Tassot (Fried Goat)

Haiti was propelled into public awareness with the disastrous earthquake earlier this year, but there is much more to the country than natural disasters. For example, Haiti was the first Latin American country to gain independence and also the first black-led republic in the world. Yes, we can!

But you don't come here for the politics, right? So... the food. Well, according to my trusty sources (Wikipedia et al) Haitian cuisine is stongly influenced by French, African and native Taíno culinary traditions and techniques. There is a strong emphasis on fresh meats and vegetables and the food is usually generously seasoned and spiced. The flavor base of Haitian cooking is épis, a sauce made from cooked peppers, garlic, and herbs.

          Image credits (clockwise l to r): Wikipedia; Christophe Serdakowski; The Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism; 
                                                                  Uwe Muensch

Wait... did someone say garlic? And spices? Count me in!

There are so many delicious looking Haitian dishes that it was honestly difficult to choose just one. Hence my kamikaze three-blog-posts-in-24-hours-mission. Tassot was the star of the show at my mini Haitian feast - tender cubes of goat, marinated with citrus flavours and fried until crispy. They were accompanied by mushroom rice and a spicy sauce. One thing's for sure - this adds new meaning to the phrase: "Once you pop, you can't stop".

I am submitting this to Regional Recipes - Haiti, originally created by Darlene from Blazing Hot Wok and currently managed by Joanne from Eats Well With Others.

Tassot (Fried Goat)

Adapted from Island Flave

Serves 4

Tassot is a popular Haitian meat dish, traditionally made with goat, however this can be substituted with beef. I chose to use lamb, as it is quite similar in flavour to goat. Tassot is usually served with Sauce Ti Malice (a spicy sauce), fried plantains and Diri Et Pois Coles (rice and beans) or Diri Jon Jon (mushroom rice).

700g lamb or goat chops, trimmed of fat and bones and cut into cubes

2 small onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp salt
sunflower oil for deep frying

1. Place meat in a non-metal bowl together with the onions, orange and lemon juice. Gently massage the juices and onions into the meat so that the maximum flavour can be absorbed, then cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 4 - 8 hours.

2. Transfer meat (with juices & onion) to a saucepan, cover with water and heat to boiling point. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer until meat is cooked through and soft. Be careful not to cook over too high heat as this will make the meat tough.

3. Heat oil in a frying pan until a cube of bread browns within seconds, then add meat and fry until crisp and browned on the outside. This will go very quickly - a few seconds and the meat will be done.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 517.2, Total fat 37.3g, Saturated fat 16.1 g, Polyunsaturated fat 3.0 g, Monounsaturated fat 15.3 g, Cholesterol 149.5 mg, Sodium 974.3 mg, Potassium 520.4 mg, Total carbohydrate 7.5 g, Dietary fiber 0.8 g, Sugars 3.1 g, Protein 36.2g 

Good source of: Vitamin B12 58.0 %,  Niacin 56.6 %, Selenium 55.7 %, Zinc 36.4 %, Vitamin C 32.5 %, Phosphorus 29.9%,

Diri Jon Jon (Mushroom Rice)

What do you get when you mix one food blogger with too little time and a challenge deadline? Well, if this blogger approached any sense of normality, they would do the sensible thing and opt out of the challenge with fervent promises to join in again the following month.

However, if you're me, you procrastinate up to the very last minute, get up early to finish frying your main course and take photos, then fire of three blog posts in 24 hours, kamikaze style. Opting out is not an option! Especially considering I'd never tasted Haitian food - a fact which should've added to the many reasons for opting out of this round.  But clearly, I'm insane and so, I bring you post number two, in a series of three posts on Haitian cuisine**

Also known as Du Riz Djon Djon, Diri Jon Jon is one of two well known rice dishes in Haiti, the other being Du Riz et Pois Coles (rice with red beans). Doesn't saying that make you feel fancy? Djon djon mushrooms are considered a delicacy in Haiti and give the rice its characteristic taste, colour and aroma. Unfortunately, I couldn't find djon djon mushrooms and had to substitute with the only dried mushrooms I could find - dried porcini. I know, I know, this probably doesn't even come close the the real thing. I compensated though by leaving the mushrooms in the final dish for good measure.

