Christmas

This chunky veggie stir fry is healthy, nutritious and easy to make. I made it a couple of weeks ago for my Mom’s small birthday party and thought you would appreciate a vegan, veggie dish to start off the new...

Let's make a quick & simple chicken pelau! Happy New Year! Today we will focus on a simple & flavorful dish everyone needs in their arsenal-chicken pelau. What is Chicken Pelau? Chicken pelau is a savory one-pot Trinidadian favorite. Meat...

Good morning! Hope everyone had a great Christmas. It was a peaceful one for me, with some of my favorite people and my favorite foods. Christmas is not Christmas without my mom’s cooking and the red beans and callaloo combination...

In this jerk turkey recipe, the turkey is seasoned with a traditional jerk seasoning and marinated for a minimum of two days. I like marinating it up to two weeks in advance, keeping it in the freezer, and removing it...

What is Ginger Beer? Ginger beer is a staple around the holidays on many of the Caribbean islands. It’s made with fresh ginger root and spices, allowed to ferment for a couple of days, and sweetened with brown or white...

Curry chicken with potatoes is like a comforting hug on a plate. It's a classic dish where tender chicken pieces and hearty potatoes are simmered in a flavorful curry base. Here's how it usually goes down: You've got your chicken,...

Curry Home Fowl (Trinidadian Style) Curry home fowl is a treasured delicacy in Trinidad, often reserved for special occasions or Sunday lunch. Many households raise "home fowl" or "layers" in their yards, and when the time comes, these birds are...

This roasted duck and scallion pancake recipe was inspired by my very first business lunch downtown Manhattan decades ago. I ordered roasted duck with scallion pancakes at a fancy Chinese restaurant, and it was unforgettable. So memorable, I went home...

  This is the holiday lasagna I made on the very popular Thanksgiving Feast video on You Tube. It has been requested numerous times so I finally decided to make the time and post this delicious recipe. Another recipe long...

This candied yam recipe was given to me by a co-worker over a decade ago. I have tweaked it to my preferences, reducing the quantity of sugar but it is still exceptionally delicious, and is a great side to your...

A delicious traditional Trini Stewed Chicken with Potatoes for added flavor and a delightful sauce! Seasoned with traditional green seasoning and other aromatics to maximize the flavor. Stewed chicken is a Sunday lunch staple and one of the simplest chicken...

Growing up my mom made the most delicious and elaborate Sunday lunches for us. This beet and potato salad is inspired by those meals. I have never seen this combination elsewhere. I added the sweet potatoes in my version which...

Everyone loves a good, crispy wonton dipped in ketchup, soy sauce and a little hot sauce for a nice kick. In this recipe, I am using a savory shrimp filling perfectly seasoned with scallions, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. The...

Back in the days my dad was a fisherman.  He always brought home the best catch of the day and the most colossal shrimp I've ever seen to date. Nowadays, it is difficult to source fresh fish where I live...

Looking for a sponge cake recipe that’s light, airy, and flavorful without being eggy or dry? This classic Trini sponge cake recipe delivers all the deliciousness you crave in a Caribbean dessert, with troubleshooting tips to help you avoid common...

Curry mango can be a main dish, side dish, condiment or snack. It is sweet, spicy, savory and satisfying. One of the greatest joys of eating this is sucking on the seed. It is a great side dish for curry...

In this amazing recipe, beef is browned using the traditional ‘burning of the sugar’ method.  The only difference from stewed chicken is the addition of chunks of carrots, celery and potatoes to make it a hearty stew with lots of...

  This is one of the easiest and most surprisingly flavorful rice dishes I’ve ever made. It is surprisingly delicious because you won’t expect such robust flavors from the simple ingredients used. Prep takes two minutes and the cooking time...

Coo Coo, also spelled "Cou Cou," is a traditional dish in Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean countries. It is made with cornmeal, ochro, fresh seasonings and coconut milk. It is often compared to polenta but has its own unique...

