Oil Down

Grenadian Oil Down

Oil Down is Grenada's national dish, a one-pot stew of breadfruit, salted meat, callaloo, and dumplings simmered in coconut milk until the liquid cooks down and the rich oils settle at the bottom.

Prep

30 min

Cook

60 min

Total

90 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1 whole breadfruit, about 1.5 kg, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges
• •400 ml (1¾ cups) coconut milk, full-fat, canned or fresh
• •300 g (10½ oz) salted pigtail or salted beef, soaked overnight and boiled to remove excess salt
• •200 g (7 oz) callaloo leaves, or spinach or taro leaves, chopped
• •1 tsp ground turmeric, for color
• •1 whole onion, chopped
• •4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
• •2 whole scotch bonnet peppers, optional, left whole for flavor without too much heat
• •200 g (7 oz) all-purpose flour, for dumplings
• •100 ml (⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp) water, for dumpling dough
• •1 tsp salt, for dumplings
• •500 ml (2 cups) water, or coconut water, for simmering

Steps

1. 1 If using salted meat, soak it overnight in cold water, then drain and boil for 20 minutes to remove excess salt. Drain and set aside.
2. 2 Peel the breadfruit, cut it into quarters, remove the core, and cut into 8 wedges. Place in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning.
3. 3 In a small bowl, mix flour and salt. Add water gradually and knead into a firm dough. Pinch off small pieces and roll into balls (about 12-15 dumplings).
4. 4 In a large heavy pot, layer the ingredients: start with half the breadfruit, then half the salted meat, half the callaloo, half the onion, and half the thyme. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Add whole scotch bonnets if using.
5. 5 In a bowl, whisk coconut milk with turmeric and 500 ml water. Pour over the layered ingredients. The liquid should just cover the contents; add more water if needed.
6. 6 Cover the pot tightly and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
7. 7 Add the dumplings on top, pushing them gently into the liquid. Cover and continue simmering for 20-30 minutes, until the breadfruit is tender and the liquid has reduced and thickened. The dish is done when the breadfruit easily pierces with a knife and the liquid is mostly absorbed, with a rich oily sheen at the bottom.
8. 8 Remove scotch bonnets if used. Taste and adjust salt. Serve hot in bowls, spooning some of the cooking liquid over each portion.