Ingredients:

     4lbs pig feet, cut into small pieces
     4 cloves garlic, minced
     1/2 tsp black pepper chopped
     hot pepper to taste
     1 large onion, thinly sliced
     juice of 2 or 3 limes
     1 tsp sugar
     2-3 tsp salt
     2 large cucumbers, peeled
     sliced watercress or chopped parsley for garnishing

     Method:

     1. Cook pig's feet in water and salt until tender, or pressure cook.

     2. Drain well and rinse in cold water

     3. Combine in a large bowl, 4 cups of water, lime, sugar, black pepper, hot pepper and garlic.

     4. Add meat, cucumber and onion; marinate for a few hours in the refrigerator.

     5. Add salt and pepper, garnish with watercress.

     Serves 8 people.
 
 

Pelau

     Ingredients:

     1 whole chicken, cut up in bite-size pieces ( no skin )
     salt, pepper to taste
     2 cloves of garlic, crushed
     3 stalks of chive, chopped
     1 stalk thyme, chopped ( substitute with dried thyme, if necessary)
     2 tablesps. oil for frying
     1 tablesp. brown sugar
     2 cups cleaned and washed rice
     1 can pigeon peas, drained
     1 tablsp. soy sauce
     1 green hot pepper
     2 cups thick coconut milk ( if possible, freshly made )
 

     Method

     1) Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, garlic, chive, thyme and marinate over night, or at least for one
     hour

     2) In iron pot heat up oil, add sugar and brown until the sugar has turned into a rich brown syrup

     3) Add meat to the pot and cook for about 5 mins. until meat is brown on all sides

     4) Add a small portion of water and cook meat for about 20 mins.

     5) Add drained can of pigeon peas

     6) Add soy sauce and toss up

     7) Add cleaned rice and stir well

     8) Cover with coconut milk ( may have to add some water)

     9) Float green hot pepper on top ( do not burst pepper ) and simmer on slow fire until rice is cooked ( you may
     have to add a little water from time to time ) and stir pelau in between. Water has to evaporate completely,
     but rice has to be cooked, not hard.
 
 

Callaloo

     Everyone cooks this dish a bit differently to suit their own taste. Traditionally it has whole crabs cooked in it.

     Ingredients

     1 bundle callaloo bush ( dasheen bush ), or substitute with spinach
     10 ochroes ( or substitute with canned ochroes )
     onion
     3 stalks chive
     3 cloves garlic
     salt, pepper
     chicken bouillon cube
     tabasco sauce ( or float a red hot chili pepper on top of callaloo )
     Worcestershire sauce
     coconut milk
     butter

     Method

     1) Clean callaloo bush ( or spinach). Remove skin from callalloo stalks as well as the ribs from the leaves

     2) Clean and cut up ochroes and add to callaloo bush

     3) Cut up onion, chive and garlic and add

     4) In a large pot melt the butter and add the callaloo mixture

     5) Turn leaves until they change colour, now add salt, pepper, a few drops of Worcestershire sauce, tabasco
     sauce ( or use hot pepper to float on top of callaloo while it is cooking, making sure it does not burst, or the
     callaloo will be too hot ) and the crumbled chicken bouillon cube. Stir.

     6) Add coconut milk and cook callaloo until the seeds of the ochroes have turned slightly pink

     7) Either swivel by hand with a swivel stick, or put in a blender and blend for 3 separate seconds

     (You can make this dry and use it as a side dish or add more water and make it into a soup.)
 

