Trinidad pelau is a one-pot rice dish made with pigeon peas, chicken (or beef), coconut milk and “burnt” sugar. Read on to learn how to make it!
When I think about the most iconic Trinidadian recipes, the ones that are an important part of our culture, the three recipes that come to mind are calalloo with crab (a soupy vegetable side-dish often served on rice), macaroni pie, and pelau. These are the family recipes that my mom would cook when I was growing up, and that I’m trying to learn how to make on my own.
I’ve got the macaroni pie recipe down pat now (and I make a good sorrel drink too), but I haven’t made calaloo on my own yet… that’s next up on my list. Today I’m sharing our family’s version of Trinidadian pelau with chicken and pigeon peas, which I think might now be the most tested recipe on this website.
This is a seriously good recipe for pelau, in my opinion. I know every Trini family has their own way of making this dish, but (obviously) I’m partial to this one. It’s basically the same recipe that my mom has been making for me all my life, and now I get to share it with you.
