Trinidadian

When grilled (or broiled) whole, eggplants get silky and smoky inside and charred on the exterior—perfect for mashing and mixing with sautéed onion, garlic, and fresh tomato.

This Trinidadian version of curried chicken is an earthy, rich stew of whole chicken pieces in an aromatic, vibrant broth, spiked with hot chile and a traditional herb paste.

Hot pepper is notably absent from this mixture—unlike curry powder from Madras. Trinidadians like to add fresh hot pepper to dishes, according to taste.

Quickly simmer shrimp in a stew of canned tomatoes, bell pepper, chicken broth, and cumin for an excellent and easy dinner.

Green seasoning is one of those herb mixtures that is unique to the Caribbean and differs slightly from island to island.

Pelau, rice cooked with meat and vegetables, really exemplifies Trinidadian cuisine because it is an admixture of various cooking styles. 

To create the fluffiest, most pillowy Buss Up Shut, Ramin Ganeshram took a deep dive into the version she’d included in her cookbook, Sweet Hands. Here, she shares a few tips for making great roti.

This traditional Trinidadian cocktail sings with the island’s most beloved ingredients and flavors. White rum meets citrus, spice, and creamy dairy—don’t skip the nutmeg on top.

When I was in Trinidad, Winnie Lee Lum showed me how to make this superb dish, which beautifully demonstrates the convergence of Chinese and Trinidadian cooking traditions. Of course, the taste was extraordinary because Lee Lum only cooks with fresh local shrimp that her husband, Tony, purchases for her. Before cooking, she rinses the shrimp in lime juice, a Trinidadian cooking practice said to remove the "fishy" taste. She prefers the Chinese custom of cooking the shrimp in the shell to protect the shrimp's succulence and flavor. Rather than rice wine, Lee Lum insists on using dark Jamaican-style rum; according to her, white rum is too harsh for cooking. This is one of the easiest dishes to stir-fry, and it is guaranteed to satisfy.

This delicious snack from Trinidad and Guyana is the perfect accompaniment to any cold cocktail, and if you think of it while you’re cooking chickpeas for another recipe, it’s incredibly easy. If you’re curious about Old World origins of New World foods, you’ll be interested to know that, in India, one of the many words for chickpeas is chana.

Saltfish is a staple throughout the Caribbean, providing a rich, salty flavor for simple dishes like fritters, steamed callaloo, and rice. This dish is called "pick-up saltfish" because the salt cod is pulled apart and shredded. It's made into a salad that's eaten for breakfast or brunch with coconut bake or crackers. It's a good party snack, too. The salt cod needs to soak overnight, so start this recipe a day ahead. Salt cod is available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

"Shark and bake," a popular Trinidadian pocket sandwich, is found at beach shacks and street stalls throughout the island. Part of its appeal is the variety of go-withs, from mango chutney to sliced cucumbers. "Bake" is a catchall term for several types of bread, grilled or fried. Since blacktip shark — the traditional choice — is not readily available, catfish or tilapia fillets are substituted here. Pita pockets are a stand-in for the flatbread that's typically used to make the sandwich.

In Trinidad, this rustic coconut loaf with a biscuit-like texture is traditionally eaten with bul jol, which is also known as pick-up saltfish . The bread is quick and easy to make, and is great for breakfast with tropical jams such as guava, passion fruit, or mango. Coconut know-how: To open a coconut, pierce "eyes" with an ice pick and drain out liquid. Break coconut open with a hammer, and then pry out the meat and scrape off the brown skin. Chop or grate meat by hand or in a processor.

These turnovers are the Trinidadian version of the fruit-filled tarts traditional in European baking. They make an ideal snack or dessert. Dress them up for guests with a dollop of whipped cream and dash of cinnamon.

This popular breakfast food is also a late-night favorite after a good "lime." "Lime" is the Trini term for "hanging out." On Friday and Saturday nights, smart doubles vendors take to their stations to serve hungry revelers seeking a midnight snack.

Editor's note: This recipe is from chef Khalid Mohammed of Battimamzelle in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Mohammed also shared some helpful tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. Buljol, a popular Trinidadian breakfast dish, is a cold salad made from salted codfish. In his Trini-fusion version, Mohammed substitutes squid and locally abundant conch and adds green "figs" (green bananas, called by their local name, and "soused," or pickled, a traditional cooking method). He finishes the dish with the tomato chokha, a local sauce.

In Trinidad and Tobago, crabs are traditionally cooked whole and the meat picked out. This sophisticated dish combines American-style crab cakes with the island flavor of callaloo, a green stew that's the national dish of Trinidad. Here, the stew becomes a sauce, creating an elegant starter or light lunch.

With summer corn and plenty of hot sauce, this robust soup is beloved as a hangover cure.

This one-pot wonder is Trinidad and Tobago’s unofficial national dish and a vibrant reflection of some of the Caribbean’s finest flavors: bright herbs, spicy-sweet aromatics, and rich coconut milk. 

Dial up the flavor of your summer steaks with chow, a sweet and spicy Trinidadian staple.