Curry Beef
 

     Ingredients

     1 1/2 lbs beef, cut into cubes ( trim off excess fat )
     2 large onion
     1 inch piece fresh ginger root
     3 cloves garlic
     2 green chili peppers
     3 tablesps. oil
     4 tablesps curry powder
     salt, pepper to taste
     2 1/2 cups coconut milk

     Method

     1) Finely chop onions, ginger root and garlic, remove stalks and seeds from chili peppers and chop finely too

     2) Heat oil in heavy pot, add the chopped ingredients and stir-fry until light brown

     3) Add curry powder and continue frying for a few mins more ( may have to add a little water so that the
     spices will not burn )

     4) Add meat and continue stirring until it is well-browned and coated with the spice mixture

     5) Add salt and pepper to taste and continue stirring

     6) Add coconut milk, stir thoroughly, then reduce heat and cover pot. Cook on low until meat is tender ( about
     1 1/4 hours ).

     7) Adjust seasonings, if necessary. Serve with plain boiled rice and Mango Chutney.
 
 

Garlic Pork

     This is a "Portuguese" dish and mostly cooked at the Christmas season, but there actually should be no
     reason why it could not be cooked at any time at all.
 

     Ingredients

     5 lbs lean pork, no bones
     white vinegar to wash pork in ( don't use any water to wash pork)
     1/2 lb garlic
     2 oz salt
     2 small bottles malt vinegar
     same amount of boiled and cooled water
     large amount of fresh oregano leaves

     Method

     1) Squeeze the wite vinegar from the pork after washing it, then rub meat with salt, garlic and oregano leaves

     2) put malt vinegar and cooled, boiled water into a large glass jar
     ( without any metal cover ) and add the pork

     3) Marinate pork for about 5 days in this mixture

     4) Heat a heavy iron pot, then drop about one tablespoon of water into it, add as much pork as you may want
     to fry at a time and lower the fire. Fry until tender on a slow fire, about 1/2 hour.

     Serve this at breakfast time or as an appetizer. >
 
 

Macaroni Pie

     Ingredients

     1 pack macaroni
     salt, white pepper to taste
     3 eggs, beaten
     cheese, grated
     flour
     evaporated milk
     stock ( from bouillon cube, if fresh is not available)
     butter

     Method

     Preheat oven to 375 degrees

     1) Bring a lage pot of salted water to the boil and add macaroni. Boil until " al dente" and strain in a sieve
     with running cold water ( this will stop the macaroni from continuing to cook and getting too soft )

     2) Grease an ovenproof baking dish

     3) Prepare a white sauce by melting about 2-3 tablesps. butter in a saucepan, adding 2 tablesps. flour until the
     mixture forms into a ball
     ( do not let it get brown). Now quickly add alternatively, evaporated milk and prepared stock until it forms a
     smooth white sauce. Add a little salt and white pepper to taste and the grated cheese ( the amount of cheese
     varies to your taste)

     4) Put macaroni into the prepared baking dish, pour white sauce over it and top with more grated cheese.
     Bake in pre-heated oven for about 40 mins, or until light brown on top.
 
 

Crab Backs

     Ingredients

     Cleaned crab meat ( take out all the shell pieces),
     Onion, chive, thyme ( broad leaf type if possible, otherwise dried), fresh oregano, garlic cloves, stuffed olives
     ,( everything cut very small,)
     1 hot pepper, cut very small
     salt to taste
     butter
     chicken stock
     Kellog's cornflakes bread crumbs , or similar
     parsley, cut finely
     1 leaf chadon bene, cut up very finely ( optional)

     Method

     1) Melt butter in large frying pan and saute vegetable mixture on slow fire for a few minutes

     2) Add salt and hot pepper to taste

     3) Add crab meat and heat through, add a little stock and take off the fire

     4) If you have empty crab back shells, you can use them to fill in the mixture, otherwise use flattish
     oven-proof baking dishes , such as those in the shape of a shell. Top mixture with with a little parsley, then
     breading and a dot of butter

     5) Bake in pre-heated oven or under a grill for a few minutes ( not too long so that the crab backs will not get
     too dry

     Serve with garlic bread >
 
 

