Chefwar's Kitchen

29/04/2024

Chefwar's Kitchen is very much alive! It is another day with the opportunity for a fresh new start! The last few years have taken a toll on all of us, and on a personal level, it has been a few challenging years. When the time seemed fit to return to my business acumen, I was not in the mental state of mind. Last year, I thought I had begun to rebuild, but instead, I allowed voices to distract me. I have decided to walk away from things and voices that would otherwise distort my dream! But when you are at a fork in the road, the decision is up to you whether you will pivot forward or remain stagnant!

On May 11th, we are leaping forward and re-launching our store and virtual popup with "Cookin," a platform designed to empower local food businesses. We'll offer delivery and pickup services, ready to serve you in a whole new way. Yes, that's right, you can taste and experience our craft in the comfort of your setting! It is the weekend to honour your matriarch, so order some delicious food in celebration!

Our cuisine is Caribbean inspired but rooted in Guyanese cooking traditions, and preparations.

25/03/2024

Delicious local fruits!

27/10/2021

Oh, for the love of a delicious Metemgee! It is a soup but not a starter; it's a meal in itself! What is Metemgee? It is a one-pot dish consisting of root vegetables, dumplings, salt beef or salt or fried fish. As for my family's preparation, we would mostly prepare the soup with sauteed chicken, sometimes with fried fish or crab.

This tasteful dish was brought to Guyana by way of the African slaves. The word "Metemgee" comes from the African language, "Twi" meaning plantains or bananas. In contrast, 'gye" means to delight a meal prepared by boiling together various root vegetables with salted meat in a coconut milk broth.

Recently I prepared a simplified version with yuca (cassava), ripe plantains and eddoes (related to taro), dumplings and sauteed chicken. Although I try not to make a large amount, it is never the case; I had four delicious meals from my most recent preparation.

25/10/2021

I randomly purchased a Thai Basil plant for my herb garden this Summer. So I decided to execute a Thai Inspired dinner with a wine pairing. The first course was a delightful Mango Salad with fresh Lime Thai Basil vinaigrette. As for the main course, I opt for a Thai Basil Fried Rice, made with Jasmine rice for an almost authentic flavour. With marinated shrimp, chicken and a medley of diced vegetables and Thai Basil.

As for dessert, I created a Mango Cake from a Mango Flan recipe. Instead of condensed milk, I used ground almond flour and create a sponge cake. Which was blended together with fresh mango and lime zest.

I paired the dinner with a dry, light, refreshing Rose wine with an optimum amount of fruit. It's a dinner worth repeating!

20/09/2021

Back by popular demand, our next Virtual Sunday Supper will be on Sunday, September 26th. Kindly place your order while quantities last, all orders will need to be confirmed by no later than 3pm on Thursday, September 23rd.

Kindly place your order directly on our website: follow the link under our profile page.

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02/08/2021

Even though it has been a few weeks of lying low, nothing has changed as far as cooking goes! No doubt the last fifteen months have been very stressful on every front! The in-activity has cause changes that I am not happy with. And therefore I am revisiting my meals with more fresh salads lately. Summertime is steak time as far as I am concerned! So instead of going the route of serving the steak with potato, I decided to create a Surf & Turf Salad. Simply delicious with a homemade herb & lemon dressing!

12/07/2021

Rice is the universal staple across the world! Rice is a member of the grass family and it was first cultivated in the Yangtze River in China. Whoever came up with the idea of domesticating it, G bless them! (lol). Yes, as a fellow Indo-Guyanese, I loved all thing rice! During my three weeks vacation in Italy, I only enjoyed rice once. If my memory serves me correctly, I believe the first meal I made upon my return was with rice. Subsequently, I enjoyed a bowl of Fried Rice about four Friday nights in succession without prejudice.

I learned the art of making Risotto during my Culinary training, and it is one of the dishes that I thoroughly enjoy. My all-time favourite is a Wild Mushroom Risotto; the opulent brownish colour is a result of incorporating the tea brewed from hydrating the dried wild mushrooms. The combination of the medley of wild dried and cultivated cremini mushrooms
creates a delectable umami flavour. While the delicate sweet Bay Scallops harmonized the savoury flavours of the Risotto.

Should you desire to pair your Risotto with a glass of wine, a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio would be a good choice. Both wines have a good level of acidity that would cut through the richness of the dish.

07/07/2021

What is Cook-Up Rice? This beautiful one-pot meal was introduced to Guyana by way of the African slaves. It is a transcultural dish that all Guyanese enjoy to this day; as the saying goes, "nothing like a good pot of Cook-Up." Traditionally made with a combination of black-eyed and pigeon peas cooked in a rich coconut broth.

Since Indo-Guyanese did not consume beef, braised chicken was the only protein included in the final preparation. In contrast, the African-Guyanese would use various proteins such as salted beef or pork, pigtail or fresh beef or pork in their meal preparation. Except for the protein and peas, they are no set standard of vegetables that completed the dish. The vegetables would vary from a handful of diced cabbage or sliced spinach or a handful of fresh whole okra. The final garnish usually is chopped onions and sliced green onions.

Nothing has changed, I still enjoy Cook-Up Rice and keep the recipe close to the original but with less coconut. However, I have elevated the traditional recipe with ingredients and cooking techniques to create a more flavourful version. It may seem like a bowl of fried rice in the picture since I prefer a drier Cook-Up Rice. Most recently, I opted to make it with Braised Oxtail for a change of flavour and texture.

05/07/2021

That was one delicious pizza, that will be staying on my menu, irrelevant of the season, especially since I will have Basil Pesto in my freezer to enjoy over the winter months.

The pesto was freshly made from Basil harvested from my herb garden on my balcony. The recipe is an adaption of a Shrimp Pesto Pizza with Artichoke. However, I decided to take the pizza to the next level by adding roast garlic and pickled red onions.

Basil's herbaceous quality requires a wine that aligns itself with the herb, and therefore, a Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect match. Its vibrant citrus notes and acidity will bring out the best of the Basil Pesto Sauce.

02/07/2021

Duck has gained some momentum lately; however, it is not as common as Chicken or Turkey. It has always been one of those proteins that have taken the "backup singer role." On the other hand, Duck is not a meaty bird and it contains a much higher fat content than Chicken or Turkey. Therefore it is not an economical choice for most families or large gatherings.

However, Duck makes for a delicious meal; as an Indo-Guyanese, it is the curries of all curries! And to this day, I still enjoy a delightful Curry Duck with our famous Dahl Puri Roti. They are several ways in which I enjoyed incorporating Duck into my menu. First, it is used as the main source of protein that is braised with herbs and spices. Secondly, I would use the Duck meat to make Wild Mushrooms Ragu Pasta. But most of all I would use the Duck Legs to prepare a tasty Moroccan Tagine. (stew)

My latest concoction is Braised Duck Legs, with Rosemary and Marsala wine. The final presentation looks a bit purple; however, cabbage and Duck make a beautiful marriage. As long as the meal is gratifying, that is all that matters!

As for wine pairing, Duck and Pinot Noir is a classical match as it is a light body wine and a good level of acidity that counters act with the fattiness of the Duck.

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