Book review: East Winds by Riaz Phillips

It’s the far reaches of the Caribbean region that author of East Winds Riaz Phillips chooses to uncover.

In modern British culture, the words ‘Jamaican’ and ‘Caribbean’ are far too often used interchangeably. Jerk chicken is king when representing Caribbean cuisine, and the red, gold and green of the Rastifari is pervasive. The Caribbean is made up of not just Jamaica, but rather a vast collection of islands and territories and it’s the far reaches of the region that author of East Winds Riaz Phillips chooses to uncover.

He calls it the “hidden Caribbean” – where the influences of India and China, West Africa and Britain created lesser-known Caribbean delicacies. Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago and Suriname have their stories told through food. Phillips isn’t afraid to lead recipes with longer text where his research shines through and the influences of each dish are clear. The sections are met with a couple of pages of introduction each, littered with nuggets of historical facts. Take, for instance, the nose-to-tail chapter, which explains meat consumption was rare for people of the Caribbean, making this chapter the shortest of the lot.

Other chapters include seeds & pulses, ‘curry?’, seafood, flour & water, and preserves & juices. The chapter to kick it all off is ‘plant-based’, and in fact this book is very suitable for vegetarian and vegan diners with plenty of fresh inspiration for meat-free dishes. For example, the curry corn recipe sees Caribbean spicy seasoning seep into the crevices of the cobs, with masala mango used as a main or side, where green mangoes are the base for a sweetly piquant dish. This cookbook shines brightest in two areas: sauces and breads. The former can be seen in the vast majority of recipes, with ideas that can be carried through cooking. The latter sees not only fritters, pastries and bakes, but also six kinds of roti.

East Winds is a peek into a deeper level of Caribbean culture for those who are wishing to explore the region. Nevertheless, chefs who use this book will undoubtedly discover new fresh and spicy flavours from a world of influences, distilled into the ingredients and techniques of the islands.

East Winds by Riaz Phillips (DK, £25)