Callaloo with Crab

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prep everything before you start: wash the dasheen leaves very well, remove any tough stems, and roughly chop them. Slice the okra, dice the onion, chop the garlic, and keep the thyme and whole scotch bonnet ready. Rinse the cleaned crab pieces and pat them dry.

   300 g dasheen leaves, stems removed and roughly chopped150 g okra, sliced into 1 cm rounds120 g onion, diced12 g garlic, finely chopped4 g fresh thyme1 small (10 g) scotch bonnet pepper, left whole350 g blue crab, cleaned and cut into pieces
2. 2

   Season the crab with lime juice, salt, and black pepper. Toss well and let it sit while you begin the base; this brief seasoning helps remove any raw smell and lightly flavors the meat.

   350 g blue crab, cleaned and cut into pieces15 ml lime juice2 g fine sea salt0.5 g freshly ground black pepper
3. 3

   Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened but not browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant so it does not scorch.

   15 ml neutral oil120 g onion, diced12 g garlic, finely chopped
4. 4

   Add the chopped dasheen leaves, okra, thyme, whole scotch bonnet, coconut milk, and water. Season with the salt and black pepper, stir, and bring to a gentle boil. Once bubbling, reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 12 minutes, partially covered, until the greens collapse and the okra softens.

   300 g dasheen leaves, stems removed and roughly chopped150 g okra, sliced into 1 cm rounds4 g fresh thyme1 small (10 g) scotch bonnet pepper, left whole250 ml coconut milk300 ml water5 g fine sea salt1 g freshly ground black pepper
5. 5

   Use an immersion blender to blend the pot until mostly smooth but still with a little body. If you do not have one, carefully blend in batches and return to the pot. Keep the scotch bonnet whole while blending or remove it first if you want milder heat.

   1 small (10 g) scotch bonnet pepper, left whole
6. 6

   Return the pot to a gentle simmer and add the seasoned crab pieces. Cook for 10-12 minutes, partially covered, turning the pieces once, until the shells turn bright orange-red and the crab meat is just cooked through. Avoid a hard boil, which can toughen the crab and split the coconut milk.

   350 g blue crab, cleaned and cut into pieces
7. 7

   Taste the callaloo and adjust seasoning if needed. Stir in the butter for a glossy finish, then simmer 1 minute more. Remove the thyme stems and scotch bonnet before serving, unless you want the pepper on the side for extra heat.

   15 g butter4 g fresh thyme1 small (10 g) scotch bonnet pepper, left whole
8. 8

   Serve hot in deep bowls, making sure each portion gets plenty of crab and thick, creamy callaloo.

Origin & History

Callaloo is one of Trinidad and Tobago's most beloved dishes, with roots in West African cooking traditions carried to the Caribbean and adapted with local ingredients. In Trinidadian versions, dasheen leaves, okra, coconut milk, and aromatics are commonly cooked into a rich, velvety pot, often enriched with crab for special meals or Sunday lunch.