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Another year is upon us and so it goes--whether we are ready or not. For the first time, on old year's night, I did not clean all of my closets and drawers, had a pile of dirty laundry from our...

 WHAT IS SADA ROTI? Sada roti is one of the main staples in Trinidad. It is a leavened flat bread eaten for breakfast or dinner with a variety of vegetarian, fish or meat dishes--including curries or stews. It is to...

  As we approach the second month of 2016, and as the snow melts on the ground, I am left to wonder how many of us have stuck to our resolutions. My basic resolutions do not differ much from year...

  You’ve heard me mention that I love challenges, and let me warn you, be careful what you wish for! Two years ago I complained that my job had become too easy, I knew it too well, it wasn’t challenging enough. No...

  I thought to myself, if I only had time to share one recipe over the next two months, what would it be? This dish came to mind. Mummy made this occasionally to go with our Sunday lunch, which was...

Growing up in Trinidad, pumpkin talkari and dost roti (a layered roti) was one of my absolute favorite meals! Strangely enough, it is also my 10-year-old daughter's favorite meal as well. In my recipe below, cubes of pumpkin are sautéed...

This post made me question my sanity. Cooking, pic taking and catering to everyone in my household simultaneously is quite challenging. Sometimes I wonder why my hobby wasn't as easy as looking at television. I can't explain this passion. Who spends...

  Last father's day, I prepared a feast for my hubbie. A feast which included these Caribbean pepper jerk shrimp. [Actual Menu.. In retrospect....what the heck was I smoking!!?? I must really like to cook!.....] I did not post pics...

If you loved my gulgula (banana fritters) recipe, then you must try this banana bread recipe. They are almost twins, except gulgula is fried and this is baked. Both have loads of banana flavor, are moist, dense and delicious with...

What is Green Seasoning?  Green seasoning or seasonin' is a blend of herbs and other aromatics and a quintessential element of Caribbean cooking. Easy to make and endlessly customizable, it is a must-have for Caribbean home cooking, whether you're spicing...

Before we venture into a delivious recipe for Trinidad Coconut Bake, here is an update! In my absence, I have celebrated turning 39, which I realized, after much contemplation, isn't so bad after all. Nineteen years ago, I came to...

  I started eating quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wa) last year in an attempt to add some variety and  nutrients to my diet. Two years ago I ate rice three times a day. That very restrictive diet worked for me at that...

When I create a dish I really like, I eat it everyday for a week...or two.…so when it finally comes up on my list of things to blog about, I'm usually at the point where I never want to eat...

"These brownies are not too fudgy, not too stick to your enamels chewy, not too cakey, but are moist, chocolaty, with just the right texture (pour moi)….and divine" December is a ridiculously busy month with year-end chaos at work, decluttering...

Before moving on to the recipe of the day 'sweet rice', you should know that I intended to post many wonderful recipes for Diwali and Thanksgiving, but Hurricane 'Sandy' prevented me from doing so. Sandy the Super Storm We did...

Channa is also known as chickpeas, garbanzo beans, or ceci beans. Aloo, on the other hand, is what we Trinidadians refer to as potato. Hence the term curry channa and aloo. In this dish, channa and aloo are simmered in...

A coconut “palette” (pronounced pah-lit in Trinidad) reminds me of childhood days in Trinidad. I grew up enjoying this home made coconut treat, which was usually wrapped in a very thin, parchment-like wrapper. Strangely, I could vividly remember the scent...

Each Caribbean island boasts of its own unique blend of “devilish” hot sauces also known as pickled peppers. They vary from simple combinations of hot pepper (pronounced peppah) and lime juice or vinegar to more complicated concoctions of fruits(papaya), vegetables...

The Canadians visited last weekend for my sister's baby shower. They brought me some of the juiciest, sweetest cherry tomatoes I ever tasted. They were as sweet as a fruit, quite possibly sweeter....and then I reminded myself that tomatoes are fruits..duuuh...  ...

  Since I last posted I have traveled on business, arranged a beach “lime” with my wonderful cousins (with fried bake and shark, saltfish and tomatoes and fry bodi for breakfast and curried duck, dhal and rice for lunch), partied and...

Several weeks ago my train wasn’t working so my husband volunteered to drop me downtown Brooklyn to another train station. As a result, I had the opportunity to chat with his coworker, Cyrus, whom he usually picks up on his way to work. I knew...