These lamb kabobs are simply seasoned with fresh, all natural ingredients, skewered and grilled to perfection. Serve with cilantro coconut rice, cilantro chutney and an amazing salad for a perfect Sunday or anytime meal. Also seen in the pic above...

In this recipe, lamb chops are simply seasoned with Caribbean green seasoning, garlic and lemon juice to allow the flavor of the lamb to shine. Now that the weather is getting nicer, we already have the grill out. Since I...

These hot cross buns are perfectly pillowy soft and flavorful with the addition of aromatic spices and raisins. I've developed this recipe over many years, and it's the right balance of flavor and texture that everyone in my family loves....

When you are in the mood for a spicy(or not) curry without all the drama, here is great 20-minute substitute. I love how simple and quick it comes together without compromising on flavor. If you already have pre made green...

Coconut bakes, coconut pot bake, roast bakes or pot bakes, as they are referred to, are nothing short of heavenly. How to enjoy these bakes? Full of coconut flavor, eating it with fried eggs, or slathered with butter or cheese,...

  Stewed blackeyed peas is a favorite amongst vegans and nonvegans alike. In this recipe, black eye peas are simmered with simple and flavorful aromatics to create a tasty and nutritious side dish. The traditional stewing process which is the...

[caption id="attachment_3889" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Stewed Lentils, Jasmine Rice, Stewed Chicken, Salad[/caption] Rooted in the island's tradition of simple yet robust cooking, this dish exemplifies the beauty of the Caribbean, more specifically Trinidadian cuisine. In this recipe, humble lentils are transformed...

For West Indians, curry duck is not only a delicacy; it is a passion. For many, it is the cornerstone of the food culture. Whether it’s curry duck and white rice with murtani on the side, or curry duck with...

I still recall the taste of my mom’s Chinese style fried chicken and seeing the fried ginger and hot pepper which was thrown to the side of the stove, which were used to infuse the frying oil. The experience was...

Custard pie is to Trinidad what flan is to the rest of the world. Added spices, including cinnamon and ginger, make this version unique and extra tasty. The addition of the base caramel layer is totally optional. The ingredients and...

When the holidays come around and your kitchen is busy with excitement and choas, there is always one side dish that's so simple, delicious and takes 5 mins to cook. This is a must on every holiday menu. It offers...

A perfect creamy, mashed potatoes recipe for Thanksgiving, the Holidays or any Sunday lunch along with stewed chicken and chow mein (my mom's favorite combo) or a pot roast. Growing up in the Caribbean, my job was to whisk the...

Here's a story about how I developed the perfect Caribbean Roast Turkey recipe. I don’t remember ever eating turkey while growing up…and probably because of this, I have encountered many challenges. Over the past 25 years, I have tried numerous...

Halal Cart-Inspired Yellow Rice When you think of the ultimate street food experience, halal cart chicken and rice is always at the top of the list. There’s something magical about that vibrant yellow rice, served up with perfectly spiced meat,...

I am excited to share my Caribbean stewed canned black beans recipe! It is a favorite in our household and I am confident it will be a favorite in yours as well. As I may have mentioned previously, at the...

I have shared some of my favorite rice dishes with you including pelau, carrot rice, Trini Fried rice, scallion-cilantro rice, but be prepared for yet another winner! One day I literally threw a few ingredients together to make this rice...

Curry stew is just what the name infers, a combination of curry and stew. The best of both worlds. I figure one day a Trini realized they didn’t want to make curry nor stew, because they made it recently, and...

Here is a cassava pie, mashed cassava aka side dish inspired by a bag of frozen yucca I had in my freezer. At the beginning of the COVID pandemic, we stocked up on frozen meats, seafood, mixed veggies, pigeon peas,...

  I have been making corn pie for get togethers for as long as I can remember. It all started with the boxed corn bread mix and quickly decided I wanted to learn to make it from scratch. I wanted...

Many, many years ago during one of my visits to Trinidad, we (husband and I - no kids then) were invited to my niece's in laws for a 'lime'(Trini get together). There was card playing, laughter, rum, curry agouti (wild...

