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One evening after work I stopped off at Mummy’s house to drop off a falafel and hummus wrap. I was excited for her to try the sandwich, which by the way, I enjoyed so much for lunch, I decided to go back out to buy another one for her to sample.

When she opened the door, she looked satiated and happy. What’s going on Ma? She exclaimed, “I just finished eating dhal, rice and bhaji (bhagee) with plenty peppah, until meh belly full!”…Alrighty then. That would make me delirious with happiness too! So in exchange for the hummus, falafel sandwich, she quickly packed me a bowl of dhal, rice and bhaghee. I must admit the sandwich now paled in comparison to what I walked back to my car with…That’s how satisfying this trio is.

This is not that bhagee recipe, because we have to get it straight from Mummy. I shall add it to my do list. CHORAI BHAGEE RECIPE AND BENEFITS NOW UPDATED HERE.

Let me share with you how and why I was inspired to make this specific dish. In this dish, I use Jamaican callaoo and sauté it with the simplest of ingredients including onion, garlic, hot pepper, pimento and tomato to create an unforgettable combination to be enjoyed with dhal and rice.

Last Friday, I went to Mummy’s house to spend time with her. She had just returned from a two week vacation in Trinidad and the night before she heard of her cousin’s passing (Dr Linda Baboolal). I brought her breakfast of a NY style toasted cinnamon-raisin bagel and cream cheese and she made me a cup of chai with the strangest ingredient ‘Ajwain’. She told me a story of her seamstress in Queens who makes the same thing for her when she visits. I’ll be honest, one must acquire a taste for ‘ajwain’, but I enjoyed the tea all the same.

We chatted over breakfast and then spent some time in her lush backyard garden in Brooklyn. Filled with rows of hot peppers from habanero to Moruga Scorpion, a giant Jamaican Callaloo bush stood magnificently against the backdrop of the garden. Both she and Aunty Iya, her sister, helped with the picking. I was beyond excited, because not only was it free, but because I heard great stories about how good it tasted.

My sister took a bunch of Jamaican callaloo for her co-worker, who cooked it and was shocked that her husband devoured it all in one sitting.

I also came home with poui bhagee, also known as Malabar spinach, a variety of hot and seasoning peppers, some thyme and a small black bag filled with goodies from Trinidad. To deviate for a second, she brought me kurma, mango talkarie, kuchela from my mom in law, dhalpuri roti from two aunties and some currants roll.

I also walked away with some spinach seeds in a brown paper bag to plant my own Jamaican callaloo bush next season.

I decided to use both the Jamaican Callaloo bush and poui bhaghee in this dish because of the availability. I also added two okras and a small bell pepper I picked from my garden. The combination was nothing less than sensational.

I made some dhal to go along with it and another day it was accompanied by kitchri/kichadi/kitcherie which I filmed for You Tube. I was in love with this spinach combination.

Click HERE for Trinidad Dhal recipe

I am referring to this as ‘bhagee’ or ‘bhagi’ because Trinidadians typically refer to any spinach as ‘bhagee’, just like we refer to any toothpaste as ‘colgate’.

Callaloo for us is a soup-like side dish made traditionally with dasheen/taro bush, okra, pumpkin and seasonings which are simmered together with coconut milk. I have made our Trini callaloo with chopped frozen spinach and it’s just as delectable. Check out that recipe here. In Trinidad, our callaloo is eaten with macaroni pie, steamed plain rice and stewed chicken or some type of curry.

CLICK HERE FOR TRINIDAD CALLALOO RECIPE

Jamaicans call this type of spinach Callaloo and make it differently.

They serve it with boiled green fig, dumplings or festival (elongated, deep fried dough). As I mentioned above, this is my combination based on available ingredients.

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Bhagee made with Jamaican Callaloo and Poui Bhagee
Serves 4

1 lb frozen fresh Jamaican Callaloo, thick stems and flowers removed, chopped,

1/2 lb Poui bhagee (Malabar spinach), chopped (About 20 large leaves)

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

8-10 cloves of garlic, minced

1 plum tomato or 3 small cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 small red bell pepper, julienned

2 – 3 okra, sliced

2 pimento peppers, chopped

Hot pepper, to taste
salt, to taste

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat.

Add onion and hot pepper (if using), bell pepper and cook for two minutes, stirring.

Add garlic, okra and cook for one minute.

Add spinach, salt and stir for a couples of minutes to combine and coat with the oil and the other flavors.

Add tomatoes, pimento peppers, a little more hot pepper if you wish.

Cover, lower heat and steam for 10-15 minutes until the spinach has softened, the liquid has evaporated and the flavors have melded.

I am sure you will enjoy this delicious combination!

With love & best dishes,

Bhagee made with Jamaican Callaloo and Poui Bhagee

In this dish, I use Jamaican callaoo and sauté it with the simplest of ingredients including onion, garlic, hot pepper, pimento and tomato to create an unforgettable combination to be enjoyed with dhal and rice.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, lunch

Cuisine: Caribbean, Trini, Trinidad, Trinidadian

Keyword: bhaji, callaloo, dasheen bush bhagee, jamaican callaloo, poui bhaji, trinidad bhagi

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Servings:

Calories: 160kcal

Ingredients

1 lb frozen fresh Jamaican Callaloo thick stems and flowers removed, chopped,
1/2 lb Poui bhagee Malabar spinach, chopped (About 20 large leaves)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion sliced
8-10 cloves of garlic minced
1 plum tomato quartered or 3 small cherry tomatoes
1 red bell pepper small, julienned
3 okra sliced
2 pimento peppers chopped
Hot pepper to taste
salt to taste

Instructions

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat.
Add onion and hot pepper (if using), bell pepper and cook for two minutes, stirring.
Add garlic, okra and cook for one minute.
Add spinach, salt and stir for a couples of minutes to combine and coat with the oil and the other flavors.
Add tomatoes, pimento peppers, a little more hot pepper if you wish.
Cover, lower heat and steam for 10-15 minutes until the spinach has softened, the liquid has evaporated and the flavors have melded.