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Trinidad and Tobago cuisine

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Trinidad and Tobago cuisine is influenced by Indian-South Asian, West African, Creole, European, North American, Chinese, Amerindian, Latin American, and Levantine culinary styles.[1]

Main meals

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Breakfast dishes

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Doubles
Tobago cuisine: pacro water and sea moss drinks

Popular breakfast foods include doubles, made with two baras (flat fried dough) and curried channa (chickpeas). They are usually served with toppings such as pepper sauce, kuchela, tamarind, mango, pommecythere, cucumber, and bandhaniya chutneys. Doubles are one of the most popular breakfast foods eaten on the islands, but are commonly consumed throughout the day.[2][3]

A traditional Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian breakfast consists of sada roti, a type of unleavened bread made with flour, baking powder and water. The dough is rolled out and cooked on flat, cast-iron skillet called a tawa. The cooked dough is cut into quarters and served with a variety of fried vegetables, tarkaris or chokhas.[4][5] Sada rotis are usually eaten with baigan chokha (roasted and mashed eggplant), damadol chokha[6] (roasted and mashed tomatoes) and pepper chokha (roasted and mashed peppers).

Other common dishes include aloo chokha (boiled, roasted, and mashed potatoes), karaili chokha (roasted and mashed bittermelon) and murtani or upar ghar (combination of roasted and mashed eggplant, tomato, pepper, and okra); fried or curried bodi (long beans), aloo (potatoes), ochro/bhindhi (okra), seim (hyacinth beans); fried or curried karaili (bittermelon), saijan (drumstick) and lauki (bottle gourd), pumpkin or kohra tarkari (pumpkin simmered with spices and seasoning); and bhaji (made with young dasheen bush (taro) leaves, spinach leaves, saijan (drumstick) leaves, or chaurai (spiny amaranth) leaves), and/or fried plantains.

Fried bake (a fried unleavened bread) is usually served with fried shark, saltfish (dried and salted cod), buljol (saltfish with fresh sweet peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and sometimes boiled eggs), sardines, herring (smoked, salted, and dried fish), bacon, fried plantain, brown stew chicken, or corned beef with onions and tomatoes.

Coconut bake (coconut bread) is usually served with fried accra (saltfish fritters), buljol, black pudding, butter, cheese paste (a mixture of cheese, butter, mustard, grated onion, mayonnaise and green seasoning) or stewed meat, like chicken.

Bake and shark is a popular breakfast dish at local beaches, like Maracas Beach (Trinidad) and Store Bay (Tobago), especially on the weekend.[7]

Other breakfast foods include tannia cakes (fried dasheen cake), and boiled cassava with butter.

Common hot drinks consumed for breakfast include cocoa tea (hot chocolate) made from homemade cocoa balls, cornmeal porridge and farine (an Amerindian treat).

Lunch and dinner

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Callaloo

A very popular and nationally well known dish with distinctly African roots is callaloo, a side dish made of young dasheen or taro leaves, okra, crab or pigtails, pumpkin, onions, coconut milk, pimento, and green seasoning like chives, cilantro and culantro.[8] Callaloo is often served with cornmeal coo coo,[9] plantain, cassava, sweet potatoes, dumplings, rice, and curried crab.[10] However Trinbagonian callaloo isn't prepared or served the same as Jamaican callaloo.[11]

Pelau is a very popular rice-based dish in Trinidad and Tobago. As well as dhal and rice, rice and stewed chicken, pork, ox-tail, fish or lamb. Also popular are breadfruit oil downs and the macaroni pie, a macaroni pasta bake. Which consists of eggs and cheese, and a variety of other potential ingredients that can change according to the recipe being used.[12][13][14][15][16][17]

One of the most popular Trinidadian dishes is curried duck served with either roti or rice. Local curried duck cooking competitions are often held with multiple variations being created. A simple dish to make, but difficult to master, curried Muscovy is regarded as a delicacy which can be served at all times.

An array of fish and seafood can be bought at local merchants throughout Trinidad and Tobago, such as flying fish, king fish, carite, prawns, sapatay, red fish, shrimp, bonito, lobster, conch and crab, tilapia and seasonal cascadura.

