What is Trinidad Chicken Roti?
Trinidad Chicken Roti isn’t just a dish; it’s an amalgamation of Trinidad’s culinary favorites—roti, curry chicken, and an array of tantalizing accompaniments and condiments that cater to every taste bud, from the mild to the fiery hot.
What makes up Trinidad Chicken Roti?
It is made up of a silky & savory dhalpuri roti topped with a medley of perfectly spiced and seasoned curry chicken, (see original curry chicken recipe here) curry potatoes(aloo) or any one or combo of the following pumpkin talkarie, mango talkarie or curry mango, and bhagi. Each layer contributing to the most perfect bite.
What are the traditional condiments for roti?
And let’s not forget the condiments—Trini pepper sauce, roasted pepper sauce, tamarind or mango chutney, mango or pommecythere kuchela or mango amchar—adding an extra kick or a touch of sweetness, depending on your preference.
Why is Trinidad Chicken Roti wrapped?
Wrapped snugly in parchment paper, this Trini favorite becomes a portable feast, ready to accompany you on any adventure, whether it’s a day at the beach (can easily compete with bake and shark), a cricket match or soccer game, or a quick lunch at your desk.
But the true magic lies in the moment of anticipation as you unwrap the roti, carefully peeling back the parchment paper to reveal the flavorful treasure trove within. With each bite, there is an explosion of flavors on your palate, a symphony of spices and textures that evoke pure bliss.
The History behind Trinidad Curry, specifically Curry Chicken
To appreciate Trinidad Chicken Roti, it is important to understand the history behind Trinidadian Curry.
Trinidad Curry Chicken stands as a testament to the fusion of cultures that defines Trinidadian cuisine. Born from the historical migration of Indian Indentured laborers to Trinidad during the colonial era, this dish embodies the vibrant flavors and rich history of the twin island nation.
The fusion of Indian culinary traditions with local ingredients and cooking techniques has given rise to a unique and beloved dish that has become a staple in Trinidadian households and with Trini food fans, and a symbol of cultural diversity.
History of Indian Migration to Trinidad:
The roots of Trinidad Curry Chicken trace back to the mid-19th century when British colonial planters in Trinidad faced a labor shortage in their sugarcane fields after slavery was abolished. To address this issue, they turned to India and began recruiting indentured laborers from regions such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Bengal. These laborers(our great grandparents), primarily of Indian descent, brought with them not only their labor but also their culture, traditions, and, importantly, their culinary heritage.
Cultural Fusion and Culinary Innovation:
Upon arriving in Trinidad, these Indian laborers encountered a vastly different environment from their homeland. They adapted to the tropical climate and the availability of local ingredients, blending them with their traditional recipes and cooking methods. Over time, Trinidad Curry Chicken emerged as a quintessential example of this culinary fusion.
How to Prepare Trinidad Chicken Roti
Preparing Trinidad Chicken Roti is indeed a labor of love, a journey that might not be as difficult as the journey on the Fatel Rasak, the first ship to bring indentured labourers from India to Trinidad, but quite demanding.
It all begins with the painstaking process of making dhalpuri roti, a task that spans hours and often requires breaking up the work over two days. The chicken undergoes its own special ritual, from the meticulous cleaning process to the essential step of marinating with homemade green seasoning.
And then there’s the art of currying—the careful balance of spices and flavors, the skillful elimination of any hint of rawness that could cause digestive distress, the process of chunkaying (adding the meat to the oil/curry paste) and bounjaying (the initial cooking of the chicken and curry mixture to develop flavor).
But for those with a sense of adventure and a passion for culinary prowess, the effort is well worth it. With a combo of sides like curry aloo, pumpkin talkarie, or mango talkarie, the end result is nothing short of spectacular—a delicious chicken wrap that rivals any in the world. These side dishes are optional but highly recommended if you are willing to go the extra mile.
How can I make Trinidad chicken roti at home?
With the following recipes and videos as a clear and detailed guide, embrace the challenge, channel your inner chef, and embark on this culinary journey.
Find the original dhalpuri post here, the Trinidad chicken roti post here, curry aloo post here..
Don’t like or don’t wish to make dhalpuri? Are there any other roti options?
Trinidad chicken roti can also be made with paratha or dosti roti, which are simpler to make if you are looking for an easier option.
