Grandma's Green Seasoning

Grandma's Green Seasoning

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup chandon beni

• 1/4 cup cilantro

• 5-6 leaves, big-leaf thyme

• 1 bunch spring onion, roughly chopped

• 8 cloves garlic, peeled

• 1 inch piece ginger, peeled

• 2 tbsp white vinegar

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

• food processor

DIRECTIONS

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the ingredients in batches if all cannot fit in the food processor at once, then transfer to a mixing bowl to fully combine.

2. Once all ingredients have been pulsed in the food processor, transfer to a mixing bowl.

3. Add a splash of vinegar to the mixture, this helps to preserve the seasoning.

4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

TIPS

• If you don’t have a food processor you can also finely chop everything by hand.

• If you don’t have chandon beni, you can use all cilantro, just replace the same volume

• If you don’t have this specific thyme, you can try regular thyme but use 25% the amount

BACKGROUND

In the carribbean, green seasoning varies from household to household. The ingredients change depending on what’s available - usually the green herbs. In my grandma’s green seasoning, you’ll always find garlic, ginger, and spring onion - as well as a specific type of thyme she grows in her garden. You can find big leaf thyme in caribbean grocery stores, but if that’s not accessible, regular thyme will do if you’re in a pinch! The ingredient that makes my grandma’s special is chandon beni - you can’t always find this caribbean herb in grocery stores in Canada, but when you can it brings the traditional Trinidadian flavour to the green seasoning. I’ve included it in this recipe but if you can’t find it, cilantro will do as well.

A final note - This recipe is this recipe because of these specific ingredients, if you want to make a chimichurri this recipe is not for you.