dish! There are hundreds of recipes you can draw from to make roti. It is worth it, especially since it does not take a lot of time to make. Add your favorite veggies to make this dish your own———it’s perfect for that.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Trinidad and Tobago is a two-island country in the southern part of the Lesser Antilles island chain. Their most well-known celebration is the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, which is celebrated the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. An important part of the festival is dressing up in costumes. Islanders use mud, paint, and oil to create bright costumes. Another notable part of the festival is the parade. The parade embodies the most vibrant parts of the culture of Trinidad and Tobago: music, dance, and food. There are also calypso music and dance competitions.
The cuisine of Trinidad and Tobago blends Creole, Indian, African, French, and Spanish influences. These diverse origins have given rise to dishes with robust and unique flavors, many of which contain fresh fruits that are readily accessible, like papayas. The combination of bold spices and sweet citrus makes these dishes simple to make, yet still imbued with delicious flavor.
Prep time:10 minutes • Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1½ lb. flank steak
¼ tsp. cloves
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. crushed red pepper
½ tsp. thyme
½ tsp. sugar
Pepper to taste
Directions:
In a small bowl, mix cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, red pepper, thyme, sugar, and pepper. Place the meat on a plate and rub it with the dry spices on both sides. Grill the steak to desired doneness, then thinly slice it against the grain. Serve with papaya salsa (see recipe below).
Remmi Notes: You have to make sure that you rub the spices on the meat well, because that is what gives this steak its flavor! The salsa helps to add a fresher bite to this dish and works great with the spices on the steak.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 papaya (seeded and peeled, 2” dice)
½ cucumber (medium dice)
1 red bell pepper (medium dice)
1 small sweet onion (medium dice)
½ jalapeño pepper (seeded and minced)
1 Tbsp. garlic (minced)
3 Tbsp. cilantro (sliced
¼ cup pineapple juice
¼ cup lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Prepare ingredients as specified in ingredient list, mix all ingredients, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Remmi Notes: I love to create salsas; they are easy to make and you can be very creative. The seeds of the papaya
are edible———in some cuisines they use them in place of peppercorns. Salsas are also great to serve with different meats, so experiment!
“People should open themselves to other cuisines. There are a lot of hidden secrets all over the world.”
—Yotam Ottolenghi
From Trinidad and Tobago, we travel south across the Caribbean Sea to our next continent, where we will explore the cuisine of five countries. The South American continent, which is rich in petroleum, copper, gold, and silver, is located in the western hemisphere. The Andes, the longest mountain range in the world, is found in South America, as is the world’s largest waterfall, Venezuela’s Angel Falls. Brazil is the largest country on the continent, and the Amazon rainforest, the world’s largest, is located there. We will travel to five South American countries starting with the northernmost country on the continent.
COLOMBIA
Colombia borders the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea and is connected to Central America by the Isthmus of Panama. Bogotá is its capital. Colombia was named after the last name of the explorer Christopher Columbus. They are the largest producer of emeralds and they are internationally known for their coffee. Cali is the salsa dancing center of the world. The internationally famous singer Shakira is from Colombia.
Colombian dining etiquette is very formal. It is impolite to start eating until the host says “Buen Provecho!” Hands are to be visible at all times while eating. Utensils are used with the fork held in the left hand and the knife in the right hand. It is expected to try all foods that are offered, and it is also considered polite to leave a small amount of food on your plate. Meat dominates the cuisine along with fresh fruits. A common side dish is arepa, which is a cornmeal bread that is served with most meals. “Bandeja Bogotáno” is a common Colombian platter ensemble consisting of beef, pork belly, chorizo, beans, rice, plantains, fried eggs, and avocado…now that’s a spread!
Sudado de Pollo (Colombian Chicken Stew)
Prep time: 20 minutes • Cook time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
6 chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
1 medium onion (large dice)
½ cup carrots (1” slices)
½ tsp. garlic (minced)
1 large tomato (large dice)
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
Pinch of saffron
