Guyana (South America) 7 February 2021

Guyana is located in the continent of South America. It has the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Suriname and French Guiana to the east, Brazil to the far south, and Colombia and Venezuela to the west.

The capital is Georgetown.

The official language is English.

The climate is remarkably uniform. High temperatures, heavy rainfall, high humidity and average cloud coverage.

The staples are curries, goat, lamb, chicken, seafood, duck, rice, peas, root vegetables, homemade bread, pineapple, coconut milk, and cassava (https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/what-are-staples-guyanese-cuisine).

https://www.britannica.com/place/Guyana

GUYANESE STYLE COOK UP RICE (https://www.alicaspepperpot.com/guyanese-style-cook-up-rice/):

• 10 C water (if you like it less watery, add 8 C water instead)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2-3 scallions, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 C green pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1 sprig of oregano, coarsely chopped
• 1-2 sprigs of thyme, removed from the stem
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 wiri wiri pepper or ½ scotch bonnet
• 1-2 small bouillon cubes
• 2 C coconut milk
• 2 TBSP cassareep
• 1 TBSP black pepper
• 1 C chopped spinach (optional)
• 1 15.5 oz canned beans of your choice or dry beans (pigeon peas work well)
• 2-1/2 C parboiled rice (any other type of rice will be too soft to hold up to the heavy ingredients in this dish)
• 2-3 lbs of your choice meat (I like chicken)

Chicken Prep:

• 2-3 lbs chicken (preferably breast)
• Season meat to your tastes, but here is an idea of how I seasoned my chicken
• 2 TBSP of onion and garlic puree
• 1 tsp cassareep
• Cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp oil
• Fry up the chicken and set aside

For canned beans prep:

1. In a large pot, bring 10 C of water to a boil.
2. In the meantime, dice onions, garlic, scallions, and green pepper and add to the boiling water. Add in the wiri wiri pepper, fresh herbs, bay leaves and bouillon cubes. Let the ingredients cook for 10-12 minutes.
3. Add in coconut milk, cassareep, and spinach. Let mixture boil for 7-8 minutes.
4. Place rice in a mixing bowl and run the tap water over it on low, until the water goes clear (this method is how we wash rice in the West Indies). Drain the water from the rice and add to the pot.
5. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pot. Add old bay seasoning and black pepper. Let rice boil until the rice is cooked, you can take one out to feel it is soft or not.
6. When the cook-up is close to being done, you will see that it is wet and soupy looking, there will hardly be any liquid left in the pot. Now at this point, add your cooked meat and give it a good stir.
7. Remove from heat and cool. This will taste the best on the next day, trust me!

MALASADAS (Guyanese Pancakes) (https://www.thespruceeats.com/guyanese-pancakes-2138151):

• 2 C all purpose flour
• 1 TBSP granulated sugar (heaping)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp instant yeast (heaping)
• ¼ ground cinnamon (optional)
• 3 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ C milk (between 110 to 115 F)
• Oil (for deep frying, about 2 inches)

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Add flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and cinnamon to a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract to a small bowl and whisk gently (you just want to break up the eggs and get them mixed with the extract).
4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour in the eggs and milk, and stir to mix and make a smooth, thick batter.
5. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1-1/2 hours or until the mixture has more than doubled in quantity.
6. Add oil to a deep-frying pan and heat on medium heat until oil is hot (350F).
7. Working with 2 TBSP, scoop and drop the batter into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Let fry for 1 minute until nicely browned all over.
8. Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
9. Serve warm with a generous drizzle of homemade syrup.

EASY KETO MAPLE SYRUP (https://thebigmansworld.com/keto-maple-syrup/):

• 2 C water (divided)
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 2/3 C granulated sweeter of choice (can be monk fruit sweetener, erythritol)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 TBSP maple extract
• 1 tsp butter extract or vanilla extract

1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together ¼ C of the water along with the xanthan gum. Let it sit for several minutes, for it to thicken.
2. In a small saucepan, add the rest of the water, salt, and granulated sweetener. On low heat, bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, remove from the heat.
3. Add the xanthan gum mixed water and whisk into the warm liquid. Add the flavor extracts until combined. Let the syrup cool completely and it will continue to thicken.

This can be stored at room temperature, in a sealed bottle or container, for up to 4 weeks. Be sure to keep it away from any direct light. You can also store it in the refrigerator, for up to 6 months. You can also put the syrup in a freezer friendly container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. The syrup must be thawed completely, then mixed again, before enjoying it.