Photo by Chennette
Pelau is the perfect analogy to describle Trinidad. It is a mix of all sorts of ingredients to make one pot. It's the caribbean version of Jambalaya except that I like pelau much better. Of course that may also be just my bias. ;) Pelau is delicious and one of my favourite dishes. It is a must try for any visitors to the island.
Recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 pound chicken cut into pieces
A few dashes soy sauce
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups fresh pigeon peas
1 cup chopped carrot
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh chadon beni or cilantro
1 onion chopped
Salt to taste
METHOD:
1. Cook sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until it begins to caramelize.
2. Stir in the chicken (seasoned before hand with chandon beni and soy sauce), and cook until well browned.
3. Stir in the water, coconut milk, rice, pigeon peas, onions, and carrot, bring to a simmer.
4. Cover and cook until rice both rice and chicken are done.
Calypso rhythms can be traced back to the arrival of the first African slaves brought to work in the sugar plantations of Trinidad. Forbidden to talk to each other, and robbed of all links to family and home, the African slaves began to sing songs. They used calypso, which can be traced back to West African kaiso, as a means of communication and to mock the slave masters.