This is the first fried rice I learned to make. What I think of when anyone refers to Trini fried rice. The fried rice Mummy cooked on Sundays for lunch with baked chicken, pepper shrimps, potato salad and a garden...

Mango Talkarie is a sweet side dish or condiment that accompanies vegetarian or meat dishes. It's made with tart, green mangoes and amchar massala.   In this recipe, green mangoes are cut into pieces lengthwise, cleaned and then boiled with...

"Trinidad Hops bread is essentially dinner rolls.  In Trinidad, it’s eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It has a unique softness, delicate, airy, light chew, and totally satisfying." As I shared on Facebook over the weekend, we ate a hearty...

A few weekends ago, we made curry beef and curry aloo (Trinidad style) for our Saturday lunch and enjoyed these dishes with delicious soft, paratha roti(buss up shot). It was a really good combination and I have been craving it...

In this version of stewed fish, a firm of your choice is marinated with blended fresh herbs and garlic. After marinating, the fish is then floured and fried until golden brown. After frying, the fish is simmered in a fragrant...

This quick, simple, budget-friendly and healthy steamed cabbage recipe, referred to as "fry cabbage"  in Trinidad and is traditionally eaten as a main vegan/vegetarian dish with sada roti, fried bake, dosti roti, paratha roti, hops bread or even coconut bake...

Jerk chicken is a popular favorite, not only in Jamaica but the rest of the world. It's fiery(though heat is adjustable), highly seasoned and wickedly good. There are as many jerk seasonings and recipes as there are cooks and my...

As a young girl growing up in Trinidad, my grandma taught me to make  'choat', it was a crepe like dessert made with a mixture of flour, sugar and milk. It satisfied my desire for something sweet after running around...

Today I am sharing a family favorite recipe, rice and beans, but before I do, let's have a quick chat about what's happening in the world. A world-- not just a town, or a city or a country--the freakin world...

Happy New Year is in order --even though it's the 16th --as this is my very first post of the New Year! I wanted to start on a sweet note, so today I am sharing my secret sweet bread recipe—developed...

Making this one-pot lo mein at home is cheap, easy, convenient, and way healthier than takeout because we get to choose and control the ingredients used. Preparing a whole package of noodles means that we can pack the leftovers for...

In today's post, you will learn to make the best potato salad ever! Happy Spring! I have somehow immersed myself in Spring cleaning(eliminating)--You could say I have been Kondo-ed(Marie Kondo). If you haven't seen that series yet, look for it...

"This oven bbq chicken is the simplest thing you can put together--preparation is super easy, using simple ingredients and the result is moist, flavorful, and absolutely mouth-watering." Happy Wednesday! Can you believe that January is almost over? Where did the...

Hope everyone's year started off productive and promising. I am chipping away at work, and home and trying to stay on track with posting here on the blog and YouTube. All the organizing I failed to accomplish at year's end...

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...

Table of contentsWhat is Dhalpuri?Dhalpuri, also known as dhal puri, dalpuri or dhalpourie is one of the most popular rotis in Trinidad. It is a  stuffed flatbread , deeply rooted in Indo-Trinidadian cuisine.The origins of dhalpuriHow is dhalpuri made?How to...

What are Pastelles? Pastelles are a popular favorite amongst Trinbagonians around Christmas time. I don't know why we wait all year to make these (most likely the work involved). According to Wikipedia, it is believed that the pastelles were introduced...

  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...

When I thought I finally had a strong grasp on 40, life went ahead and dealt me another wild card which, if I didn't play right, would result in permanent despair. I did some introspection. I realized that somewhere hidden...

"Trinidad stewed red beans is a mainstay in our cuisine. For a typical simple Sunday lunch, it is usually accompanied by baked or stewed chicken, steamed rice, and a salad." A little update. Change seems to be the only constant...

Chicken Puffs: Pâte à choux, a light pastry dough, is filled with savory, flavorful chicken paste.   It's been a rough year thus far, and I expect the turbulence to continue for another twelve months. Corporate mergers and acquisitions, downsizing, increased workload,...