IF you're like me and my man, you will surely take home more from your holidays than just memories in the heart and in cameras. You will take home with you Inspiration. And if its Food, then foodies like us, will surely be Inspired to re-create as much as they can, from all that they have loved on their travels. Our last Holiday was at the Us virgin Islands for the Christmas break. An almost perfect Caribbean Holiday except for a hiccuppy start for airline messups. We had brilliant meals every day, but it was surely the last day of our vacation which packed the biggest foodie punch. We had spent the day at HoneyMoon Beach on Water Island in the US Virgin Islands, and eaten from the Dinghy shack on the beach. We had had Jerk chicken before. But then Jerk Chicken in the Caribbean is a whole different deal than the Jerk chicken which is served at a premium price in the Mainland. The Shack was just accepting cash and we nearly spent all our money on re-orders of Lion Fish Fritters and Jerk chicken Skewers. The sand on our toes, the sun our backs and the azure waters in front of us.
It took us a couple of months to re-create this beauty at home. The man had picked some store bought Jerk Seasoning from McCormick. And he decided to cook it up. The grill was cranked up on a cold winter evening and the man set forth to making his masterpiece.
Basically these are Kebabs which are marinated and seasoned with the Caribbean Jerk seasoning and then grilled or baked. And which desi foodie doesn't like Kebabs. I know we do. We could have Kebabs for breakfast,lunch and dinner. The JERK seasoning is a blend of a few spices,and is quite spicy. I guess its the spice quotient which strikes a familiar chord on the taste buds. The Man used boneless skinless Chicken thighs and cut out long strips of it to fashion his kebabs. If you don't have a grill at home, you can bake these Kebabs in the oven and then put them under the broiler for a few minutes to get the char. We had some leftover Biriyani and with desi green salad, It was a win win situation at dinner. Not only where we able to relive our vacation memories, but it was also a super tasty plate.
JERK CHICKEN SKEWERS:
Ingredients:
Chicken Thighs: Boneless and Skinless: 1 lb (cut into broad and long strips)
Bamboo Skewers
Caribbean Jerk Seasoning:
Granulated Garlic
Granulated Ginger
Oil Spray
Procedure:
Marinate chicken with the seasoning and granulated garlic and onion for at least a couple of hours. If you can marinate them overnight, then that would be awesome.
Soak the Bamboo Skewers in water for at least an hour. This prevents the skewers from getting burnt once they hit the grill or the oven. Thread through the chicken strips with the skewers. Spray them with oil and keep aside. If you are grilling them, then grill them for around 3-4 minutes on each side or till they are cooked thoroughly. If you're using the oven, then pre-heat the oven to 450F and then bake for around 10 to 12 minutes. Turn the broiler on for the last couple of minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Bon Appetit !!!
Get a taste of the islands on your plates !!
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