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Trinidad and Tobago cuisine is influenced byIndian-South Asian,West African,Creole,European,North American,Chinese,Amerindian,Latin American, andLevantine culinary styles.[1]
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Popular breakfast foods includedoubles, made with twobaras (flat fried dough) andcurriedchanna (chickpeas). They are usually served with toppings such aspepper sauce,kuchela,tamarind,mango,pommecythere,cucumber, andbandhaniyachutneys. 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 ofsadaroti, 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 atawa. 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 withbaigan chokha (roasted and mashedeggplant),damadol chokha[6] (roasted and mashedtomatoes) and pepperchokha (roasted and mashed peppers).
Other common dishes includealoo chokha (boiled, roasted, and mashedpotatoes),karaili chokha (roasted and mashedbittermelon) andmurtani orupar ghar (combination of roasted and mashed eggplant, tomato, pepper, and okra); fried orcurriedbodi (long beans), aloo (potatoes),ochro orbhindhi (okra),seim (hyacinth beans); fried or curriedkaraili (bittermelon),saijan (drumstick) andlauki (bottle gourd), pumpkin orkohratarkari (pumpkin simmered with spices and seasoning); andbhaji (made with youngdasheen bush (taro) leaves,spinach leaves, saijan (drumstick) leaves, orchaurai (spiny amaranth) leaves), and friedplantains.
Fried bake (a friedunleavened bread) is usually served with fried shark, saltfish (dried and salted cod),buljol (saltfish with freshsweet peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and sometimesboiled eggs),sardines,herring (smoked, salted, and dried fish),bacon, fried plantain,brown stew chicken, orcorned beef withonions and tomatoes.
Coconut bake (coconut bread) is usually served with fried accra (saltfishfritters), 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, likeMaracas Beach (Trinidad) and Store Bay (Tobago), especially on the weekend.[7]
Other breakfast foods include tannia cakes (frieddasheen cake), and boiledcassava withbutter.
Common hot drinks consumed for breakfast include cocoa tea (hot chocolate) made from homemade cocoa balls, cornmeal porridge and farine (an Amerindian treat).
A nationally well known dish with African roots iscallaloo, aside dish made of young dasheen or taro leaves, okra, crab or pigtails, pumpkin, onions,coconut milk,pimento, and green seasoning likechives,cilantro andculantro.[8] Callaloo is often served withcornmeal coo coo,[9] plantain, cassava,sweet potatoes, dumplings, rice, and curried crab.[10] However, Trinidad callaloo is not prepared or served the same as Jamaican callaloo.[11]
Pelau is a common rice-based dish in Trinidad and Tobago, as aredhal and rice and rice andstewed chicken, pork, ox-tail, fish or lamb. Also popular are breadfruitoil down andmacaroni pie, consisting ofpasta baked with eggs andcheese, and a variety of other potential ingredients.[12][13][14][15][16][17] One of the most popular Trinidadian dishes is curried duck served with either roti or rice.
An array of fish and seafood can be bought at local merchants throughout Trinidad and Tobago, such asflying fish, king fish,carite,prawns and shrimp,sapatay, red fish,bonito,lobster,conch andcrab,tilapia and seasonal cascadura.
Tobagonian food is dominated by a wide selection of seafood dishes, most notably curried crab anddumplings.[18] Tobago is also known for dasheen, sweet potato,eddoe, cassava,yam,soups andstews, also known asblue food across the country. "Fish broth", a soup made in the style ofbouillabaisse, is frequently served as a main or side dish.
Another local dish is the rarecascadura, 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 anyone who eats cascadu will return to Trinidad to end their days.[19]
Trinidadians accompany their meals with various condiments; these can include pepper sauces, chutneys and pickles and are often homemade.
Pepper sauces are made by usingScotch 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 (bittermelon) and other spices.
Chutneys are frequently used as well and often include chaltar (Dillenia indica),mango,tamarind,cucumber,pommecythère,bandhaniya,dhaniya,tomato, andcoconut. They are most commonly eaten withdoubles,aloo pie,saheena, baiganee,kachori, andpholourie. There are a variety of commonly eaten pickles known locally asachar.Kuchela is a grated spicy version, usually made from mango but sometimes made from pommecythère. Other version of achars are made from mango, pommecythère, tamarind,amla, lemon, lime, andchulta.