Rate and share your masterpiece:
And when you’ve created your masterpiece, 5 Star rate it below and share it with pride on social media(tag @cookingwithria, hashtag #cookingwithriatrinidadchickenroti), for it’s a feat that deserves to be celebrated and shared with the world.
Trinidad Curry Chicken stands as a symbol of the cultural synthesis that defines Trinidadian identity. Through the convergence of Indian culinary heritage with local ingredients and techniques, this dish encapsulates the spirit of adaptation and innovation. As a beloved staple in Trinidadian cuisine, Trinidad Curry Chicken not only satisfies the palate but also tells a story of migration, resilience, and cultural exchange. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Find the recipes below:
Trinidad Curry Chicken
Ingredients
Clean Chicken
- 4 lbs chicken pieces
- 1/2 cup vinegar or 1 large lemon or lime
Season Chicken
- 1/2 cup green seasoning
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 onion chopped, divided
To Cook Chicken
- 4 tbs oil
- 4 tbs curry powder you can use a blend
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 onion chopped
- Hot pepper chopped, optional
Green Seasoning(makes extra):
- 2 scallions chopped
- 4 pimento peppers
- Hot pepper to taste (habanero, scotch bonnet, wiri wiri)
- 2 heads garlic
- 10 leaves culantro sub with cilantro, chopped
- 6 sprigs thyme
- 6 sprigs parsley or cilantro, or both
Instructions
- Chicken Preparation: Begin by cutting the chicken leg quarters into 2-inch pieces or smaller pieces. Rinse the chicken thoroughly with a solution of vinegar, fresh lime or lemon juice and water. Clean off any excess skin, remove feathers and rub off slime. Drain the chicken pieces well.
- Make Green Seasoning: Place all the ingredients for the green seasoning in the bowl of the food processor. Chop until fine. Store in a mason jar in the fridge until ready to use.
- Seasoning the ChickenSeason the chicken with 1/2 cup green seasoning, onion, salt and pepper. Marinate for a min of 30 minutes or 2 days tightly covered in the fridge.
- Heating the Oil: In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the sliced onion and hot pepper. Cook until the edges of the onion turn a golden brown.
- Cook Curry Powder: Add the curry powder, turmeric, 1 tsp green seasoning and a half cup of water to the pot. Stir continuously for approximately 2-3 minutes, allowing the curry powder to become grainy and fragrant.
- Add ChickenStir in the seasoned chicken, ensuring that it's well combined with the curry mixture. Cook for 10 minutes on high heat to develop more flavors.
- Cooking TimeOnce it begins to stick, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and allow the chicken to cook for 40 minutes. Or until fully cooked and the sauce has thickened. Stir the mixture every 5 minutes to prevent sticking and develop the flavors. There should be some sauce in the pot. If it appears dry, add a small amount of water and boil for 5 more minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Final SeasoningTaste the dish and adjust the salt level if required. Sprinkle with chopped culantro.
Video
Nutrition
DHALPURI | DHALPOURIE | DHAL PURI RECIPE
Equipment
Ingredients
To boil:
- 1 lb yellow split peas about 2 cups
- 12 cups water
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon Himalayan salt
To grind and cook:
- Hot pepper habanero, scotch bonnet or wiri wiri, to taste
- 6-8 cloves garlic
- 6-8 leaves culantro bandhania
- 3 tablespoons oil vegetable
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin geera, roasted
- 1 tsp Himalayan Salt or other salt to taste
For the Dough:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt HImalayan
- 1 tablespoon oil Vegetable
- 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water a little more or less may be needed
- 1/8 teaspoon instant yeast optional
For Cooking:
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil for cooking roti
Instructions
TO MAKE FILLING:
- Fill a saucepan with 12 cups water and place over medium heat.
- Pick through and discard any stones or debris. Rinse split peas, rubbing between fingers, until the water runs clear.
- Add to the pot along with salt and turmeric and bring to a boil.
- Cook for 20-30 minutes or until dhal is cooked and firm (not soft) and crushes easily between thumb and forefinger with no grainy feel.
- Drain thoroughly and allow it to cool and dry.
- Add garlic, hot pepper and bandhania to the bowl of the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside and wipe bowl as added moisture will make the split peas unmanageable.
- Add 1/3 split pease to the bowl of the food processor (or food mill) along with the garlic, hot pepper and bandhania and pulse to mince, scraping down the sides of the bowl at intervals to ensure even processing. Do not over mince into a paste! Transfer to a dish and repeat 2 more times with the remaining split peas.
