Your Norwegian shopping list

Jamaican ingredient	Norwegian name or swap	Where to look
Pimento (allspice)	Allehånde	Any supermarket spice shelf
Scotch bonnet pepper	Habanero works well	Larger supermarkets, Asian and African shops
Saltfish	Klippfisk	Supermarket fish counter, especially on the west coast
Ackee	Canned ackee	African, Caribbean or Asian food shops; online
Thyme and scallion	Timian and vårløk	Any supermarket
Goat	Geitekjøtt, or lamb (lam) as a swap	Halal butchers and international shops
Sorrel	Dried hibiscus flowers (hibiskus)	Asian and African shops, health food stores
Green banana, yam, plantain	Kokebanan (plantain), yams	Asian and African shops

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1. Ackee and saltfish (serves 4)

Jamaica’s national dish, and the best use of Norwegian klippfisk I know.

• 250 g klippfisk, soaked overnight with two water changes
• 1 can ackee (about 540 g), drained
• 1 onion, 2 tomatoes, 1 small red pepper, all chopped
• 2 spring onions, 2 garlic cloves, a few sprigs of thyme
• Half a habanero, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp oil, black pepper

1. Simmer the soaked fish for 10 minutes, drain, cool and flake. Taste it: it should be savoury, not salty.
2. Fry the onion, garlic, spring onion, pepper, thyme and habanero in oil for 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and fish and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Fold in the ackee gently and warm through for 2 to 3 minutes so it keeps its shape. Finish with black pepper.

Serve with: fried dumplings (below), boiled green banana or boiled potatoes, Norwegian style.

2. Oven jerk chicken (serves 4)

Real jerk is smoked over pimento wood. In a Norwegian winter, the oven does a good job.

• 1.2 kg chicken thighs and drumsticks
• Marinade: 6 spring onions, 1 onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1 to 2 habaneros, 2 tbsp thyme leaves, 1 tbsp ground allehånde, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar, juice of 2 limes, 3 tbsp oil, 1 tsp salt

1. Blend the marinade until smooth. Wear gloves when handling the peppers.
2. Score the chicken, rub in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
3. Roast at 200 °C for 40 to 45 minutes, turning once, until cooked through. Finish under the grill for 3 minutes to char the edges.

3. Rice and peas (serves 4)

The Sunday dinner essential. The “peas” are red kidney beans.

• 1 can red kidney beans (400 g) with its liquid
• 1 can coconut milk (400 ml)
• 400 g long-grain rice, rinsed
• 2 spring onions, 2 garlic cloves, a few sprigs of thyme, 4 whole allehånde berries, 1 whole habanero (do not cut it), 1 tsp salt

1. Bring the beans, their liquid, coconut milk and 300 ml water to the boil with the seasonings.
2. Stir in the rice, cover tightly and cook on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
3. Remove the whole pepper, thyme stalks and berries. Fluff with a fork.

4. Curry goat (or lamb) (serves 6)

• 1.5 kg goat or lamb on the bone, cut in chunks
• 3 tbsp Jamaican or mild curry powder, plus 1 tbsp to toast
• 1 onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1 thumb of ginger, 3 spring onions, thyme, 1 habanero
• 3 potatoes, cubed; salt and pepper; 2 tbsp oil

1. Season the meat with curry powder, garlic, ginger, onion, spring onion, thyme, salt and pepper. Marinate overnight.
2. Toast 1 tbsp curry powder in hot oil for 1 minute, add the meat and brown well.
3. Add water to just cover, drop in the whole habanero, cover and simmer for about 2 hours until tender.
4. Add the potatoes for the last 25 minutes. They thicken the gravy.

5. Fried dumplings (makes 10)

• 300 g plain flour (hvetemel), 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 25 g butter, about 150 ml cold water, oil for frying

Rub the butter into the dry ingredients, add water a little at a time and knead to a firm dough. Rest 10 minutes. Shape into flat rounds and fry in 1 cm of oil on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden.

6. Christmas sorrel

Bright red, spicy and festive. Perfect for a Norwegian Christmas table.

• 50 g dried hibiscus flowers, 1 thumb of ginger (sliced), 6 allehånde berries, 3 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, peel of 1 orange, 2 litres water, sugar to taste, lime juice

Boil the water with the spices and ginger, remove from the heat, add the hibiscus and orange peel, and steep overnight. Strain, sweeten to taste, add a squeeze of lime and chill. Traditionally a splash of rum is added for adults.