Trini good food

One week for the Carnival weekend but the season began a long time ago, just around Christmas. There are many visitors and many expats on our island to celebrate the “greatest show on earth.” We welcome you all wholeheartedly. I do hope you have all had the chance to celebrate the rich and vibrant taste of our diverse nation.

From our curries to our stews, our rotis to our bakes, ice-creams, sweet-breads and desserts. If you are entertaining here are some recipes guaranteed to have them coming back for more!

Grilled fish buljol

Whenever there was left-over fried fish in my home, my mother would flake it the next day and make a buljohl from the fish. It was always so delicious, I have created a riff off of that recipe and grill the fish fresh, it’s as delicious and you can create it anytime!

1 lb fresh fish fillets

1 tsp minced garlic

salt and black pepper

1 tsp minced chives

1 tbs olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 pimento pepper, chopped

1 large tomato chopped

2 eggs hard boiled

2 tbs chopped chadon- beni

sliced avocado, lettuce to garnish

Marinate fish in chives, salt, black pepper and garlic and olive oil.

Place in heatproof platter and broil for 4 minutes per side.

Remove and flake gently with a fork.

In a non-stick sauté pan, heat 2 tbs olive oil and sauté onion and pepper for only one minute.

Remove and add to fish, add tomatoes, and toss. Season with salt if needed.

Place fish onto platter, decorate with lettuce and egg wedges.

Sprinkle on chadon- beni.

Drizzle with extra olive oil and serve.

Serves 4 to 6

Fried bakes

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbs shortening

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp brown sugar

vegetable oil for frying

Combine flour, salt, baking powder and sugar in a mixing bowl.

Add the shortening and rub into flour until mixture resembles fine crumbs.

Add enough water just to make a soft dough.

Knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes.

Rest flour for 30 minutes.

Divide dough into 2 pieces and divide each piece into 12 pieces.

Rest dough for another 5 minutes, and then roll out each piece to about 3 inches in diameter.

Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan and fry bakes in hot oil making sure that they are covered in oil.

Turn and fry until fully ballooned or puffed.

Remove and drain.

Serve hot.

Curry crab and coconut dumplings

This is a riff of the original and my favourite!

Filling:

6 ozs crab meat

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp lime juice

2 tbs vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 pimento pepper, seeded and chopped

¼ tsp allspice

Curry sauce

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 hot pepper, seeded and chopped

2 tbs chopped onion

2 cloves garlic

2 tbs curry powder

½ cup water

1 cup coconut milk

¼ cup chopped chadon beni

¼ cup chopped chives

juice of one lime

Dumplings

2 cups flour

1 tsp butter

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and rub butter into flour until mixture is grainy, slowly all water and knead to a stiff dough.

Cover and let rest for about 30 minutes.

Season crab with salt, pepper, and lime juice.

In a large sauté pan, heat oil, add garlic, onion and pimento pepper, cook for about one minute, add crab and toss to combine.

Remove from stove and cool.

Cut dumpling dough into 12 pieces. Make each piece into a round.

Shape each piece of dough into a 2½ to 3-inch circle.

Place about one teaspoon of meat into the lower centre of the dough.

Fold other half over and seal.

Repeat until all the dumplings have been filled.

Make the curry sauce:

Heat vegetable oil in a sauté pan, add garlic, onion and pepper.

Sauté until fragrant.

Combine curry powder with water. Add to pan and cook until mixture begins to dry.

Add coconut milk and sprinkle on chives and chadon beni.

Cook until bubbly.

Drop dumplings into curry mixture, cover and steam for a further 10 minutes. Turning dumplings once.

If mixture seems too dry add a little more coconut milk or broth.

Sprinkle on more chadon beni if necessary.

Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serves 4 to 6

Trini heavy coconut sweetbread

3 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups finely grated coconut

½ cup butter

¾ cup milk or water

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cloves

1 egg

1 cup raisins

½ cup glace cherries, chopped, green and red

¼ cup mixed peel

¼ cup currants

sugar syrup and brown sugar to finish the bread

Combine coconut with ½ cup milk, beat eggs and add.

Combine flour with baking powder, sugar and spices, add butter and combine to a crumbly texture.

Add coconut mixture and stir well, add a little more milk if needed to make a soft dough.

Add dried fruits, and stir.

Divide mixture among 2 bread pans about 8 inches by 4 inches.

Sprinkle tops with sugar.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until a wooden pick comes out clean.

Makes 2 loaves.

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