Trinidad and Tobago Recipes and Flavours

Trinidad and Tobago Flavours

Trinidad has always been known for great food. This week we will be displaying the many different delicious recipes from the beautiful little island for you to enjoy with your family and friends. Happy Cooking!!!! Our objective is to put an end to fast foods and take outs. We need to start preparing home made meals and teach our children how to prepare traditional Caribbean delicacies. N.B: Feel free to share your ideas as well...Thank You for viewing!

Trinidad and Tobago cuisine is indicative of the blends of Indian, African, Creole, Amerindian, European, Chinese and Lebanese gastronomic influences. Trinidad and Tobago has one of the most diverse cuisines in the Caribbean and is known throughout the world. There are many main dishes that T & T has.  Some of them are: Callaloo, Bake & Shark, Doubles, Pelau, Curried crab & dumplings, Oil Down, Pastelles, Black Cake, Dhal Puri Roti, Buss-up-shot Roti (Paratha), Murtanie (a.k.a. Mother-in-law) and Souse.

Trinidad Bake and Shark

Bake and shark is one of those classic street foods (sandwiches) in Trinidad and Tobago and if you’ve ever had the pleasure of spending a day on the beach at Maracas Bay. See recipe below, compliments www.caribbeanpot.com 

You’ll Need for Bake…

3 cups all-purpose flour *
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon yeast (instant)
1 cup water * (warm)
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon margarine or butter
veg oil for frying

Notes: You can certainly use a combo of whole wheat flour and all purpose flour if you’d like to make it a bit healthier.

You’ll Need for Shark…

2 lb shark
1 lime or lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon green seasoning
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
veg oil for frying (about 2-3 cups)

Notes: Save a few drops of the lime or lemon juice for seasoning the shark as well.

To Prepare the Bake:

In a large bowl place the flour, yeast, salt, margarine, shortening and baking powder. Use your hands to mix everything together.. break up the margarine and shortening. The flour will take on the consistency of peas. Now start adding the water and form into a smooth dough. Please make sure the water is luke warn to help the yeast activate. It will take about 5 minutes of kneading to form a smooth dough. You can always use your standing mixer or food processor if you wish.

Now cover the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap to make it air tight and place it in a warm corner of your kitchen. Allow it to ‘rest’ for about 45 minutes. (we dusted the top of the dough with some flour)

After 45 minutes, it’s time to work the dough into smaller dough balls.  All you have to do is break the main dough ball into 5 equal sized smaller balls (like the size of a tennis ball). Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet (after you smooth them out) and cover with a kitchen towel to ‘rest’ further. All it takes is 15 minutes this time.

It’s now time to shape them into bake-like form and fry them. Set up a sort of station… the frying pan with the vegetable oil and a draining basket lined with paper towels.

Rub a little veg oil on your kitchen counter surface (we won’t be using a rolling pin) and place one of the dough balls.. rub some veg oil on your fingers and start to stretch the dough while pressing to form a 6 inch (diameter) circle. Work from the center out.

Heat about 2 cups of vegetable oil (any oil you like) on med/high and gently add the now formed bakes into the pot. Remember to place it away from your body, when adding it to the hot oil.

As soon as it hits the oil, be prepared to flip them over (my dad used a fork), this way you’ll have evenly fried and shaped fry bales. Allow them to cook for about 3 minutes, flipping them a couple times so each side cooks evenly. You can also spoon the hot oil on the exposed surface if you like.. not really necessary though. You’re looking for a crispy surface and a golden colour.

It’s then time to fish them out of the hot oil and place on the paper towels to drain off the extra oil. Repeat the steps until they are all fried.

To Prepare the Shark:

The first step is to prep the shark (cut into thin pieces). You can watch the following video: How To Fillet And Skin Shark For Frying or follow along with the aid of these pics.

The idea is to remove the skin, then remove the meat off the center bone and finally.. slice thinly.

Next up we need to wash the shark pieces with a bit of cool water and the juice of the lime or lemon. Rinse with cool water and squeeze dry. Shark ‘meat’ is known to hold extra liquid, so do remember to squeeze dry. Then place in a bowl and season with the salt, black pepper, crushed garlic, green seasoning and scotch bonnet pepper chopped finely.

Give it a good stir and allow to marinate for about 30 minutes in the fridge. Create a frying station as... Plate with flour, seasoned shark, pot with vegetable oil and a wire basket (or bowl) lined with paper towels to dry off the extra grease from frying.

