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 Curry in a Hurry? Coconut Rice with Lentils and Cashews INGREDIENTS: 1/2 lb.... 

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 (or to taste) 1 – 3 tablespoons Angostura bitters (to taste) METHOD 1. Place... 

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 this recipe are to 1) make sure the plantain is adequately ripe i.e. that the skin... 

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 that you make them of the highest quality that you can afford. I find that the flavour... 

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 this part of the world) take on comfort food. Although I used supermarket beansprouts... 

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” and Chrystal & Amir of “The Duo Dishes“. Needless to say, I took it... 

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 the tried and true. I had made Vichysoisse Creole, and Cassava porridge, and then, as... 

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! Click here to read: QUICK GINGER BEER Recipe at Epicurious.com Excerpt: This is... 

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 at Epicurious.com. Because the pack of dried sorrel that I bought already has cloves... 

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 my family makes this traditionally, so I have only been offered/given it by acquaintances... 

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 Tomasnomas has a link to the exact same dish, referring to it on his blog as Tamal... 

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 many Trinis enjoy theirs much weaker than my mother makes hers. Many people can’t... 

MMMM pawpaw. Growing up it was probably near the bottom rung of my favoured fruits. It wasn’t sweet enough, the seeds wigged me out, and the texture was just too bleh. In an effort to get me interested my mother would serve it to me drizzled in honey. This attempt worked more times than not, and as I got older my palate started to enjoy and appreciate this fruit, with or without adornment. It... 

This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series Top Trini Condiments This post was originally written for a 2007 installment of “Waiter There’s Something in my…”! The theme was sauces. Originally I had thought of coming up with a pasta sauce as I haven’t made pasta in a while, however over the past week we have been flooded with mangoes (from friends and neighbours). The influx... 

. From Epicentre.com: Ginger is one of those ingredients that can be many things to many people. Not only is it used in cuisines around the world, but it also comes in a variety of forms fresh, pickled, dried, and crystallized among them . People who bake may immediately call to mind the ground ginger they use in gingerbread or the jewel-like crystallized ginger they add to holiday cookies and cakes.... 

Since 2009 I have actively incorporated more raw and vegan dishes into my regular diet and have found the benefits to be multifold. For one my body hasn’t succumbed to flus the way it regularly did in the past and I have found that many autoimmune responses that I had in the past to stress have become a lot more manageable. With many of my favourite fruits and vegetables currently back in season,... 

Salads in Trinidad are traditionally a disheartening affair that leaves you wondering why the cook/establishment even bothered. Two wilted lettuce leaves, a force-ripe watery slice of tomato, and some slivers of cucumber served either unadorned, or swimming in some vague mystery oil with specks of pepper flecked throughout. All that’s missing is a headstone for your plate. Most people down it... 

This Basil Lemonade recipe was originally made for Stephanie’s 43rd edition of Blog Party! One of the things that I love about adding basil to beverages is the muted herbal flavour that it imparts. This lemonade is no exception. It softens the acidity of the lemon/lime juice, and also mellows out the overt sweetness. Be sure to blend the basil leaves and lime juice completely before adding... 

This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series Your Wedding, Your Way Sandwiches and soup go together so well that I had to mention them in this series. If you are having an evening wedding, sandwiches can form part of your appetizer course (cut as quarters). However, for a breakfast or lunch reception they can share the stage with your soup course, forming a light entrée all on their own (cut as halves).... 

This entry is part 3 of 4 in the series Top Trini Condiments No Trini condiment series would be complete without a recipe for garlic sauce. Garlic sauce is one of those local favourites that can be found everywhere from beachside stands, to popular ‘grill’ joints as well as streetside food vendors. Indeed many street vendors have distinguished themselves solely on having ‘ah bess...