I’ve been dreaming of mango lassi for some time now. Mango lassi was something I first discovered during my college years in the US and I haven’t had it since returning to Trinidad seven years ago. This rich cool, slightly tart, beverage is the perfect complement to spicy, fiery cuisines and is also hearty (and healthy) enough to be a satisfying shake all on its own.
When our mango bounty began to wind down in October I thought I would use some over-ripe fruits that we had on hand to …

This post was originally published on January 29, 2009. It has been updated once since then.
So here it is, right on the heels of my first Tuesdays with Dorie entry, my very first Daring Bakers challenge! I first learnt about Daring Bakers in 2006 shortly after starting this blog. Back then the pool of participants was quite small and invitation-only. I would read their entries and ooh and aah over the pictures wondering if and when I’d ever feel ready to throw my hat into the ring and join them. …

This meal came together relatively quickly. It is a classic one-pot dish based on veggies that are on ‘standby’ and tinned pantry staple. What gives it a little twist from other cobbler-style casseroles is the use of cornmeal as the crust. As I enter my 3rd year of preparing gluten-free meals where my mother is concerned I have come to have an even greater respect for cornmeal’s versatility. In this case, the corn provides a crisp textural contrast to the soft vegetables. I have to give a shoutout to …

One of the things that I love about operating Trinigourmet is the wealth of knowledge and experiences that readers bring to the table. Whether it’s commenting on other’s questions left in posts, participating in the #caribbeancooks hashtag on Twitter, or contributing to my Facebook presence, I am always left inspired.
Case in point. Recently I asked fans of the Trinigourmet Facebook page, what was their favourite way to enjoy plantains. Many of you picked fried ripe (and green) as the method of choice, with boiled a rather distant second. One …

Oiled down (also more commonly referred to as ‘oildown’) is one of those truly transcendent West Indian delights. As I wrote, in one of this blog’s first entries:
“Oil Down, is a colloquial Caribbean name for any dish of starchy vegetables cooked in coconut milk until all the milk is absorbed and the ingredients have turned into a creamy mush (or have ‘oiled down’). The two most popular oil downs are breadfruit oil down and cassava oil down. Oil down is really something to experience first-hand, I am not sure that …

This post was first published February 8, 2009. It has been updated once since then.
What do you get when you combine Fried Eggplant with the skill and experience of a world class chef? These out of this world ‘Eggplant Cutlets’. Like many of the Mario Batali dishes that I have tried, this recipe provides rich flavour and a satisfying contrast in textures, through what appears as relatively few ingredients. Although Batali’s recipes uses breadcrumbs, I substituted that with cornmeal so that this dish would be gluten-free. The change in …

July 5, 2010: Sometime between when this post was originally written in 2007 and now it appears Saveur Magazine selected this recipe as one of its ‘Best Of The Web‘, and Trinigourmet.com as one of its ‘Sites We Love’. I can’t explain how much this means to me as it has always been my hope and aim to disseminate Trinidadian cuisine to the wider world. It really makes the long hours cooking, writing, photographing and editing, not to mention the ongoing expenses, worth it. Thanks so much!

Yum Yum …

Today is Corpus Christi in Trinidad and Tobago, a public holiday.
According to Gov.TT:
Corpus Christi is a long-standing tradition in our islands, going back to our pre-British occupation by the Catholic Spaniards. Though mainly observed by Roman Catholics, it is a designated public holiday. This special Feast Day is celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, in commemoration of the institution of the Holy Eucharist. The impressive processions that take place (the biggest is in front of the Cathedral on Independence Square in Port of Spain) give you just a …

Here in Trinidad the term bake is applied to any bread which is not leavened with yeast. It also usually involves cutting fat into flour in the early stages. People often ask me how I get my bakes to be so soft, well after much soul searching I am ready to share my ‘secret’ Ice water! I love to keep the dough as cold as possible and nothing does that better than ice water. Not only does that stop the gluten in the dough from toughening up it …

Corn soup is a street food favorite here in Trinidad, especially at carnival time when vendors ply large pots of it that they spoon into styrofoam cups outside of fetes and clubs. It’s also popular as a Saturday lunch. Chopped pieces of corn on the cob are often included, however in the variation I prepared below I have left them out. Feel free to add them back in though if you want the added texture
This post was originally published on February 14, 2007. It has been updated …