Stokes Sauces: Commonwealth Day - celebrating flavours from around the world

Celebrate the flavours of the world -
Commonwealth Day 12th March

Commonwealth countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Americas, the Pacific and Europe will be observing Commonwealth Day on 12th March.

Faith and civic gatherings, debates, school assemblies, flag raising ceremonies, street parties and fashion shows are just some of the events they will reflect on the vast diversity and unifying legacy of Commonwealth countries.

DID YOU KNOW
There are 53 independent member countries
jointly representing 2.4 billion citizens.

Put the politics of colonialism to one side and concentrate on the extraordinary flavours that the pioneers of travel enabled the whole world to enjoy.

We'll take our own little culinary journey now,

from Canada to Jamaica and Cyprus to Sri Lanka.

Quintessentially Canadian - Poutine

It's basically chips (fries), gravy and cheese curd.

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/category/ketchups-and-sauces

You'll get gravy on your chips in the north of England but this takes it to a new level. There are many variations of Poutine but we followed the lead of Canadian aficionados - 'ish !

The gravy is the big debate but two thirds beef stock to one third chicken, reduced to a shiny broth seems to be the essential mix ladled over a bowl of chips (oven fries will do just as well as they don't stay crisp for long). The cheese curd is the squeaky by-product of mainly Cheddar cheese, which you can buy. If not, we're told that torn pieces of a good Mozzarella will do.

It lacks something so we tried it with Stokes Tomato Ketchup, our Bloody Mary Ketchup and Stokes Chilli Ketchup - chilli's what it needed and the Chilli Ketchup was just the job.

Jamaican Rice & Peas

This is a staple Jamaican dish that you'll also find on Africa's western coast regions. Don't be alarmed by the lack of peas (the green ones), they use kidney beans.

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/product/relish-and-chutneys/chilli-jam

Simply fry a chopped onion, add 300 ml of long grain rice, 400 ml of water and the same of coconut milk. Bring it up to a simmer and add 3 tbsp of fresh thyme leaves and a 400 g tin of kidney beans (rinsed and drained). Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, listen to some Bob Marley and serve it with just about any meat of fish dish.

Or, as illustrated here, it makes a delicious starter served with bananas or plantain fried in butter with a drop of rum and Stokes Chilli Jam.

To Cyprus and Souvlaki

Souvlaki can be made with lamb steak, pork tenderloin or chicken - or all three. The marinate is the key to yumminess and the accompaniments too.

Cut the meat into bite size chunks and marinade for as long as you can (ideally overnight) in a marinate of: the juice of a lemon; 2 tbsp of Stokes Bloody Mary Ketchup; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; one teaspoon each of ground oregano, thyme, cumin and fennel seeds; 2 cloves of grated garlic and a good covering of olive oil.

Skewer and grill (or BBQ) your meat and serve it with pitta bread, hummus, tzatziki and a Greek salad.

And finally Sri Lanka for a Beetroot Curry

This is such a fresh and vibrant curry, both on the eye and the palate.

The spice combination and colour are the key to this delicious curry. Fry 8 curry leaves and 2 teaspoons each of mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds for a minute. Add 3 grated garlic cloves and an inch of grated fresh ginger with a cinnamon stick and a chopped green chilli. It's worth it - really.

Peel, chop and add about 450 g of fresh beetroot with 150 ml of water and simmer for 15 minutes. Now add a 400 ml tin of coconut milk and simmer for a final 15 minutes until the beetroot is tender and the sauce amazing. Finally, stir in 2 tbsp of Stokes Beetroot Relish to put a sweeter richness through the curry and enjoy.

More foodie thoughts for the week: