The Cosmopolitan mixture of Trinidad and Tobago has created foods that are unique, sensational and much to brag about. Our Indo foods are different because they have been creolized and are distinct from foods elsewhere that carry the same name. Here is a sample of some of our favorite foods.
Buljol is salt fish (cod fish) prepared with onions, tomatoes, avocado and pepper. This food is one of my favorite and is best eaten with cassava (yucca), dumplings, young green fig (bananas) or dasheen. I prefer to eat it with cassava
Callaloo (real Trini food, beware of the imitations that bear the same name) is a thick vegetable soup based on dasheen leaves or spinach. Many people put squash or pumpkin in the callaloo but as far as I am concerned callaloo without crab is not callaloo at all. Salted beef is also added by some locals.
Doubles are curried chick peas (channa) served with two pieces of fried bara bread. Make sure that you have a good peppered sauce to go with it.
Dumplings are a must in Tobago; particularly good with crab. Yes, yes, yes, my mouth is watering just thinking about crab and dumplings.
'Hops' is a crusty bread roll, very delicious when eaten fresh from the oven. Hops and cheese is a treat.
Pastelles - hallacas in Venezuela - is a Christmas delicacy consisting of maize and flour parcels stuffed with minced meat, olives, capers and raisins, steamed in a banana leaf.
Pelau is a delicious dish made of rice, peas and meat cooked together with vegetables.
Phulouri are a small cake (fritter) made with split peas or other vegetable.
Roti, a chapatti (non whole-wheat) it looks like a pancake and is served in a variety of ways. It is delicious whether filled with, beef, chicken, shrimp, a variety of spicy stews, or vegetable curries. There are many versions of the roti that includes Paratha (aka buss-up-shot) with my persons favorite being the Dhalpuri that is made with yellow split peas,Sadha,Nan, Dosti, and aloo purie (potato). My favorite is the dhalpuri served with curried chicken, beef or goat (I just love the goat roti) …yummy.
Saheena consists of deep-fried patties of spinach, dasheen and split peas served with a mango sauce (peppered of course).
Bake-an-Shark is a spicy fried bread sandwich of fried shark with a variety of sauces such as tamarind and garlic (take a look at the Bizzare Foods Clip in the Food and Drinks category).
Local Drinks
Ginger beer is a non alcoholic drink made from the tuberous roots of the plant Zingiber officinale. I love it when it burns your throat after swallowing.
Mauby is a refreshing local drink made from the bark of the tree Colubrina reclinata. It has a reputation of acting as good ‘cooling’ drink. It is better to get the Mauby bark and boil it to make your own drink. Most of the bottled Mauby drinks have way too much sugar added.
Rum punches are recommended. Fresh lime juice is also recommended – sometimes served with a dash of Angostura bitters.
Carib is the ‘official’ beer of Trinidad and Tobago is brewed at home. There are many stories about Carib beer some of which I will feature in future posts.
Please check in the 'Trini links' section (left side-bar) for other Indo cuisine delights at Chutneyzone.com (Trinidad Indo style cooking).
This information without my notes can be obtained at:
