Oil Down

About This Recipe

Oil Down is the soul of Grenadian cooking and the country's declared national dish. The name comes from the technique: everything simmers in coconut milk until the liquid is fully absorbed and only the fragrant coconut oil remains — 'oiled down' into every ingredient. Breadfruit forms the base, layered with salted pork or chicken, dasheen leaves (callaloo), dumplings, and aromatic herbs. It is communal food, traditionally cooked outdoors in a huge iron pot for parties, Sundays, and Carnival.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 mediumbreadfruit, peeled and cubed
• 400 gsalted pork or chicken pieces
• 2 cupspacked callaloo (dasheen) leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 canscoconut milk (400 ml each)
• 1 tspturmeric
• 4garlic cloves, crushed

Instructions

1. 1

   Layer the pot

   Place salted meat at the bottom of a heavy pot. Layer breadfruit cubes over the meat, then callaloo on top. Add garlic and turmeric.

2. 2

   Add coconut milk

   Pour coconut milk over all the layers — it should nearly cover the ingredients. Add 1 cup water if needed.

3. 3

   Simmer down

   Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook 45–50 minutes. Do not stir — let the liquid absorb completely.

4. 4

   Check and finish

   When liquid is absorbed and only oil remains in the bottom of the pot, the dish is ready. The breadfruit should be very tender.

5. 5

   Serve

   Scoop from the pot making sure each portion has meat, breadfruit, and greens.

Variations

• •

  Use banana or cassava instead of breadfruit.

• •

  Make fully vegetarian with extra root vegetables and coconut oil.

• •

  Add small flour dumplings to the stew for extra body.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of coconut milk or water.

Frequently Asked Questions