Sohina and Mango Chutney Dip

     Ingredients

     1 lb ground Dhal ( yellow splitpeas flour)
     1 lb flour
     saffron powder
     1 teasp yeast, dissolved in 1/2 cup of water with 1 teasp. of sugar
     salt to taste
     2 teasps. ground Geera ( or parch seeds in a hot frying pan without oil, then crush with a rolling pin )
     1 medium onion, minced
     about 8 cloves of garlic, minced
     1 medium-sized bundle of dasheen bush, cleaned ( or spinach, or pat choy )
     water for mixing
     oil for frying

     Method

     1) Wash and clean bush ( dasheen, spinach or pat choy), remove hard parts, peel stalks, cut up very fine

     2) Mix flour, Dhal, salt and saffron powder ( to taste ), onion and Geera, garlic and dissolved yeast mixture

     3) Add bush and mix thoroughly

     4) Add water and mix to a soft-sticky consistency, live to rise for no more than one hour

     5) Wet your fingers and take about 1 tablespoon of the mixture at a time, flatten and deep-fry in hot oil until
     golden-brown

     6) Take out with slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towel paper

                                      Serve with Mango Chutney Dip
 
 

  Mango Chutney Dip

     Ingredients

     6 green mangoes
     1 hot pepper
     lime juice
     3 cloves of garlic
     1 leaf chadon bene ( optional)
     1 small onion
     1 chive
     salt

     Method

     1) Wash mangoes and peel skin off 3 mangoes

     2) Grate the 3 peeled and the 3 unpeeled mangoes very fine

     3) Add salt, finely chopped hot pepper and lime juice to taste

     4) Peel and crush garlic and add to mixture with chopped up chadon bene, onion and chive

         Go back up
 
 

OIL DOWN

     Ingredients

     1 Breadfruit
     1/2 lb salted pigtail, cut into 2 inch pieces
     1 hot green pepper ( whole )
     1 onion, chopped small
     1 bunch chives, chopped small
     2 cloves garlic, crushed
     1 leaf chadon bene, cut up finely
     salt if necessary
     thick coconut milk ( preferable freshly made, but unsweetened canned or frozen can be used too)

     Method

     1) Boil salted pigtail in water until soft, then discard that water

     2) Peel and seed breadfruit and cut into wedges of about 1 1/2 inch thickness lengthwise

     3) Add breadfruit to boiled pigtail and cover with 1 cup of water

     4) Add 2 cups of coconut cream

     5) add chive, onion, chadon bene, garlic and whole green hot pepper

     6) Add salt if necessary

     7) Boil until liquid has b(oiled) down reduced ) and the breadfruit is soft, but not falling apart
 
 
 

Stewed Beef and Dumplings

Ingredients:

6 leaves of ( local) Bayleaf
3 lbs tender beef, cut up
6 leaves broadleaf Thyme ( called Spanish thyme in Trinidad); can be substituted with other thyme
Salt, pepper- to taste
Garlic-to taste
onion- to taste
chives- to taste
oil and a little brown sugar to brown beef with

Method:

1) Brown beef in oil ( in a heavy iron pot, heat about 4 tablesps. of oil, add brown sugar and fry until
sugar has become a brown syrup, then add beef)

2) Add coconut milk, bayleaf, thyme and seasoning and cook on a slow fire until tender ( may take 1.5 - 2
hours )

3) Serve with dumplings

                                         Dumplings

Flour
Salt- a little to taste
Sugar- a little
butter or margarine
a little baking powder ( 1 teasp )
water

Mix these ingredients and add water to them until dough is smooth and not sticky, then roll balls from it.
Flatten those balls into round cakes and boil the dumplings in rapidly boiling salted water for about 15
mins.

These dumplings can also be used in Sancoche, a local soup. or in Corn Soup. Then they are rolled in a 2
inch long cylinder with points at each end.
 