I've been avoiding the kitchen like the plague. Recipe testing and emotional eating have taken a toll on my "physique"...it also doesn't help that I usually prepare six 5 star meals on the weekend for my beloved family...that "insanity" has...

What is Stewed Chicken Stew Chicken (also referred to as stewed chicken or brown stew chicken) is a savory Caribbean dish featuring chicken browned in caramelized sugar('burnt sugar'), then simmered in a flavorful blend of aromatics like garlic, onion, and...

In this simple raw mango chutney, a raw half ripe mango is pureed with garlic, bandania (culantro) and hot pepper(s) to create an exotic blend of flavors. Raw mango chutney is traditionally enjoyed with fried bake and shark, aloo pie,...

    These fritters are made with cauliflower, besan(chick pea flour), cumin(geera), turmeric, garlic and fresh cilantro. A few weeks ago, while at work, I had a desire. A desire for a fritter. In my mind I envisioned how it...

Peanut butter and bananas are a match made in food heaven - whether you enjoy it on a sandwich or in a smoothie! I prepare this smoothie for my kids for a snack or a breakfast drink and it’s definitely a savior when...

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="943"] Trinidad sardine choka, served with Fried Bake[/caption] Trinidad Sardine Choka If you’re in a rush but still craving a hearty, healthy meal, Trinidad Sardine Choka is here to save the day. This traditional Trinidadian dish combines...

Chow, in Trinidad and Tobaho,  is a simple, refreshing combination of fresh fruits, garlic, and culantro-also known as bandhania or shado beni. Consider it a "spiced up" fruit salad.   [Culantro, also known as bandania or shado beni]   The...

  I have been making Paula Dean’s peach cobbler for years. One day I decided that it required a makeover with less butter and sugar. I know it’s an abomination, but occasionally I want to experience, “le plaisir sans la culpabilité!”...

This recipe for “Fry Bodi” is long green beans stir-fried with tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Cooking bodi past the steaming point brings out the intense flavor of the green bean. It’s juicy, tender, yet crunchy. The onion, which somehow gets...

I apologize for my absence, I haven't been in a creative frame of mind. I have been busy reading. Reading about the hidden science behind the 2012 predictions, trying to understand quantum physics and learning about the secrets of the Pyramids. Also reading...

My husband asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I responded, “nothing…just make me a nice dinner”. He mumbled, rubbed his head and looked as if he was 1. Sorry he asked the question 2. On the verge...

What is curry chicken? Curry chicken is essentially pieces of chicken seasoned with green seasoning and simmered in a flavorful curry base. Each cook has their variation, however, there is one constant and that is the use of green seasoning....

'Trinidad Gulgula' are flavorful, deep-fried banana fritters." Gulgula Recipe: Traditional Banana Fritters You’ll Love If you're looking for a quick, sweet snack or a simple dessert, look no further than Gulgula, the traditional banana fritters! Made with just a handful...

  Dhal is to Trinidad what split pea soup is to the rest of the world. Dried split peas are cooked with sufficient water, turmeric, garlic and a whole hot pepper until the dhal is tender. It is then swizzled...

The weather is cooling down in New York (well, it did last week..hot this week...and we might have a blizzard next week...) and I must end my love affair with all things decadent for awhile—just until I get back to...

Sawine is a rich, creamy, comforting dessert made with milk and vermicelli (fine noodles) that's flavored with ginger, cinnamon, and sometimes other aromatic spices. It's one of my absolute favorite desserts! I could eat it every day for the rest...

I know I get excited about desserts, and this berry cobbler is no exception. In fact, it left me speechless. I sat at my desk for several minutes, trying to put the taste into words, but all I could think...

The purists might have a bone to pick with me for giving the classic Chicken Cacciatore a Trinidadian twist, but I’m more than willing to take that risk. The magic lies in marinating the chicken with our beloved “Green Seasoning.”For...

This coleslaw salad is made primarily of finely shredded raw cabbage, carrots, sweet peppers, and apples and tossed with a mayo dressing. It's creamy, crunchy, sweet, yet slightly tangy. The vinegar used in a traditional recipe is replaced with lemon...

Most of the recipes I reviewed for meatloaf used packaged onion mix and other "Wooster sauces" which contain preservatives and MSG, which I just could not bring myself to use even if they claimed would make it delicious.  I used Ground Bison...