Green seasoning is a very common cold sauce based on culantro or chadon beni, pureed with green onions, garlic, pimento, vinegar, and other herbs; it may be used as a table condiment or marinade.
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Popular freshly preparedstreet foods include:
Other common street foods includewontons,corn soup,geera (cumin) pork and chicken,kebabs,gyros,pasteles, rawoysters (usually served with a spicy sweet/hot sauce withcilantro,bandhaniya, shadon beni or culantro).
Along with pows (Cantonese steamed buns filled with meat, typicallychar siu pork),fish, cheese andbeef pies.[28]Sausage rolls are also eaten as midday snacks and are available at stands usually found along the nation's streets.
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), andagouti, 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 enjoyice cream,snow cones (served in various colours, flavours and shapes, often sweetened withcondensed milk),ice pops,kulfi, freezies, sucker bag,coconut slushies,coconut water, and freshcoconutjelly.
SpecialChristmas foods include appetisers likepastelles (calledhallaca inVenezuela where they originated),pholourie, saheena, baiganee,kachori, and chicken or pork pies. Entrees include garlic ham (carne vinha-d'alhos, aPortuguese dish), bakedham,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 arefried rice,chow mein,lo mein, roasted chinese chicken, curried meat and vegetables androti . Desserts includefruitcake,blackcake (rum cake), sweet bread, cassava pone, coconut drops and sponge cake. Along with chocolate cake,dundee cake, raisin/currants roll,khurma, andgulab jamun. Drinks includecoconut water,ginger beer,ponche crema,egg nog,cocoa tea, andsorrel.[29][30]
TraditionalDiwali and otherHindu festivals and prayers foods include appetizers such aspholourie, saheena, baiganee,bara, andkachori. Main dishes includeroti (most commonly dalpuri andparatha) andkarhi and rice served with condiments such asachar or anchar,kuchela, mother-in-law (pickled vegetables),pepper sauce, and dishes such ascurried mango, bhaji (dasheen bush or any spinach), pumpkin or kohra tarkari (pumpkin), curry channa and aloo (chickpeas andpotatoes), fried or curriedbaigan (eggplant), fried or curriedbodi (long beans), fried or curriedseim (hyacinth beans), curryeddoes, curry chataigne or katahar (breadnut), and othertarkaries (vegetariancurries). Desserts includemohan bhog (parsad),lapsi and suhari,burfi,khurma,gulab jamun,pera,rasgulla, batasa,gujiya,gulgula, roat,kheer (sweet rice),laddu, andjalebi. It is traditionally served on asohari (Calathea lutea) leaf.[31]
SpecialEid,Hosay, and other Muslim festival foods includecurry goat, curry channa and aloo,sawine,burfi,rasgulla, sirnee,maleeda,halwa, andbaklawa.[citation needed]
Popular local sweets include cassava or coconut pone, stewedguavas,sweetbread andpaw paw balls. CommonIndian sweets and desserts includekheer (sweet rice ormeetha bhat),sawiyan, khurma,gulab jamoon,laddu,jalebi,halwa,mohan bhog (parsad) andlapsi. Indian sweets likerasgula,gulgula,rasmalai,pera,modak,gujiya andburfi are also popular.
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 andginger beers.
Along withsorrel andmauby juices,[33][34]peanut,[35]seamoss,[36]barbadine,soursop,beetroot andpapaya (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 boastsrum shops all over the island, serving local favourites such asponche-de-crème,puncheon rum, and home-made wines from local fruits.Homemadealcohol is popular also.Bitters (especially the one made byHouse of Angostura) is also popular.
Pacro water is a seafood-based beverage made from boiling variouschiton mollusks, such aschiton tuberculatus[41] but also has other culinary uses, such as inbroths 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 available in Trinidad includemangoes,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, andcoconuts.[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, andplums. 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]
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