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Bajan seasoning
Barbados' wet herb seasoning of spring onion, thyme, marjoram, garlic, scotch bonnet, clove and lime
Every cook in Barbados keeps a jar of Bajan seasoning, and families in Bridgetown and St Philip guard their own blend. It's a wet, coarse paste of spring onion, onion, garlic, fresh thyme, marjoram and parsley, sharpened with lime and given a backbone of clove, paprika and scotch bonnet. Bajans press it into slits in fish and meat; here it goes into stews, onto roasted vegetables, tofu and halloumi, and into the stew for cou-cou. It smells strongly herby and peppery, and keeps for weeks. Chef's tip: marjoram is the herb that makes it Bajan; don't skip it, and use fresh if you can find it.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 8 spring onions, 1 onion, 8 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, 2 tbsp fresh marjoram leaves, ⅔ oz flat-leaf parsley and 2 scotch bonnet peppers in a food processor. Wear gloves for the scotch bonnets.
5 minStep 2: Add ½ tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 2 tsp salt and ¼ cup lime juice. Pulse in short bursts, scraping down, until finely chopped and wet but still with some texture, like a rough pesto. A common mistake is blitzing it to a smooth juice; the bits of herb and onion are what cling to food.
3 minStep 3: Taste: it should be salty, sharp and hot, as it will season a whole dish. Spoon into a clean jar and press down so no air pockets remain.
Step 4: Keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks (the salt and lime preserve it), or freeze in small portions. Rub 1–2 tbsp over vegetables, tofu or halloumi before roasting or frying, or fry it in oil as the base of a stew.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 15 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bajan seasoning take?
- About 20 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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