Creole name for culantro, a stronger relative of coriander used in every kitchen.

How long does Chadon beni sauce take to make?

Chadon beni sauce takes 15 minutes of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes about 300 ml. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Chadon beni sauce?

Yes, within limits. Coriander stands in for chadon beni but is much milder, so use about three times as much. Pimento peppers give the pepper flavour without any of the scotch bonnet heat.

What is the most important thing to get right in Chadon beni sauce?

Use about three times as much coriander. Preparing the herbs takes the longest. Wash the chadon beni in several changes of water. Lift it out rather than pouring the water off. Shake it dry or spin it in a salad spinner.