Sancoche

Ingredients:

1 lb salted pigtail, cut into 1.5 inch pieces
1 lb stewing beef, cut into 1.5 inch pieces
1/2 lb dried split peas
2 large chopped onions
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 sprigs of thyme
3 cups coconut milk
Ground provisions, e.g. potatoes, cassava root, dasheen root, eddoes, yam - peeled and cut into 1.5 inch
pieces
green figs ( green bananas ), peeled and cut into 1.5 inch pieces
1 whole hot pepper
2 pints of water
1 cube beef bouillon
salt, black pepper to taste

Method

1) Parboil the pigtail pieces for about 15 minutes to get rid of the excess salt, otherwise your soup will
turn out too salty

2) In a large pot, place beef cubes and pigtail and cover with water

3) Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and cook for 1 hour

4) Add split peas, chopped onion, celery ,thyme, coconut milk, salt and black pepper, bouillon cube and
continue to cook until split peas are dissolved

5) Add all ground provisions and the whole hot pepper ( do not burst, or soup will taste too hot). Add
enough water to cover ingredients and cook for another 30 mins. Prepare dumplings and add to soup last
15-20 mins.
 

Alloo Pie
(Potato Pie)

Ingredients :

1 lb flour
2 teasps baking powder
1 teasp. margarine
1/4 teasp salt
water for mixing, start with 3/4 cup
Oil for deepfrying

Method:

1) Mix ingredients and add water, start with 3/4 cup, then slowly add more until you get a smooth,
non-sticky dough

2) Rest dough

While dough is resting, make the filling

Filling

Ingredients:

1 lb potatoes
1 teasp ground geera ( cumin seeds )
salt to taste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 onion, finely chopped or grated
1 teasp. oil and a little margarine
a little hot pepper sauce

Method:

1) Peel potatoes and boil in a little salted water (1/2 hr - 40 mins-until soft)

2) Drain off water and mash potatoes

3) Add oil and margarine and the seasonings, which should be mixed together before adding to the
potatoes

Method for making the pies:

1) Make balls out of the dough, then roll out to a circle

2) Put a little filling on one side of the dough circle, fold over and seal edges with a fork ( press down
fork on edges). The pies shouls look like crescents. Make sure edges are properly sealed.

3) Heat up oil ( to a depth of 1 ") in a frying pan and deep-fry pies until golden brown on both sides

4) Drain on paper towels and serve with green Mango Chutney. <
 

Pholouri

Ingredients :

1/2 cup of split peas powder ( optional )
2 cups flour
oil for deep frying
1/2 teasp. saffron powder ( or turmeric powder )
1 teasp. salt
1/2 pack instant yeast
2 crushed cloves of garlic
water to make a sticky dough

Method:

1) Mix all ingredients to make a sticky dough and let rest while making green Mango chutney dip ( or
Pomme Cithère dip, if in season )

2) Heat oil and drop in dough by the teaspoons full to fry small balls ( dip teasp. in glass of cold water
before picking up dough with it to make dough slide easily into the oil )

3)Deep-fry pholouri balls until gold brown and drain on kitchen towels

4) Serve with chutney dip.
 
 

Stewed Pigeon Peas

Ingredients:

1/2 lbs salted pigtail, cut into 1 inch pieces
Fresh or frozen pigeon peas, not canned- 1 lbs or more
Oil- a little
Asmall piece of pumpkin
Black pepper ( salt, if needed)
Alittle mixed fresh seasonings, such as parsley, celery, sprig of thyme- cut up small-
onion
garlic cloves

Method :

1) Wash and scald salted pigtail- drain off the water

2) In a pressure cooker, put a little oil, add garlic and sauté until golden, but take care not
to burn it

3) Add pigeon peas ( if you use frozen peas, just wash them under hot water until
defrosted, then immediately put into the pot)

4) Stir-fry peas for a few minutes

5) Add pigtail, pumpkin pieces ( peeled and washed) , seasonings, black pepper, onion and
stir through

6) Add boiling water to cover and pressurize until soft ( check after 10 mins)
 
 

