This recipe is a staple side dish of mine that I’ve adapted and modified at length through the years. Both colorful and flavourful I think it creates a texturally interesting background for spicy curries and other East Indian flavoured entrees. Why not try it with Tridoshic Dal, Coconut Chicken Curry, or Vegetable... 

This recipe made 3 rum bottles worth of mauby. They were done within 24 hours! Learn more! • Mauby – An Overview • Mauby Bark: Three Things You May Not Know TRINIDAD MAUBY INGREDIENTS 12 cups water 4 pieces mauby bark (you can add a few more if desired) 1 small sprig aniseed 1 piece cinnamon 3 cups sugar... 

Long time patrons of Trinidad’s first national airline BWIA, and its more recent incarnation Caribbean Airlines, are familiar with its highly respected inflight publication “Caribbean Beat”. However did you know that before that there was the “Caribbean Beachcomber”? A joint effort between... 

I originally made this recipe way back in 2007 for Weekend Herb Blogging (hosted this time around by its founder Kalyn). I loved how the lemon zest really spotlighted the flavour of basil – an herb that we used to grow at home. As soon as we get another plant I will update this post again to reflect a new... 

Last month, Sunrise Bakery a UK-based Caribbean food firm, celebrated their 45th birthday by launching an authentic Caribbean Rum Cake based on their original recipe. Founded in 1966 by Herman Drummond and William Lamont, to service the demands of the growing Caribbean community in Birmingham and the surrounding area,... 

My mother first made this recipe in 2008 and it was a hit! Plantain is rarely showcased this formally on dinner tables and it really is a shame. In this case, lengths of ripe plantain are oven-baked with orange juice and zest. The result is creamy, with a slightly caramelized exterior. My personal suggestions with... 

Tapenades are one of my entertaining ‘secret weapons’. Blend a few ingredients, add a drizzle of olive oil, some salt and pepper and people think you have been slaving for hours This one for Green Olive tapenade is one of my favourites. Because there are so few ingredients it becomes even more important... 

Made on a rainy night, this spicy vegan peanut soup was a cinch to throw together. The flavours of peanut and ginger combine to create a spicy, sweet and silky texture and the crisp, cool crunch of the bean sprouts prevents the overall flavour profile from ever becoming cloying. This is a rather non-traditional (in... 

Last month I was invited to participate in the blogging collective “Kwanzaa Culinarians“. Linking writers throughout the African diaspora it includes such heavyweights as Chef Bryant Terry, as well as known foodies like Sanura of “My Life Runs On Food“, Courtney of “Coco Cooks”... 

Whether you call it melongene, eggplant, aubergine or garden egg, you’re referring to one of my favorite ingredients. And when you are talking about Stuffed Melongene you are definitely referring to one of my favorite dishes. It’s such a favorite that my mother makes it for me every birthday. I look forward... 

Cassava latkes, an idea so simple, so obvious, and yet so left-field, that if it wasn’t for a chance comment from Ramin Ganeshram a year ago on Twitter, I may never have thought of whipping up a batch! I had been on a cassava kick, trying to see how many uses I could find for my favourite provision, besides... 

Ever since reaching out to readers on this site on a regular basis (both on Facebook and Twitter), I’ve found myself the welcome recipient of requests and suggestions on an ongoing basis. I am very grateful for these so keep ‘em coming! Today’s post is the direct result of one of those suggestions.... 

WARNING: PLEASE READ ON A FULL STOMACH. THIS BOOK WILL MAKE YOU HUNGRY FOR DELICIOUS AND WELL-PREPARED WEST INDIAN FOOD! You’d think I’d have heeded the warning. It was after all big and bold at the top of the press release and reiterated on both the inside cover AND back cover of “Stir It Up!“,... 

This entry is part 10 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas It’s December and the sounds of parang are filling the air around the clock. The streets are jam-packed and people have that frenzied look that comes with too much shopping still to do, and not enough time. Whether you are a Trini, or looking to add some... 

This entry is part 11 of 11 in the series Trini ChristmasWell you know how Trinis like how to do everything las’ minute? If you don’t have enough time to try my mother’s ginger beer recipe, here is a Quick Ginger Beer recipe from Epicurious.com that needs only 24 hours fermentation. Best of luck!... 

This entry is part 8 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas When I first made this in 2006 it was my first time using a pack of dried sorrel for a recipe. I was pleasantly surprised. If you allow it to steep overnight the results are pretty good. The below recipe is my adaptation of the Jamaican Sorrel Rum Punch Recipe... 

This entry is part 9 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas The following article appeared in the 24th December, 2006 issue of the Trinidad Express. It’s hard to believe that BWIA was still active then! Will you be spending the holidays where you want to be this year? I hope so! If not, hopefully the recipes posted... 

Reader’s Question: I made ginger beer but there was a milky paste at the bottom of the jar. Whatcha know about that? Trinigourmet’s Answer: Great question! Although it looks a little ‘spooky’ that milky paste is perfectly natural and inevitable. It’s a mixture of the solids that have... 

This entry is part 6 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas Punch de Creme, is another of Trinidad’s traditional Christmas drinks. One thing that I really like about punch de creme (as opposed to traditional eggnog) is the use of citrus flavors like lime and Angostura bitters (which has orange extract). This gives... 

Cuban cuisine is one that I am a relative newbie to. Because of language differences, and political distance, our two countries have not had much cultural exchange (although they do have a diplomatic presence here). Personal recollections from friends and family who have visited have all been very warm about the reception... 

This entry is part 7 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas As promised, here is a recipe for Paime (pron. PAY-me)! Paime is basically a sweet version of the savoury pastelle. I only recently discovered that Paime is also a traditional Xmas dish. Well that explains why it seemed I never could find it lol! No one in... 

This entry is part 5 of 11 in the series Trini ChristmasOne of Trinidad’s seasonal delights, pastelles are a steamed cornmeal pie wrapped in banana leaves and filled with stewed meat, olives, and raisins. I’ve been told that they are very similar to Latin American tamales, and indeed Venezualan foodblogger... 

This entry is part 3 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas mom’s ginger beer brewing in the sun The above scene and bottle feel as though they have always been with me, they occur with such comforting regularity. Ginger beer is something that is enjoyed by both Trinis and Jamaicans however in my experience... 

This entry is part 4 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas Christmas in Trinidad is a diverse multicultural affair. Not just for the Christian population, but also through the secular participation of the nation at large through the enjoyment of our local christmas songs (called parang) and especially the creation and... 

This entry is part 1 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas Gluten-free Trinidad Black Cake (instructions for gluten-free, traditional, and halaal follow below) Like sorrel, Black Cake in Trinidad is a Christmas institution. Made predominantly of alcohol drenched prunes, currants and raisins, variations abound (and I... 

This entry is part 2 of 11 in the series Trini ChristmasWhat is Parang? Well Parang is the soundtrack to Christmas here in Trinidad. More than that however Parang is also a culture, a way of life that sweeps through my island after the lights of Eid and Divali have been put away. The What is Parang? webpage has a...