Tobagonian food is dominated by a wide selection of seafood dishes, most notably, curried crab and dumplings.[18] Tobago is also known for its sumptuously prepared provisions, such as dasheen (taro root), sweet potato, eddoe, cassava, yam, soups and stews, also known as blue food across the country. "Fish broth" a soup made in the style of Bouillabaisse is quite popular as a main dish or as a side.

Another local dish is the rare delicacy cascadu (cascadura), which is a small, freshwater fish. The fish is curried and served with lagoon rice and cassava and yams. There is a local legend in Trinidad that s/he who eats cascadu will return to Trinidad to end their days.[19]

Condiments

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Green seasoning in a supermarket

Trinidadians accompany their meals with various condiments; these can include pepper sauces, chutneys and pickles and are often homemade.

Pepper sauces are made by using scotch bonnet or other hot peppers, either minced or chopped and other spices.[20] It can sometimes include lime or lemon as well as other vegetables, and come in many variations and flavours. The murtanie (mother-in-law) is another popular condiment which is a coarsely chopped spicy medley of scotch bonnet peppers, carrots, karaili (bitter melon) and other spices.

Chutneys are popular as well and often include chaltar (dillenia indica), mango, tamarind, cucumber, pommecythère, bandhaniya, dhaniya, tomato, and coconut. They are most commonly eaten with doubles, aloo pie, saheena, baiganee, kachori, and pholourie. There are a variety of popular pickles known locally as Achar which are commonly used. Kuchela a grated spicy version, usually made from mango but sometimes made from pommecythère, the Mango version being most popular. Other version of Achars are made from mango, pommecythère, tamarind, amla, lemon, lime, and chulta.

Green seasoning is extremely popular, a cold sauce based on culantro or chadon beni, pureed with green onions, garlic, pimento, vinegar, and other herbs, which can be used as a table condiment or marinade.

Street foods

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Food stalls in Debe
Coconut vendor in Marabella

Popular freshly prepared street foods include:

  • Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian foods like doubles,[21] aloo pie,[22] pholourie,[23] saheena,[24] baiganee, bara, and kachori are popular street foods throughout the country.
  • Another popular Indo-T&T street food is wrap roti, (usually paratha or dhalpuri).[25][26] That's served with various fillings like curried vegetables, channa (chickpeas), aloo (potatoes) and chicken. What's more, with curried fish, goat, shrimp, beef, duck, conchs, soya etc. Indian sweets are also popular, especially around Hindu holidays.
  • Bake and shark (most popular at Maracas Beach along the north coast of Trinidad) is a fried dish. Which is topped with fresh fruit like pineapple; vegetables like cucumber and salad; and a variety of sauces and seasonings.[27]
  • Souse is made from pig, cow or chicken feet or cucumbers. This is seasoned with onion, garlic, salt, pimento, scotch bonnet peppers, lemon and chadon beni. Mostly served warm or slightly chilled, it's also rumoured to be a cure to hangovers.

Other common street foods include wontons, corn soup, geera (cumin) pork and chicken, kebabs, gyros, pasteles, raw oysters (usually served with a spicy sweet/hot sauce with cilantro, bandhaniya, shadon beni or culantro).

Along with pows (Cantonese steamed buns filled with meat, typically char siu pork), fish, cheese and beef pies.[28] Sausage rolls are also eaten as midday snacks and are available at stands usually found along the nation's streets.

Cooking Trinidadian Souse

When in season, roast and boiled corn on the cob can be found any time day or night.

On festive occasions (Carnival, Borough Day and most public holidays), street foods also include wild meat such as deer, iguana, manicou (phalangeriformes), tatou (armadillo), and agouti, to name a few. These are prepared either as a creole or curry dish, and served with a wide choice of local pepper sauces.

On hot days, locals enjoy ice cream, snow cones (served in various colours, flavours and shapes, often sweetened with condensed milk), ice pops, kulfi, freezies, sucker bag, coconut slushies, coconut water, and fresh coconut jelly.

Festival foods

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Diwali meal consisting of curry channa and aloo, curried mango, bhaji, karhi, rice, mother-in-law and paratha roti.

Special Christmas foods include appetisers like pastelles (called hallaca in Venezuela where they originated), pholourie, saheena, baiganee, kachori, and chicken or pork pies. Entrees include garlic ham (carne vinha-d'alhos, a Portuguese dish), baked ham, turkey or chicken, macaroni pie, fish pie and garlic roasted potatoes. As well as grilled or barbecued meats, corn, pigeon peas and Christmas (i.e. Spanish or festive) rice. Also enjoyed are fried rice, chow mein, lo mein, roasted chinese chicken, curried meat and vegetables and roti . Desserts include fruitcake, blackcake (rum cake), sweet bread, cassava pone, coconut drops and sponge cake. Along with chocolate cake, dundee cake, raisin/currants roll, khurma, and gulab jamun. Drinks include coconut water, ginger beer, ponche crema, egg nog, cocoa tea, and sorrel.[29][30]

Traditional Diwali and other Hindu festivals and prayers foods include appetizers such as pholourie, saheena, baiganee, bara, and kachori. Main dishes include roti (most commonly dalpuri and paratha) and karhi and rice served with condiments such as achar or anchar, kuchela, mother-in-law (pickled vegetables), pepper sauce, and dishes such as curried mango, bhaji (dasheen bush or any spinach), pumpkin or kohra tarkari (pumpkin), curry channa and aloo (chickpeas and potatoes), fried or curried baigan (eggplant), fried or curried bodi (long beans), fried or curried seim (hyacinth beans), curry eddoes, curry chataigne or katahar (breadnut), and other tarkaries (vegetarian curries). Desserts include mohan bhog (parsad), lapsi and suhari, burfi, khurma, gulab jamun, pera, rasgulla, batasa, gujiya, gulgula, roat, kheer (sweet rice), laddu, and jalebi. It is traditionally served on a sohari (Calathea lutea) leaf.[31]

Special Eid, Hosay, and other Muslim festival foods include curry goat, curry channa and aloo, sawine, burfi, rasgulla, sirnee, maleeda, halwa, and baklawa.[citation needed]

Sweets

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Popular local sweets include cassava or coconut pone, stewed guavas, sweetbread and paw paw balls. As well jub jubs, tamarind balls, bene balls, sticks or cakes, toolum, guava cheese or paste and sugar cakes. Also popular are nut cakes, chilli bibi and fudges.

Along with that Indian delicacies like kheer (sweet rice or meetha bhat), sawiyan, khurma, gulab jamoon, laddu, jalebi, halwa, mohan bhog (parsad) and lapsi. What's more, Indian sweets like rasgula, gulgula, rasmalai, pera, modak, gujiya and burfi are also popular.

Beverages

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Coconut water vendor, Port of Spain, 1950s

There are many popular beverages native to the twin island nation. As in local soft drinks [sodas] (Chubby's, Busta, LLB (Lemon Lime and Bitters), Solo, Peardrax,[32]), maltas, shandies, citrus juices and ginger beers.

Along with sorrel and mauby juices,[33][34] peanut,[35] seamoss,[36] barbadine, soursop, beetroot and papaya (paw paw) punches.[37][38][39]

Carib and Stag beers are very popular local lager beers. There is also Carib Light and Carib Shandys, which come in a variety of flavours.

Coconut water can be found throughout the island.[40] Rum was invented in the Caribbean, therefore Trinidad and Tobago boasts rum shops all over the island, serving local favourites such as ponche-de-crème, puncheon rum, and home-made wines from local fruits. Homemade alcohol is popular also. Bitters (especially the one made by House of Angostura) is also popular.

Pacro water is a seafood-based beverage made from boiling various chiton mollusks, such as chiton tuberculatus[41] but also has other culinary uses, such as in broths for soup.[42] The beverage has a reputation as an aphrodisiac, as well as having other therapeutic properties.[43] Pacro water can sometimes be found at festivals or public celebrations.[44]

Fruits

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Fruits available in Trinidad include mangoes, breadfruit, sorrel (roselle), passion fruit, watermelon, sapodilla (Manilkara zapota), pommerac (Syzygium malaccense), guavas, pommecythère (Spondias dulcis), caimite (star apple), abiu, five fingers (carambola), cherries, avocado and pawpaw (papaya). Along with the chenette (Melicoccus bijugatus), pineapples, oranges, portugal (tangerines), plums, bananas, barbadine, balatá, soursop, cashews, tamarind, ceres (Flacourtia indica), pois doux, cocorite (Attalea maripa), gru-gru-beff (Acrocomia aculeata), fat-pork (Chrysobalanus icaco), pears, and coconuts.[45][46][47][48][49]

Many fruits available in Trinidad and Tobago are commonly used in a savory and usually spicy delicacy broadly referred to as "chow". The main ingredients of chow are usually: the fruit of choice, culantro (bandhaniya), pepper (powdered, sauce or natural form), salt and sometimes garlic and vinegar. Traditionally, the most popular fruits for chow have been mangoes, pommeracs, pommecythère, cucumbers, tomatoes, portugals, sour oranges, salted prunes, cherries, pineapples, green apples, pears, and plums. The fruits are "seasoned" by the rest of the base ingredients and larger fruits (like mango and pineapple) are usually cut up into bite-sized pieces.[50][51]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ewing-Chow, Daphne (January 21, 2024). "Exploring Trinidad's Culinary Landscape Through The Eyes Of A Child". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  2. ^ Diaz, Von (March 20, 2024). "Why Doubles Remain Trinidad's Most Popular Food". nytimes.com. The New York Times.
  3. ^ Ganeshram, Ramesh (May 27, 2021). "Doubles: Trinidad's addictively spicy street snack". bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  4. ^ "Festival of the GIRMITIYAS Arrival Day | Indo American News". Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  5. ^ "Trinidad Sada Roti (Plain)". 18 October 2018. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
  6. ^ "Traditional Tomato Choka Recipe". Zen Health. 2019-07-08. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  7. ^ Bake And Shark Is Trinidad And Tobago's Most Iconic Fast-Food Sandwich | Superlatives. Food Insider. 2020-07-01. Retrieved 2024-11-11 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ Washington, Brigid (2021-03-08). "This Simple, Soulful Dish Tells the Story of My Ancestors". Bon Appétit. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  9. ^ "Cornmeal Coo-Coo II". Simply Trini Cooking. 2008-05-30. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  10. ^ Thomas, Jo (November 10, 1981). "TRINIDAD'S NATIVE SOUP". New York Times. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  11. ^ Nelson, Cynthia (July 3, 2020). "If Your Order Callaloo, What Are You Getting?". The Spruce Eats. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  12. ^ Enston, Lensley. "Trinidadian Macaroni Pie Recipe". NYT Cooking. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  13. ^ Dowrich-Phillips, Laura (November 23, 2018). "Who does it best? Oil Down". Loop News. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  14. ^ Jones, Spencer (July 18, 2023). "A Brief History of Pelau, One of Trinidad's Signature Dishes". Travel Noire. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  15. ^ Ghouralal, Darlisa (April 14, 2018). "Watch: Trini stewed chicken wows MasterChef Canada judges | Loop Trinidad & Tobago". Loop News. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  16. ^ Mirelle, Chef (2012-09-19). "How to Make Caribbean Style Dhal: Trinidad Dhal Recipe - Global Kitchen Travels". Global Kitchen Travels. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  17. ^ "6 Trinbagonian Stewed Recipes to Try". Visit Trinidad. 2021-01-25. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  18. ^ Blasi, Abigail (July 4, 2022). "The taste of Tobago in just one dish". bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  19. ^ Allsopp, S.R. Richard (1998). In Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage, with a French and Spanish Supplement. Oxford University Press. p. 138. ISBN 0-19-866152-5. Google Book Search. Retrieved on November 23, 2007.
  20. ^ Philip, Franka (2018-05-01). "Some like it hot: Trinidad pepper sauce | Cookup". Caribbean Beat Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  21. ^ Mohan, Neki (June 28, 2015). "Street food of Trinidad, Tobago gains popularity in South Florida". WPLG. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  22. ^ "Food in true Trini style". Barbados Today. September 2, 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  23. ^ Smith, Masha (March 18, 2021). "Taste Of The Caribbean: 5 Local Foods To Try In Trinidad And Tobago". Travel Noire. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  24. ^ Cowan, Tausha (2015-06-16). "The Best Street Foods in Trinidad". Yahoo News. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  25. ^ Eligon, John (February 14, 2017). "Roti, a Recipe Mastered Through Repetition". NYTimes.com. New York Times.
  26. ^ Shiue, Linda (December 27, 2011). "Inviting Writing: Trinidadian Roti". smithsonianmagazine.com. Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  27. ^ Blake, Conner; Gulab, Aliza; Oladipo, Doyinsola (July 9, 2020). "Bake and Shark is Trinidad and Tobago's most iconic fast-food sandwich". businessinsider.com. Business Insider.
  28. ^ Ganeshram, Ramin (February 1, 2011). "Recipe: Shay Shay Tien's Pow". npr.org. NPR.
  29. ^ Yursik, Patrice (December 4, 2023). "Why Trini Christmas Is the Best". Food & Wine. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  30. ^ Atherton, Ava (December 15, 2021). "Measuring Tradition with Mom: A Lesson in Trinidadian Christmas Pastelles". Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  31. ^ "Divali: Destination Trinidad and Tobago | Tours, Holidays, Vacations and Travel Guide".
  32. ^ Vanished UK drink is toast of Caribbean, an April 2007 article from the BBC website
  33. ^ "Trinis call it sorrel; what is it called in other countries?". Loop News. December 15, 2023. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  34. ^ Johnson, Elizabeth Ofosuah (2019-05-24). "Mauby, the popular bittersweet Caribbean tree bark drink you need to try". Face2Face Africa. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  35. ^ Ramlogan, Stephanie (August 16, 2024). "Peanut Punch Is a Silky, Shape-Shifting Staple Throughout the Caribbean". punchdrink.com. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  36. ^ Maharaj, Kailash; Maharaj, Shivana (August 4, 2024). "Sea moss punch: The Caribbean's cooling, healthy elixir for summer". bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  37. ^ Pierre, Halcian (January 26, 2013). "A Bess Punch!". guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  38. ^ "Barbadine: Health Benefits & Culinary Uses Explained - epicureanearth.com". 2024-09-15. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  39. ^ Gregoire, Tricia (June 10, 2010). "Healthy Pawpaw Smoothie". guardian.co.tt. Trinidad Guardian. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  40. ^ "The truth about coconut Water". www.guardian.co.tt. April 29, 2011. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  41. ^ Winer, Lise (2010). Dictionary of the English/Creole of Trinidad & Tobago : on historical principles. Montreal [Que.]: McGill-Queen's University Press. p. 659. ISBN 9780773576070.
  42. ^ De-Light, Dominique (2010). The Rough Guide to Trinidad & Tobago (5th ed.). London: Rough Guides. ISBN 9781405386746.
  43. ^ Allsopp, Jeannette (2003). Dictionary of Caribbean English usage. [Kingston, Jamaica]: University of the West Indies Press. p. 423. ISBN 9789766401450.
  44. ^ "Playing the right tune". Trinidad Express Newspapers. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  45. ^ "Trade Winds Fruit Picture Index". Tradewindsfruit.com. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  46. ^ Ayngelina (2021-03-08). "27 Exotic Fruit in Trinidad and Tobago You Need to Try". Bacon is Magic - The Best Food Around the World. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  47. ^ "Top 10 Thursday: Fruits we love in T&T - CNC3". 2023-05-18. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  48. ^ Latchu, Rhea Hadley (2023-10-30). "The Most Popular Fruits from Trinidad & Tobago". Chef's Pencil. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  49. ^ Singh, Ros (2024-08-31). "62 Fruits of Trinidad and Tobago (with Photos)". We Trini Food. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  50. ^ "Mango Chow Recipes - Food Network Canada". Foodnetwork.ca. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  51. ^ Thompson, Ariann (2010-04-19). "Chow, a Trinbagonian Delight". MEP Caribbean Publishers. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
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