Discover Trinidad & Tobago 2018 (#29)

COURTESY TDC
Top dishes to try in T&T
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Roti:
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Doubles: You are never more than
100ft away from a doubles vendor
in Trinidad, especially if you are in
a city/town. Two fried barra and
a spoonful of curried channa will
change your life — especially with
slight pepper, tamarind sauce,
cucumbers and mango.
There is no way you can visit
Trinidad without having a roti. The
trouble is deciding what to put in it.
Pack some combination of curried
chicken, beef, goat, duck, or conch
inside this delicious wrap, together
with bhagi (spinach), pumpkin,
channa, potato, mango or bodi (string
beans).
Pelau: The national “rice and peas”
dish, a one-pot wonder that is
popular at house parties and to take
on beach outings or excursions. It
is usually cooked with pigeon peas
and either chicken or beef. These
days, however, the Trini gourmand
has added all sorts of spins to the
humble pelau — from the carnivore’s
pork and lamb, to shitake mushrooms
for the vegan. Usually served with
cole slaw or a green salad and/or
avocado.
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discovertnt.com
This page: pastelles are an integral part of a
Trini Christmas
Opposite: enjoy your curry in roti, doubles or
as traditional masala, rice and vegetables
Pineapple chow: Soaked in salt,
black pepper, chadon beni, garlic and
pepper, pineapple suddenly takes on
a whole new personality — spicy
yet sweet, like a Trini. We also make
chow with mango, pommecythere,
cherries, plums, carambola and even
chennette.
Corn soup: The saviour that sobers up
many a tipsy party-goer, the trusty
corn soup can usually be found at
concerts and big events. This tasty
veggie option is filled with dumplings,
potato, carrots, and wedges of corn in
a seasoned split pea broth.
Stewed chicken & macaroni pie: The
combination is deadly, sure to knock
you out on a Sunday. The secret of
the stew is in the seasoning, which
the crafty Trini cook marinates the
meat in overnight, while the cheesiness
of the macaroni pie is directly
proportional to its deliciousness.
Pastelle: Wafer-thin casings of cornmeal
are filled with seasoned meat
(chicken, beef, lamb or pork), tuna or
soya, with olives, capers and raisins,
then cooked in a banana leaf and foil.