Guyanese Pepper Pot

Ingredients

1 lb cowheel
1 lb Oxtail
1 lb beef, cubed
1 lb pork, cubed
1 lb salted pigtail, precooked to get excess salt out
5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tabl.sps. brown sugar
Broadleaf thyme , chopped up ( to taste)
Fineleaf thyme, chopped up ( to taste)
5 hot peppers
3/4 cup cassareep ( extract from cassava root)
1 small piece of spice
3 cloves
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1 large onion
oil for frying

Served with:

     Different root vegetables, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, yams, eddoes etc - boiled in
     salted water until soft, then drained

Method:

1) Wash cowheel - mix with all the other meats, except the salted pigtail

2) Season meats with salt, black pepper, thymes, garlic, onion,brown sugar, cloves and piece
of spice

3) In a large heavy pot, like an iron pot, heat up oil ( about 3 tablespoons) and fry meat for
about 5 - 10 mins, turning it with a pot spoon until all pieces are "browned" ( they do not
actually have to look brown at this stage, but should not be looking pink again )

4) Boil salted pigtail for 5-10 mins, drain and add to other meats

5) Pour cassareep over meat and stir through- cook for 5 mins more, then add water to
cover and simmer meat for about 6 hours or until meat is very soft and comes off the bones

6) About 1 hour before finishing the pot, float the hot peppers on top of the meat, one at the
time- Keep tasting the meat for hotness- Some people like it hotter than others ( Some like
it hot :-) ). Bursting these peppers will result in a very hot pepper pot, so watch out

7) Serve with root vegetables.
 

Hops Bread

Hops bread is a traditional Trinidad bakery favourite. You buy your hops-bread, fresh (and hot) from the
bakery and eat it usually with ham, cheese or just plain butter. Few people make hops at home, but
there's no reason why not.

Ingredients:

1lb 6oz Flour
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 tblsp Sugar
1 tblsp Yeast
1 tblsp Shortening
1 3/4 cups Water

Method:

Mix together the flour and yeast
Dissolve sugar and salt in the water
Add water mixture and shortening to the flour
Mix and develop (knead) dough properly
Let stand for 30 minutes
Make into 16 buns and place them on baking trays 3" apart from each other
Let it proof for one hour
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
 
 
 

Coconut Bake

Coconut bake is made by almost every Trinbagonian and is a must on a breakfast table. When there's no
bread around it is a quick way to come up with a substitute.

Ingredients:

1lb 8oz Flour
1 Grated Coconut*
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbls Sugar
2 tbls Butter
2 tbls Shortening
1 tbls Yeast
1 tbls Baking Powder
1 3/4 cups Water

Method:

Mix together, flour, baking powder and yeast
Add butter, shortening and the grated coconut
Dissolve sugar and salt in the water
Add water mixture to the dough and knead properly
Let it stand for 10 minutes, then roll out into 9" rounds
Place onto baking tray and let stand for another 10 minutes, then prick with a fork all over the surface
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes
 
 

Cake

Ingredients:

1 lb Flour
1 lb Granulated Sugar
6 Eggs
1 cup Full Cream Milk (chilled)
1/2 lb Margarine
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
2 heaped tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 heavy dashes Angostura Bitters

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

1) Mix and sift all dry ingredients together
2) Cream the butter and sugar, then add the 6 egg yolks one at a time while creaming
3) Mix the chilled milk, bitters and essence
4) Fold in flour and milk alternately
5) Beat 4 of the 6* egg whites at high speed until very light and fold into the batter by hand
6) Grease and flour two 9" layer pans, then pour in batter and bake for 25 mins at 350 degrees
7) Allow the two cake layers to cool before putting frosting between them; then lay one on top the other and now
frost the entire cake

*the other 2 egg whites are for making the Frosting

Some say the frosting is the best part. Say what....
 
