Recipes, seasonings and cooking methods for many of Trinidad and Tobago’s famous dishes can be traced over the country’s 6000-year history. Original dishes were influenced by the Amerindians, Spanish, French, British, Americans, African slaves and Indentured laborers (among them Chinese, East Indians, Portuguese and Madeirans). Today authentic West Indian cuisine can be enjoyed in the form of fast food or gourmet delights.
Trinidad Street Food
Street Food is the daily choice for most locals for breakfast or snack. It is also a convenient option during such festivals as Carnival, beach outings or any kind of outdoor get together. The West Indian version to fast food, Trinidad & Tobago street food is a tale through flavor with spicy seasonings as the main character. When visiting the island here a few must have delicacies:
- Doubles – An East Indian delicacy, served from sidewalk carts, that can be compared to a small souffléd tortilla (instead of cornmeal split peas flour) served with curried chick peas and an assortment of relish made of local fruit such as mangoes, cucumbers and tamarind. Hot sauce is also an option.
- Corn soup – Instead of soup made of corn it is soup with bits of corn on the cob included. Local root vegetables such as dasheen, plantains, yams and eddoes are put in. Is also served from sidewalk carts mostly in the late evening in Styrofoam cups.
- Souse – Pickled feet of the chicken or pig. Seasonings such as cucumbers, the local shado beni and other spices are included. An acquired taste must be served chilled.
- Pacro water – An aphrodisiac made from the water of a boilt sea urchin called a pacro. Believed to also improve fertility in men.
- Roti - Sometimes in wraps or shredded dough made of split peas and served with hot curried vegetables, meats or fish. Has two main types called Buss-up-Shut or Dhalphourie. A popular East Indian food, it is finger-licking good.
Authentic West Indian Cuisine
In Trinidad rice is common in everyday meals while in Tobago root vegetables such as dasheen, eddoes and yams is enjoyed. These traditions came from the Chinese and Africans, served with peas, curried vegetables and stewed meats. Intricate dishes such as cou cou, a mixture of cornmeal, ochroes and coconut milk and callaloo, a hearty soup made from a type of local spinach shows the importance of coconut milk in West Indian dishes.
Coconut milk and grated flesh of the coconut are also the main ingredients in desserts such as paime, pone and sugar cake. Breads such as coconut bake served with vegetables mostly at breakfast also employs the milk and grated flesh of the coconut. Other breads and desserts include cassava bread, an Amerindian recipe, sweet bread, and guava cheese. Savory snacks of pickled fruit such as Mango, Pommecythere and local Plums are unusual culinary delights.
While most of the twin island’s epicurean delights are ever-present, authenticity of methods of cooking and seasonings employed differ by area and ethnic influence.
Caprice Thompson - Caprice Thompson is a Writer/ Photographer and resident of Trinidad & Tobago. Her specialties are Caribbean Travel, West Indian Cuisine ...
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