 Plated oil down | |
| Type | Stew |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Grenada |
| Main ingredients | Breadfruit, salted meat or chicken, coconut milk, spices |
| Variations | seafood |
Oil down is a salted meat and vegetable stew that is the national dish of Grenada.
Description
Oil down is a stew of breadfruit, salted meat, chicken, dumplings, callaloo, and other vegetables stewed in coconut milk, herbs, and spices. The name refers to the fact that the oil from the coconut milk used in cooking is either absorbed by the ingredients or settles to the bottom of the cooking pot. All of the liquid is cooked down (dried out), hence the name oil down.
The term "oil down" is also used for a traditional neighborhood party at which the stew is prepared and eaten. Traditionally, it is the men who cook the oil down at such parties. Oil down is also very popular in local restaurants.
There is no set recipe for oil down, as each household and each parish make it to suit their preference.
Unlike most stews, in which the ingredients get a thorough mixing during the cooking process, a pot of oil down is "packed." Exactly how to "pack the pot" is a matter of taste and tradition, as well as a subject of occasional controversy. Everyone has a different order and method, but usually the breadfruit and meat goes on the bottom, most of the vegetables in the middle, and the callaloo leaves and dumplings on top. The ingredients simmer in situ.
— Scott Neuman, N.P.R. News
Traditionally, the dish is finished when all the liquid has been absorbed, which usually takes at least an hour, depending on the size of (the) pot.
— "Meat Loves Salt" blog
Oil down is not unique to Grenada. It is also popular in nearby Trinidad and Tobago, which share a long history of cultural influences with Grenada. There are differences in how each island makes its oil down, however, with Grenadians preferring dasheen, dumplings, and turmeric, while Trinidadians tend toward a simpler dish without dumplings but with hot peppers. There are different versions of this stew in other Caribbean countries as well. In Guyana, a similar stew is called mettagee, or mettem, and in Jamaica, there is a seafood version called run down.
See also
- Culture of Grenada
- List of stews
- Stew peas – a similar Jamaican stew
References
- Ken Albala, Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia: Four Volumes, ABC-CLIO, 1400 pages, 2011. ISBN 978-0-313-37626-9
- Jeanne Jacob, Michael Ashkenazi. The World Cookbook for Students, Volume 1, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 - 296 pages, ISBN 0313334544
- ^ "Oil down - National Dish of Grenada". The Official Website of the Government of Grenada. 5 Mar 2010. Retrieved 17 Apr 2019.
- ^ "Oil Down: The National Dish of Grenada". TravelBlog. 5 Sep 2009. Retrieved 17 Apr 2019.
- ^ Cynthia Nelson (18 Feb 2017). "Oil Down Grenada's national dish". The Scene from StaBroek News.
- Scott Neuman (11 Sep 2016). "This Hearty Stew Is A One-Pot Lesson In Grenada's History". The Salt from NPR. Retrieved 17 Apr 2019.
- Becca (28 Feb 2014). "Oil Down: Grenada's National Dish". Meat Loves Salt. Retrieved 17 Apr 2019.
- Laura Dowrich-Phillips (23 Nov 2018). "Who does it best? Oil Down". Loop.
- Cynthia Nelson (10 May 2016). "Guyana Gold: An appreciation of our cuisine". Stabroek News.
- Cynthia Nelson (6 Jan 2018). "Resolve to eat Guyana". Stabroek News.
- Jamaica - Montego Bay, Port Antonio and Ocho Rios - John Bigley - Google Books p. (unlisted)
Further reading
- West Indian kitchen gardens: A historical perspective with current insights from Grenada (United Nations University website)
- The Secrets of the Caribbean Cuisine - Facts & Reviews (WPB Magazine)
- 12 Grenadian Foods Every Island Transplant Should Try (Caribbean Life | St. George's University)
- Grenada Today On-line Archived Web Site (Grenada Today, Ltd., Grenada, 2001)
- Top 10 foods to try in the Caribbean (BBC Good Food)
- West Indian Cuisine and recipes
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