A Divine 11:11 Lunch
After a late night of partying in the city and the long, drowsy drive back upstate, Sunday began in a fog of fatigue. I fmade ried chicken tenders for the kids and whipped up eggs with tomatoes, and fried ripe plantains before we left—a makeshift breakfast that only deepened the post-party heaviness. By the second hour on the road, my eyes burned, nausea hovered, and my thoughts wandered to food rather than exits.
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Somewhere between yawns and rest stops, ideas surfaced like bubbles in a pot: fried rice and BBQ wings—too heavy; lo mein—too similar to last week; oxtail and rice and peas—too long a cook. I told myself, “Keep it simple, keep it healthy.” After all, the week had already been a feast of indulgence, crowned by late-night eating at my cousin’s party.
When the clock on the dashboard flicked to 11:11 a.m., it felt like divine guidance—a quiet nudge that the day would unfold exactly as it should.
One Minute from Home
By the time we were one minute from the house, the debate still raged. “Steak and fries like yesterday?” he asked. “Leftovers again?” I replied. “Do we have any oxtail? Rice and peas and oxtail sound good.” One minute later: “What about boneless chicken? Maybe Halal Cart Rice with grilled chicken and white sauce?”
Even as exhaustion tugged at me, the ideas kept coming—but nothing quite stuck.
Rummaging for Inspiration
As my husband unpacked the groceries we’d brought from the city, I began my own ritual: rummaging through the deep freezer and fridge freezer for inspiration. Among the frost and half-forgotten parcels, I spotted two fillets of red snapper—a promising start. I placed them in the sink to defrost, still unsure what I’d make with them.
Next came a bag of frozen chicken wings, but those would take too long to thaw. One idea after another was shot down by my husband, who—ironically—usually claims he’ll eat “whatever” for lunch. What happened to that today?
Then I noticed a packet of chopped spinach and thought, Maybe dhal, rice, and bhagi, that beloved Trini trio—with a side of fried fish, perhaps? He vetoed both.
Moments later, I unearthed frozen pigeon peas and ochro—and that’s when the plan began to take shape. I could “kill two birds with one stone”: make a side dish that would serve not only for lunch but also reappear during the week for breakfast with eggs or dosa.
Inspiration Strikes: Feeding Body and Spirit
Inside, as the rice rinsed and drained, I remembered the Bhagi with Peas and Ochro recipe I’d just posted on the blog. Someone had recently written asking for a printable version. It felt like a sign to feature it here, especially with Diwali season approaching—a time when many Trinbagonians and Hindus worldwide fast or focus on plant-based meals.
This was my chance to highlight how traditional vegetarian dishes we grew up eating —bhagi, fry bodi patchoi, fry seim, fry caraille—can still find their place on a modern, balanced plate. They don’t always need roti to feel complete.
I decided to make the bhagi for myself and a quick geera chicken and dhal for him. But hunger hit faster than bone-in chicken could cook.
In that moment of practicality, I turned to the red snapper defrosting in the sink. Within minutes, it was seasoned, steamed, and perfectly tender, while a pot of fresh jasmine rice quietly finished on the stove.
When I plated lunch—steamed fish, bhagi with peas and ochro, and jasmine rice—it wasn’t a typical Trini pairing, yet it worked. The fish was clean and delicate; the bhagi and peas earthy and satisfying; the rice soft, fragrant, and grounding. Together, they formed an unlikely but beautiful trio—simple, balanced, and unexpectedly harmonious. It was comfort on a plate, nourishing the body and the spirit until the next meal.
I didn’t tell my husband it was bhagi; I told him it was callaloo with peas, giving myself a fighting chance of getting him to try it. He did more than try—he cleaned his plate(even though he served himself very little bhagi lol–see his plate below).
Later that day, I also cooked Halal Cart-Style Rice with grilled chicken and white sauce for his lunch prep for the week, rounding off a day that began in indecision but ended in quiet order.
The Aftertaste of Simplicity
Dinner that night was dhal, rice, and geera chicken, and through the week, the leftover bhagi with peas and ochro became my breakfast companion—tucked beside eggs, dosa, or anything that needed a touch of green.
That’s what I love about cooking from intuition: the meals that begin with uncertainty often end with grace. And sometimes, the best Sunday lunches are the ones that remind us that meatless doesn’t mean joyless.
This week’s lunch stood as quiet proof that the flavors of our childhood—bhagi, ochro, rice—still have a place at the grown-up table, nourishing both body and soul.
Recipes Mentioned in This Post
- Bhagi with Peas and Ochro
- Steamed Fish (Kashi’s Trinidad-Style)
- Halal Cart Rice (Yellow Rice)– recipe coming soon
- Trinidad Dhal
- Geera Chicken
- Trini Fried Rice
- Fried Fish
- Oven BBQ Chicken
- Stewed Oxtail
- Simple Rice and Peas, Mom’s Holiday Rice and Beans, Ria’s Rice and Beans
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If you have any questions, issues, or suggestions about these recipes—or your own Sunday Lunch traditions—write me anytime at [email protected].
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🍽 More Sunday Lunches to Explore
If you’re enjoying this series, explore the previous weeks for more Sunday inspiration and flavor-filled ideas:
- Week 34: Pumpkin with Shrimp, Curry Lamb, Dosti Roti & Paratha
- Week 35: Curry Stew Chicken, Curry Goat, Dhal & Rice
- Week 36: Stewed Chicken, Beans, Macaroni & Eggs — A Farmer’s Market Twist
- Week 37: Trinidad Chicken Roti — The Last Outdoor Cook of Summer