Heat your oil on a med/high heat.. then take each piece of seasoned shark and dust all sides in the flour, then place into the now hot oil. Cook about 2-3 minutes on each side and remember to flip. If you over-cook the shark, it may go a bit tough. Remove from the hot oil, drain and get ready to assemble your bake and shark sandwiches.

 Trinidad Hops Bread

 INGREDIENTS:-

 Makes: 12 Hops

• 1ounce sachet dry yeast (15 mg)
• 2teaspoons sugar
• 1tablespoon melted shortening
• 4cups all-purpose flour
• 2cups whole wheat flour
• 2 1⁄2cups warm water
• 2 teaspoons salt

DIRECTIONS:-

 1. Pour water into a bowl.
2. Add sugar and dissolve.
3. Dissolve yeast over sugar.
4. Allow to develop for 10 minutes.
5. Stir, mix with a fork.
6. Add melted shortening.
7. Gradually add flour.
8. knead for 8 - 10 minutes.
9. Make a med stiff dough.
10. Return to bowl and cover.
11. Let rest for 20 - 25 minutes.
12. Punch down dough.
13. Form balls.
14. Put on greased baking tray.
15. Cover with damp cloth.
16. Let rise until double in size (approx 1 - 1 1/2 hours).
17. Bake in hot oven 400°F for 15 minutes or light golden brown on top.( Brush top with melted butter before baking)
18. EAT & ENJOY.

Trinidad Pelau



"Pelau is a savory one-pot Trinidadian favorite. Meat including chicken, beef or pigtails is first browned using “burnt sugar”(little past caramelization point), to which rice, fresh herbs, peas or beans, veggies and coconut milk are added resulting in the most comforting of dishes.

Gatherings sometime revolve around this one pot dish, whether at someone’s house, a day at the beach, park or famous Trini “River Lime” where Trinis set up kitchen on the banks of a river, cook in the beautiful outdoors and “ole talk”. Heaping spoonfuls of Trini pelau are loaded onto a plate and served with a salad of greens(watercress), shredded carrots, tomatoes or cucumber, accompanied by home made hot sauce, kuchela(pickled mango), roasted coconut or vegetable chutney or even a raw scotch bonnet pepper…and  “washed down” with coconut water straight out of a coconut, a cold bottle of Carib beer or Mauby." www.cookingwithria.com



Ingredients:-

2 cups cooked beans or pigeon peas (1 cup uncooked / if using canned--wash thoroughly and drain)
3 lbs. of chicken pieces (whole chicken cut up, thighs or drumsticks), washed and drained
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
Salt and pepper (to season chicken)
1 stalk celery, diced (about ¾ cup)
1 medium red sweet pepper, diced (about ¾ cup)
1 medium carrot, diced (about ¾ cup)
2 cups parboiled rice, washed and drained
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 cups fresh coconut milk (dilute milk with water if using canned coconut milk)
1-2 cups water or reserved liquid if using.
Salt and pepper to taste

Green seasoning for chicken (or use your favorite blend)
4 large cloves garlic
4 scallions, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 bunch thyme
1 medium onion, chopped (about ¾cup)
1 pimento (not hot) or scotch bonnet pepper (HOT!!!)

Serves 6-8

1. In a food processor or blender, add garlic, scallions, thyme, onion and pimento or scotch  bonnet pepper and chop finely.
2. To the chicken add half of the green seasoning(reserving the other half), ketchup, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to coat the chicken with the seasonings. Marinate for at least an hour or overnight.
3. In a dry large deep heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, cook the sugar over moderately high heat, stirring constantly with a fork, until it is melted completely and starts to froth, bubble and darken(but not black and smoking).
4. Immediately add the seasoned chicken, turning frequently to coat about 5 minutes.
5. Add the rice to the chicken, cook for 3 minutes; continue to stir frequently to prevent sticking to the pot.
6. Add beans or peas, diced sweet red pepper, carrot, celery and the remainder of the green seasoning. Mix well. Cook for 1 minute.
7. Pour in coconut milk and water or other cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
8. Cover pot and bring to a boil. When the liquid comes to a boil, reduce heat to low or simmer and cook for about 30 minutes or until rice is cooked and all the liquid has evaporated.

Get all tools and ingredients together.....(boiling of beans, the making of the seasoning, fresh coconut milk and dicing of the peppers, carrots and celery (pics not shown) can be done a day ahead. Save time by using preservative-free canned beans or coconut milk--but there is nothing like FRESH!)

