Side Dishes

Looking for that perfect side to your meat or vegetarian meal or feast? Here you will find some of the tastiest sides on the planet–loaded with flavor. They will be sure to impress your guests!

Sunday Lunch Week 38-Steamed Fish, Bhagi with Peas & Ochro, and Jasmine Rice

Sunday Lunch Week 38-Steamed Fish, Bhagi with Peas & Ochro, and Jasmine Rice

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 [continue reading]

Fry Seim – A Simple and Delicious Trini Vegetable Dish

Fry Seim – A Simple and Delicious Trini Vegetable Dish

A Taste of Tradition Fry Seim is one of those traditional vegan dishes we grew up eating for breakfast or dinner during the week—or on weekends—with sada roti or dosti roti. It’s simple, flavorful, and allows the natural taste of the seim to shine without [continue reading]

Fried Caraille (Bitter Melon) – Authentic Trinidad-Style Vegan Side

Fried Caraille (Bitter Melon) – Authentic Trinidad-Style Vegan Side

Fried Caraille is one of my favorite vegan dishes — a dish that divides the table but unites us in tradition. Growing up in Trinidad, my mom always said, “Eat your caraille; it cleans your blood.” As kids we’d grimace, but today I appreciate its [continue reading]

Trinidad Macaroni and Eggs (Boil and Fry Macaroni)

Trinidad Macaroni and Eggs (Boil and Fry Macaroni)

A Humble Village Kitchen Memory Growing up in a small village in Trinidad, macaroni and eggs wasn’t just food—it was survival and comfort, then and now. During long summer vacations, when options ran low and hunger struck, it was often just me and my sister [continue reading]

Sunday Lunch Week 36: Stewed Chicken, Beans, Macaroni & a Farmer’s Market Twist

Sunday Lunch Week 36: Stewed Chicken, Beans, Macaroni & a Farmer’s Market Twist

Some Sundays begin on Saturday, and this was one of them. With a guest at our table, I wanted to make sure they had a hearty, love-filled meal before heading off. It felt right to begin early—giving us space for a leisurely Sunday breakfast, a [continue reading]

Eddoes Choka

Eddoes Choka

Creamy, garlicky, and wholesome, this Trinidad Eddoes Choka is a healthy carb side dish made with boiled eddoes, culantro, and garlic-infused oil. Eddoes Choka is one of those dishes that rarely makes the spotlight, but when it does, it steals the show. Known elsewhere as [continue reading]

Bhagi with Peas & Ochro (Trinidad-Style Spinach with Pigeon Peas & Okra)

Bhagi with Peas & Ochro (Trinidad-Style Spinach with Pigeon Peas & Okra)

This wholesome Trinidad-style Bhagi recipe combines spinach, green pigeon peas, and ochro simmered with coconut, cumin, and garlic. A comforting Caribbean vegetable dish rooted in Indo-Trinidadian tradition, it’s perfect with roti, rice, or curries. This Bhagi recipe with peas and ochro carries quiet importance in [continue reading]

Sunday Lunch Week 31 – BBQ Ribs, Pepper Shrimps, Creamy Potato Salad & Rice

Sunday Lunch Week 31 – BBQ Ribs, Pepper Shrimps, Creamy Potato Salad & Rice

Ribs were on my mind—and everything else followed. I honestly can’t say if I’ve done this exact combo before, but it didn’t matter. The craving was real, the menu felt right, and the meal came together effortlessly. I almost—almost—enjoyed the process of making it. Guests [continue reading]

Fried Plantains (Caribbean Style)

Fried Plantains (Caribbean Style)

When I was growing up in Trinidad, fried plantains were always on the table — whether at breakfast with tomatoes and saltfish and fried bake, alongside Sunday lunch with stewed chicken, stewed red beans and rice, or as a quick snack when we wanted something [continue reading]

Sunday Lunch Week 27 – 4th July Recovery and Leftovers

Sunday Lunch Week 27 – 4th July Recovery and Leftovers

Sunday, July 6, 202552 Weeks of Sunday Lunches After two whirlwind weeks of prep, paint, and party, I declared this Sunday one thing only: a day of rest. I didn’t cook. I didn’t clean. I didn’t even move much. I just vegetated, grateful for leftovers [continue reading]