Spice is so nice; why not craft a coleslaw with some Caribbean kick?
I’ve been to Jamaica before, but only once and only as a child. I was too young to make many formative memories, with only a few vignettes of bus rides from Falmouth through local towns. The trip to various Caribbean islands is, unfortunately, more memories of time on the cruise ship than it is time in another country, and for that, I’m filled with nostalgia for something I don’t fully remember. Very little of my actual time in Jamaica has stuck with me after decades but one thing has been steadfast: Jamaican spices simply can’t be beat!
I don’t know what I ate while I was in Jamaica, but I’ve come away with an appreciation for Jamaican jerk and spice blends that isn’t shared by anyone else in my family. Deliciously bright flavors, sweetness from brown sugar, and even a little bitter, Jamaican spices really add a kick to just about any feast you’re looking to make. I personally love to use scotch bonnet, allspice, and ginger in homemade beef and jerk chicken patties, but pairing those delicious island favorites with the perfect side has just become easier than ever with Jamaican coleslaw! Crisp, refreshing coleslaw with a dash of that killer Caribbean kick makes just about any fried food taste even better, and Jamaican coleslaw couples nicely with other favorites inspired by Jamaica’s Latin American neighbors.
If you’ve ever been to Jamaica (or want to feel like you’re cruising the Caribbean yourself!), you can’t go wrong with spicy coleslaw!
Scotch Bonnet – The Caribbean’s Capsicum
While peppers are grown all over the world, the subtle nuances of the differences (from flavor to spice level) come from the varieties within each species of pepper. While habanero peppers are native to the Amazon (and I’m not talking about the online shopping giant!), their cousins, the Scotch Bonnet, are grown in the Caribbean islands and hail from Jamaica. The two peppers share a lot in common, including relative size and ripe yellow-orange coloration, but differ greatly from each other culinarily since their divide from South American roots. These little differences in the two varieties help distinguish Scotch Bonnet as distinctively Jamaican!
For one thing, Scotch Bonnet peppers are notably sweeter than its habanero cousin, meaning that you can enjoy more of the spice without quite as much of the burn! Sugars are suspected to help neutralize the sting from ultra-spicy foods (one of many reasons our Jamaican coleslaw has brown sugar among its ingredients), and sweeter peppers typically taste milder as a result. There is even a variety of Scotch Bonnet, the cachucha, that is entirely sweet.
In fact, Scotch Bonnets have a flavor profile that accentuates the sweeter, fruitier flavors of food, whereas habanero has a more immediately intense, smoky, hot flavor. Jamaican cuisine typically balances the juxtaposition of sweetness and heat with its spice blends, like how ours uses ground ginger for added sharpness and nutmeg to round out the tone. This makes Scotch Bonnet perfect for lots of island dishes like jerk chicken, conch fritters, and curries, whereas habanero makes deliciously hot salsas, pepper relish, and hot sauce.
Now, don’t get me wrong, both Scotch Bonnet and habanero peppers clock in around the range of 100,000-350,000 Scoville units (for reference, your typical jalapeño maxes out at 8,000), but the way that capsaicin tastes will be notably different. This is likely due to the fact that Scotch Bonnet likely traveled from the Amazon region (some sources suspect what we today call Brazil) to the Caribbean islands, making them more similar to each other than they have differences.
FAQs & Tips
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Jamaican coleslaw is best served chilled, so storing it in the fridge (where it can last for up to 5 days if properly sealed) makes for excellent side dishes for multiple meals. Just cut, mix, and chill!
Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Is Still Too Spicy, What Can I Use Instead?
Scotch Bonnet peppers have a naturally high spice level, so using the sweeter variant, Cachucha, is totally acceptable to make a delightful coleslaw that’s still authentically Jamaican!
What Makes A Jamaican Spice Blend Truly Jamaican?
While you might think incorporating ingredients from the Jamaican island is all it takes to make a truly authentic Jamaican spice blend, the fundamental philosophy of balancing flavors is more present in Jamaican food even than having ingredients from the Caribbean. Ensuring you balance your sweet ingredients with acidic and spicy ones helps keep your spice blend authentic for any Jamaican-inspired dish you have in mind.
Serving Suggestions
Jamaican coleslaw tastes great as the perfect pair to your Central and Latin American-inspired entrees! I personally like serving it with tacos (be it classic shredded beef tacos or more island-inspired salmon tacos), but you can double down and pepper it up with stuffed bell peppers, too! Jamaican coleslaw is an excellent topping for black bean sliders, and it shares a plate (and a flavor palate!) with brown sugar glazed chicken. Try having some as a snack with your next mango margarita to pair some sweet with your heat!
Jamaican Coleslaw
Ingredients Â
- 1/2 medium cabbage shredded (about 4 cups)
- 2 carrots shredded
- 1/2 Scotch bonnet pepper seeds removed and finely minced
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/8 cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt to taste
InstructionsÂ
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, carrots, and minced Scotch bonnet pepper.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, white vinegar, lime juice, brown sugar, ground ginger, ground allspice, and ground nutmeg until smooth. Add salt to taste.
- Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss well to coat evenly.
- For best flavor, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
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