Reminder….This is not a 30 minute meal. This is home cooking at its best. The end result is worth it. 

If using dried beans, soak overnight. Drain. Add 3 cups of water to saucepan, bring to boil add soaked beans or peas and boil until beans are almost cooked. Drain (reserving any liquid if you would like to use) and set aside.

 

Make Green Seasoning---In a food processor or blender, finely chop garlic, scallion, thyme, onion and pimento or scotch bonnet pepper. The important question to ponder here is---do you like it HOT or NOT??

To the chicken add half of the green seasoning(reserving the other half), ketchup, salt and pepper to taste.

 

 Mix well to coat the chicken with the seasonings. Marinate for at least an hour or overnight. (The skin on the chicken adds extra flavor but you can definitely remove before or after cooking.)

Wash rice several times until water runs clear. Drain.
Start with 2 1/2 to 3 cups and increase liquid as necessary.

 In a dry large deep heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, cook the sugar over moderately high heat, stirring constantly with a fork, until it is melted completely and starts to froth, bubble and darken (but not black and smoking--if black and smoking start over :-( ).
Memorize these three words, FROTH, BUBBLE, DARKEN. Very important stuff....

 Immediately add the seasoned chicken...

 ...turning frequently to coat and cook for about 5 minutes.

 Add the rice to the chicken, cook for 3 minutes; continue to stir frequently to prevent sticking to the pot.
Add beans or peas, diced sweet red pepper, carrot, celery and the remainder of the green seasoning.
Mix well. Cook for 1 minute.

 Pour in coconut milk and water or other cooking liquid.

 Season with salt and pepper to taste.
 

 Cover pot and bring to a boil.
When the liquid comes to a boil, reduce heat to low or simmer and cook for about 30 minutes until rice is cooked and all the liquid has evaporated.

 Serve this delicious, mouth-watering Trini Pelau hot or room temperature (with a generous dose of hot-sauce) and enjoy!!!

A Curry Goat Recipe

"The most popular method of cooking goat meat in Trinidad is to curry it."

"Even more popular than curry goat by itself in Trinidad is a good Goat Roti. Somehow the inherent curry goat flavour mixes together with the other sides like the channa and aloo, bodi, and fry ochro to make one mouthwatering, TASTETATIONAL experience…. Oh! And don’t forget; Ah red Solo ( soft drink, soda) to wash it down… But wait! I already did dhalpuri . You could surely make your own Goat Roti at home now lol! Here’s Curry Goat. Enjoy " www.simplytrinicooking.com

CURRY GOAT

1 lb goat meat, cubed
1 lime
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp green seasoning
4 tsp masala (divided)
2 tbsp curry (divided)
1/2 tsp saffron (tumeric)
4 cloves garlic (divided)
7 leaves culantro, chopped
4 sprigs chive, chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce (optional)
1 tbsp coconut powder
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Wash the meat with the lime and drain

add salt

green seasoning

2 tsp masala

saffron (tumeric) powder

and 1 tbsp curry powder

add the onion and two cloves of chopped garlic

then the culantro (chadon beni ) and chive. Mix well. Leave to marinate for at least one hour.

Tip: You can use this time wisely and boil your rice or knead flour for bake or roti, while the meat marinates

Heat the oil

and saute the other 2 cloves of chopped garlic

In about 1/2 cup of water, mix 2 tsp of masala and 1 tbsp of curry powder. Add to the sauteed garlic and allow to cook for about one minute.

Add the marinated goat and mix in the curry thoroughly.
Then add the soy sauce (optional)

Allow to cook for about 5 minutes or when you see the water is drying down.

Add the coconut powder

Then add enough water to cover the meat and pressure cook for 15 minutes.

Tip: To avoid burning the meat, here’s a tip…When you add the water
 lift the pressure cooker and remember it’s weight. Then as you cook, periodically lift the weight and shake the pressure cooker to test if there is any water remaining.

N.B. Use this method only for meats and not for split peas.
For peas try the following method….
Look at the amount of steam and use your sense of smell; if you see wisps of steam and get a slight aroma, check your pressure cooker.

After about 15 minutes check the meat for tenderness. By this time it should be about half done. Top up with water and pressure cook for another 15 minutes or until the water has evaporated (Similar to the amount of water you had before you started to pressure cook the goat)

This is curry goat with dhalpuri and curry bodi and aloo.