 

                             The Frosting for the Cake

Ingredients:

2 Egg Whites
1 1/2 cups ( 13 oz ) Granulated Sugar
5 tbsp Water
1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
1/2 tsp Light Clear Syrup (e.g. Tate & Lyle)

Method:

Mix and beat the ingredients thoroughly in top part of a double boiler pan, then place that one into the other and
with the water boiling, beat ingredients at high speed for 7 minutes more.
 
 

Currants Rolls
T&T's favourite pastry item is currant rolls . It is available in every bakery and in demand always and everywhere.
Of course there are many versions - try this one - guaranteed to please.
 

Here is a recipe to make two sticks of Currant Rolls. You have to start off by making flaky pastry. It's not difficult.

Ingredients

Flaky Pastry

1 lb Flour - sifted
12 oz Shortening at room temp
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar
9 oz Water
Juice from 1/2 Lime

Method:

Crumble 3 oz of the shortening in the flour using finger tips until it resembles coarse bread crumbs.
Mix in the salt and sugar and make a dough with the water and lime juice mixture.
Do not over-knead, just enough to form a dough.
Let it rest for 20 mins.
Dust board or table top with just enough flour to prevent sticking.
Open dough with finger tips in an oblong shape about 12" x 7" on table top or board.
Spread the balance of the shortening (9oz) evenly on 2/3 of the dough. Then, starting at one end, fold the
blank 1/3 over 1/2 of the other part of the dough, then fold that over the other 1/2. Altogether 2 folds.
Roll out pastry with a pin to about 1/2" thickness, maintaining the oblong shape at all times.
Fold again the same way and roll again.
Let it rest for another 20 mins.
Roll and fold again two more times and rest for 20 mins.
Roll and fold again one more time. That will make 5 rolls and folds - (2 + 2+1).
Let pastry rest overnight in a chiller.

Ingredients for Filling the Currant Rolls

12 oz Currants
3 to 4 oz Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Vanilla

Method

Mix the above ingredients together.
Cut pastry in two strips, lengthways - (about 18" x 7" each).
Spread currants evenly over each strip, except for a 1" edge, closer to you. Wet that skirt with a little
water, using a pastry brush (or just by dipping your finger in a little water).
Roll from far end towards you in 1" folds.The wet end will keep it stuck.
Place rolls on a greased baking sheet with sealed end resting on the sheet. Brush with egg wash or water.
Punch about 5 holes, approx. 3" apart.
Skewer top center of each stick. Bake at 350 for 45 mins. or until done. Enjoy !
 
 

Doubles

Doubles is a "breakfast time" favourite in T&T. Throughout the country, on every busy street, 'Doubles
Vendors' do a brisk trade in this delicious mini food item, from as early as 4:30 am in some places. By
10:00 am, they have sold out and returned home.

It is called 'doubles' because it comprises two light mini bakes between which the vendor puts a few
spoonfuls of the filling. The meal is not complete without a dash of pepper sauce and a mango chutney.

Generally, it is not an item that is made at home. It is bought on the street and eaten in offices, factories
or right there on the roadside.

Ingredients for the bake:

  2 lbs Flour (with 12 oz Water to knead dough)
  1/2 oz Baking Powder
  1/4 lb Split Peas Powder
  3/4 oz Instant Yeast
  1 oz Saffron Powder
  1 tsp Tumeric Powder
  6 cloves Garlic (peeled)
  Oil for frying
  Salt & Black Pepper to taste

Method:

  Put split peas in bowl with a little water, mix and leave to sit for 5 minutes
  Add baking powder, yeast, saffron, flour, salt to taste and mix well
  Add water and knead to medium dough
  Let it stand for 1/2 an hour
  Pull into small clumps (the dough becomes very sticky), flatten out a bit and fry in hot oil

Ingredients for the filling:

  1 1/2 lbs Channa (Chick Peas)
  Cooking Oil
  2 pegs Garlic
  Salt & Black Pepper to taste
  Hot Pepper to taste
  1 Onion - minced
  Mashed Potato Powder to thicken (optional)
  1 oz Saffron
 

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