The rice turned out fluffy and flavourful, and to be honest, I quite enjoyed the bits of mushroom in every third forkful. Eaten with crispy tassot and spicy ti malice sauce drizzled on top, this was a sure-fire winner. Next time, though I'll go about it in a more relaxed fashion...

I am submitting this to Regional Recipes - Haiti, originally created by Darlene from Blazing Hot Wok and currently managed by Joanne from Eats Well With Others. 

Diri Jon Jon (Mushroom Rice)

Adapted from Island Flave

Serves 6

Traditionally served with Tassot (Fried Goat) or Griots (Fried Pork) and Sauce Ti Malice (Haitian Hot Sauce), it also makes the perfect accompaniment to just about any main meat or fish dish.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp salt

25g dried porcini mushrooms

2 cups uncooked brown rice

4 cups water

1. Heat oil in a pot large enough to cook rice over medium-high heat. Fry onion and garlic until soft. 

2. Add salt, mushrooms, rice and water, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 25 - 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 124.7 , Total fat 2.9 g, Saturated fat 0.3 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.2 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.7 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 194.2 mg, Potassium 66.0 mg, Total carbohydrate 23.1 g, Dietary fiber 1.5 g, Sugars 0.0 g, Protein 2.8 g 

** In case you missed it, you can find my first post here --> Sauce Ti Malice. And stay tuned for my next post, Tassot (Fried Goat).

Sauce Ti Malice (Haitian Hot Sauce)

If you want a spicy,  yet easy-to-make sauce, you've come to the right place. And as an added bonus, you get to go on a (virtual) tour of Haiti if you proceed. Sound like a deal?

In Haitian folktales, there are two main characters, slow-witted Bouki, and mischievous Ti-Malice.  Stories are introduced by an invitation (KRIK?) and if the audience wants to hear the story, they respond (KRAK!). (Source: Watching the Waters)

One of the many folkstories attempts to explain the origin of Sauce Ti Malice:

"Two men, Ti-Malice and Bouki, are good friends. Ti-Malice has meat for lunch everyday and Bouki just so happens to show up at Ti-Malice's house every day around lunch time. Haitians, being good natured, offer whatever they are eating to their guests. So Bouki winds up sharing Ti-Malice's meat every day.

One day, Ti-Malice decides to trick Bouki and prepares a very hot sauce for the meat, hoping to deter Bouki from coming back at lunchtime to eat his food. Bouki tastes the meat with the hot sauce on it and runs all over town shouting to everyone 'Come taste the sauce Ti-Malice made for me'; and that's how Sauce Ti-Malice got its name." 

(Source: A Taste of Haiti)

It's obvious why Bouki enjoyed this sauce so much - it is spicy, yet not too spicy, and perfect for dishes in need of a little flavour injection.

I am submitting this to Regional Recipes - Haiti, originally created by Darlene from Blazing Hot Wok and currently managed by Joanne from Eats Well With Others.

Sauce Ti Malice

Adapted from CaribSeek Recipes

Makes 2 cups (500 ml)

One of the most popular sauces in Haiti, Sauce Ti Malice is traditionally served with Tassot (Fried Goat) or Griots (Fried Pork).

1 tsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/4 green bellpepper, finely chopped

1/4 red bellpepper, finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 - 1/2 tsp chilli powder (or use more to taste)

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

2 cups water

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and fry for 2 minutes. 

2. Add bellpeppers, tomato paste, salt, pepper, vinegar, chilli powder and lemon juice and cook for a further 5 minutes. 

3. Thin sauce with 2 cups water and cook for 15 minutes on low-medium heat to slightly thicken the sauce. 

Nutritional info (per cup): Calories 61.5 , Total fat 2.5 g, Saturated fat 0.4 g, Polyunsaturated 0.3 fat g, Monounsaturated fat 1.7 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 717.2 mg, Potassium 306.4 mg, Total carbohydrate 10.0 g, Dietary fiber 2.0 g, Sugars 3.5 g, Protein 1.5 g 

Good source of: Vitamin C 79.6 %, Vitamin A 25.4 %