Looking for Caribbean flavors? Make these flaky patties, curries and jerk fried fish

One of my favorite things about dining in L.A. is that we generally don’t shy away from spice. It’s an ideal home base for someone like me, who is always asking for hot sauce on the side or opting for the spiciest level of seasoning when given a choice.

After publishing guides to L.A.’s best Caribbean restaurants and Jamaican patties, I was reminded of how many dishes in the Caribbean canon lean into strong, eye-watering flavors. Flaky patties bursting with Scotch bonnet pepper and aromatic herbs, jerk-seasoned meats, warming curries. The cuisines from islands and countries bordering the Caribbean Sea pull influence from West Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Indigenous traditions — you’ll never get bored or run out of inspiration.

While some dishes require time to let the spices marinate and fully develop, there are also plenty of accessible dishes that can be finished in under an hour. And recipes can always be adjusted for those who prefer more mild flavors.

On the heels of Caribbean Heritage Month in June, here are five recipes to continue celebrating Caribbean culinary traditions.

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Caribbean jerk-style hot sauce

Make this jerk-style hot sauce and keep it on hand for any dish that might benefit from a boost of spice courtesy of Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers. Dark brown sugar, dark rum and warming spices such as ground cloves and grated nutmeg round out the sauce so that the heat doesn’t overpower. You can also temper the spice by removing ribs and seeds from the chiles.
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Cook time: 30 minutes.

(Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times)

Save the jerk-style hot sauce for embellishing one of the star dishes from the dinner menu at Post & Beam, one of the L.A. Times’ 101 Best Restaurants. Feel free to use frozen, thawed fillets if you can’t find fresh ones and plan to marinate them for two to four hours before frying.
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Cook time: 1 hour. Serves 8 to 10.

Fried jerked catfish from Post & Beam

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Pollo al colmao

From the L.A. Times’ long-running Culinary S.O.S. column, this recipe comes courtesy of Koreatown’s historic Cuban restaurant El Colmao. Writer Astrid Kayembe highlighted the restaurant’s popular ropa vieja dish in her guide to the city’s best Caribbean spots, but the signature pollo al colmao translates the classic stewed chicken dish through a family recipe.
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Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Curried lamb pasties with spicy sweet potato and tamarind

It might feel intimating to bake a savory meat pie at home, but in her recipe, writer Sarah Karnasiewicz assures that “if you can make a stew, you can make a filling.” She also offers two recipes for a pie dough, including a simple option with just four ingredients.
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Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes. Makes 6 hand pies.

(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Watermelon curry

I never tire of eating ripe watermelon during the summer, and this recipe from chef-owner Geeta Bansal of Irvine’s Clay Oven restaurant enhances the seasonal fruit with turmeric, serrano and cumin for a flavorful take that can be served with basmati rice, quinoa or couscous.
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Cook time: 1 hour. Serves 4.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)