I and I come to give you di pasta. Not di Babylon pasta. Di riddim pasta.

Overstand dis first. Pasta is a ting dem make inna factory, and di factory is Babylon, and I-man know it. But di wheat did grow inna di field under Jah sun before Babylon put it inna box, and what di box take, di pot can give back. Dat is di whole livity of dis dish. Hold it.

What you need. One pound of pasta, di short kind, so it can catch di sauce. One can coconut milk. Two big handful callaloo; if di market nuh have callaloo, spinach will do and nobody have to know. Four clove garlic. Two scallion. One scotch bonnet, whole. Thyme, fresh, a likkle bundle. Six pimento seed. One lime. Coconut oil.

Di water. Babylon salt di water. I and I nuh salt di water. Di flavor come from di sauce, not from di sea. Bring it to di boil and put in di pasta.

Di riddim. Now listen. Di pasta must stir, but it must not stir like a man who is worried. Count four, steady, like di drummer count it. One — nothing. Two — nothing. Three — stir. Four — rest. Di one is empty, same as inna di music. Dat empty one is where di pasta learn patience. Keep it so till di pasta tender but still have backbone, maybe ten minute. Save a cup of di water before you drain it.

Di sauce. Coconut oil inna di big pan, medium fire. Garlic and scallion go in, and you stir dem on di three also, because consistency is respect. Pimento and thyme follow. Den di coconut milk, and di scotch bonnet go in whole. Do not cut it. Di pepper is not dere to burn you. It is dere to watch. Let it simmer till it thicken, ten minute, den take out di pepper and di thyme stick, and give thanks to both.

Di meeting. Callaloo go in di sauce till it soft. Pasta go in after. If it tight, add a likkle of di water you save. Squeeze di lime over all of it at di end. Di lime do di work di salt woulda do, and better, and it nuh raise nobody pressure.

Serve it hot. Four people, or two people and a conversation.

If you lose di count while you stirring, nuh fret. Di one was empty anyway. Come back in on di three.

Irie.