Why Spices and Herbs Are So Important in the Cuisine of Trinidad and Tobago

The Trinidad and Tobago cuisine is an artful blend ofthrough out the islands. Macaroni Pie is another
Amerindian, African, European, Indian, Creole,popular trini recipes that has a base of macaroni
Lebanese and Chinese flavor influences. Thesebaked with eggs and cheese. Then the chef can add
Trinidad and Tobago recipes all rely heavily on spicesan array of herbs, spices and meats to make
and herbs to give them their unique taste. Theirwhatever trini recipe they desire. Cascadu are a local
recipes are also known as Trinidad recipes or trinidelicacy and fresh water fish. The legend of the
recipes for short. One of the most well knownisland is that any local who eat the fish will return to
Trinidad recipes is curry chicken and roti. This triniTrinidad in the after life. There are a multitude of
recipe was brought over to the islands in the 19thfreshly prepared street foods in Trinidad and Tobago.
century by indentured slaves from India. Curry is aThese streets foods follow trini recipes that include
staple spice in many Trinidad and Tobago recipesdoubles, shark and phulourie, corn soup, curried
including curry crab, shrimp, duck and aloo (potato).shrimp roti and geera chicken.
Curry chicken is placed on skewers and served withAlso served as street foods are other Trinidad and
a tomato chutney vinaigrette and eggplant relish. ATobago recipes such as ray oysters served with a
Trinidad recipe that has its roots in Africa is calledsweet and spicy hot sauce. Trini recipes also rely
callaloo. This spicy and creamy side dish gets itsheavily on several different pepper sauces such as
flavor from the herb thyme, cilantro, French thistlecurry mango, breadnut (chataigne), pumpkin, channa
and dasheen leaves mixed with okra, crab andor mango kuchela. There are also an array of pies
coconut milk. Many trini recipes include the use of thewith fresh spice and herbs filled with fish, cheese,
fresh fish that can be caught on the islands includingbeef and potato. Many neighborhoods have a pie
kin fish, flying fish, carite, red fish, sapatay, lobsterman who is the propitiate of the neighborhood pies.
and crab. Tobago recipes are dominated by seafoodThen there is the trini recipe version of a hotdog
but mostly by curried crab.vendor that serves pows, which are steamed buns
Tobagonians are well know for the provisions, soupsfilled with meat, most popularly pork.
and stews, which are referred to as blue food