Grenadian Oil Down (vegetarian style)

Dive into the rich culinary heritage of Grenada with this hearty, vegetarian version of Oil Down, the island's national dish. Traditionally cooked over an open fire, our version preserves the authentic flavors with layers of fresh vegetables and the essence of coconut milk infused with turmeric, culminating in a comforting, stew-like dish.

Ingredients

🥥 1 fresh coconut, grated for coconut milk
🌱 1 tablespoon fresh turmeric, grated
🧂 1 teaspoon salt
🍞 Several large pieces of breadfruit, peeled and chopped
🥬 A generous handful of fresh dashing leaf Grenadian Callaloo, chopped
🧄 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
🧅 1 large onion, chopped
🌿 A few sprigs of fresh thyme
🎋 A bunch of fresh chives, chopped
🌶 Various colored flavoring peppers red, green, yellow, chopped
🍌 4 green bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise
🎃 2 cups pumpkin, peeled and chopped into cubes
🌿 1 cup okra, chopped
🌾 2 cups all-purpose flour for dumplings
💧 Water as needed for coconut milk extraction and dumpling dough

Instructions

1- Prepare Coconut Milk:

Grate the fresh coconut.
Blend the grated coconut with turmeric and salt in water.
Strain through a cheesecloth to extract the rich coconut milk and set aside.

2- Vegetable Preparation:

Chop the dashing leaf finely.
Peel and chop the breadfruit into large chunks.
Slice the green bananas lengthwise.
Cube the pumpkin.
Chop okra, garlic, onions, thyme, chives, and flavoring peppers.

3- Layering the Pot:

Start with the dashing leaves at the bottom of a medium-sized stainless steel pot.
Add a layer of breadfruit chunks.
Sprinkle some chopped garlic, onions, chives, thyme, and flavoring peppers.
Layer on the sliced bananas followed by another sprinkling of the chopped seasonings.
Top with pumpkin cubes and okra.

4- Cooking:

Pour the prepared coconut milk mixture over the layered ingredients.
Set the pot over a traditional open fire or a stovetop on medium heat.

5- Dumplings:

In a separate bowl, mix flour with a portion of the coconut-turmeric blend until you achieve a dough that's neither too soft nor too firm.
Shape into elongated dumplings and place over the layers in the pot as it begins to simmer.

6- Steam and Simmer:

Cover the pot with a large leaf, like a breadfruit leaf, to help steam.
Let the dish cook, allowing the milk to boil down until the oil renders at the bottom.

7- Final Touches: