🧑‍🍳RecipesQuick Trinidadian Recipes

Trinidadian cuisine is a melting pot of African, Indian, Chinese, and European influences, resulting in a unique and flavorful culinary experience. Whether you're a fan of spicy dishes or prefer something milder, there's something for everyone in Trinidadian cuisine. Here are some quick and easy Trinidadian recipes that you can try at home:

1. Doubles Doubles are a popular street food in Trinidad and Tobago. They consist of two pieces of fried bread called bara, filled with curried channa (chickpeas) and topped with tamarind sauce and hot pepper sauce. To make doubles, you'll need:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup split peas
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• Tamarind sauce and hot pepper sauce, to serve

To make the bara, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add the water and knead until a soft dough forms. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. In the meantime, cook the split peas until tender. Drain and mash. In a pan, sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Add the curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt, and cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add the mashed split peas and water and cook until the mixture thickens. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Flatten each ball and fry in hot oil until golden brown. To assemble the doubles, place two pieces of bara on a plate, spoon some curried channa on top, and drizzle with tamarind sauce and hot pepper sauce.

2. Pelau Pelau is a one-pot dish that combines rice, chicken, and pigeon peas with a variety of spices. It's a hearty and flavorful meal that's perfect for a weeknight dinner. To make pelau, you'll need:

• 2 lbs chicken, cut into pieces
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 cups rice
• 1 can pigeon peas, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups chicken broth
• Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. In the same pot, sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Add the thyme, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add the rice and stir to coat with the spices. Add the pigeon peas, chicken broth, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chicken back to the pot and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.

3. Callaloo Callaloo is a traditional Trinidadian dish made with leafy greens and coconut milk. It's often served as a side dish with rice and peas or roti. To make callaloo, you'll need:

• 1 lb callaloo leaves, chopped (substitute with spinach if unavailable)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 can coconut milk
• Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot, sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Add the thyme, cumin, coriander, and turmeric and cook for 1 minute. Add the callaloo leaves and stir to coat with the spices. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the callaloo is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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