- To the bowl with the ground split peas, add cumin, salt, garlic, pepper and bandhania paste and mix well to combine.
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over high heat, add ground split peas and cook for 3-5 minutes until light and grainy, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.
- The prep for the split peas can be done in advance and portioned out and kept in the freezer in small tightly closed resealable freezer bags. It will stay in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. The split peas usually makes enough filling for 8 cups of flour.
TO MAKE DOUGH:
- In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
- Mix to combine and gradually add lukewarm water and squeeze dough between fingers to bring it together. Knead for 3 minutes. You want a soft dough—not as shaggy as buss up shot and not as firm as sada roti. Somewhere in between. Rub 1 tbs oil all over the dough and place in bowl and let rest for at least 15 minutes.
ASSEMBLING:
- Separate dough into 4 balls. Then separate each into two equal pieces. Form into small balls (making 8 balls). You can make 6 if you have a large tawa.
- Working with one piece of dough at a time, press and flatten each into a round 4-5 inch disk. Place 1/4 cup of dhal onto the disk and stretch the edges over and around the ground dhal to meet at the top, then press together or pinch the dough tightly to seal.
- Dust with flour and press all the way around to evenly disperse filling. Place on a floured counter and cover.
- Repeat with the remaining dough until all are filled. Many times it is ready to be rolled out immediately and does not require resting. Prolonged resting and make it difficult to manage since it becomes too soft and the dough is at risk of breaking while rolling out.
COOKING:
- Heat and oil tawa, flat iron griddle or a 10 - 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Meanwhile, dust counter and rolling pin with flour. Take one of the loyahs and gently flatten with your fingers. Starting from the center of the dough, roll out using a rolling pin, pushing outwards, then down, turning dough 90 degrees angle several times and flipping and repeating turning until it is a flat, even circle(about 1/8 inch thick and as wide as your tawa or pan), ensuring that the edges are also even. Amateurs: please do not roll out too thin which can cause breakage and seepage of filling. Keep it well floured at all times.
- Pick up the dough and gently place it on the tawa (or alternative) by flipping and rotating your wrists. Allow it to cook for 15-20 seconds, brush with oil and immediately flip. Brush again with oil and allow it to cook for another 15 - 30 seconds, then flip and cook for another 30 - 45 seconds, pressing edges with the back of the spoon to ensure that they are cooked.
- Remove with the handle of a spoon, dabla or spatula and place in a large bowl lined with paper towel, kitchen towel or brown paper bags to absorb any excess oil. If at any time the the roti browns too quickly or the tawa starts smoking, reduce the heat. Alternately, if nothing seems to be happening raise heat.
- Repeat rolling out and cooking until all are cooked. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
~curry shrimp
~curry chicken
~stew chicken
~curry or stew beef
~curry goat
~curry channa and aloo
~curry duck
~peas dhal
~stewed red beans
~mango talkarie
~other veggie dish on the side.
Nutrition
Mummy’s Curry Aloo
Ingredients
- 2 lbs potato about 3 large, peeled and cut into cubes
- 6 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsps curry powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cumin whole, optional
- 5 methi optionals
- ¼ onion chopped
- Hot pepper to taste, option
- 2 scallion chopped
- 1 tbs minced garlic
- 1 tbs green seasoning
- 1 tbs minced culantro
- 3 thyme sprigs
- Hot water
Instructions
- Peel potatoes, wash and cut them into 1 inch cubes.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot (Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add onion, hot pepper and cook until they begin to brown.
- Add methi and whole geera(cumin). When it starts to pop, add curry and turmeric. Cook 1 minute, stirring.
- Add chopped scallion, garlic, green seasoning, culantro and thyme sprigs and cook for 1 minute.
- Add potatoes and stir to coat with the curry. Stir in and salt.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When the potatoes begin to stick to the pot, add about 3 cups of hot water, stir well to combine, bring to a boil, reduce heat back to low, cover and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Remove cover, mash about 1/4 of the potatoes and any large pieces with the back of the spoon. Cover the pot and cook an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the potatoes are fully cooked and the sauce has thickened slightly. Feel free to add more water to create as much sauce as you like. Keep in mind that it thickens as it cools.
- Taste for salt and add more if required.
- Serve as a main or side dish with sada roti, dosti roti, dhalpuri, paratha or rice.
