All Things Caribbean: Recipes that will Warm Your Heart

Hey everyone! This is your official Caribbean tour guide and expert, “Zestoile Rivett”, bringing something hot and tropical to SwagHer Magazine! 

The SwagHer community is full of  educated, entrepreneurial, and inspiring people. They are open to new things and willing to explore the fullness of life. This section of SwagHer will send you on a journey, uncovering hidden jewels and treasure of the Caribbean islands – providing insight, cultural connection and more! Every week, we will discover a new island and all that makes that island, RICH!

I am bringing you delicious recipes from Trinidad and Tobago.  Now, although Trinidad and Tobago does not have different seasons, we still have food and drinks that can warm your soul. Check out the recipes below. 

Fry Bake

• 1 lb flour 
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoon baking powder
• Water
• Oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder.
2. Add enough water (tap water) to make a soft dough. 
3. Kneed for about 10mins. Leave to rest for ½ hour or more
4. Cut in pieces and roll each piece to 5” to 6” in diameter and ¼” thick.
5. Fry in hot oil, turn once and fry until light brown, drain on paper towel.

Tip: This can go well with your morning coffee or apple cider, you can also stew a piece of pumpkin and put inside.                           

Pumpkin Stew

• ½ pumpkin
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil or olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon raw sugar

Instructions:

1. Peel pumpkin, remove seeds.
2. Heat oil over medium heat in large skillet.
3. Add onions and sauté for about five minutes.
4. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, and turmeric, and continue to sauté for about a minute.
5. Add salt and sugar, bring to a simmer.
6. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until pumpkin is very tender.

Tip: Serve with fry bake and drink ginger beer.

Stew Fish

• 1 lb fish
• 1 sprig celery
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon
• 1 small onion
• 1 dash parsley
• 1 thyme (leaf big leaf)
• 2 large tomatoes
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon golden ray margarine
• 1 dash paprika
• 1 dash pimento pepper
• 1 dash salt
• 1 tablespoon seasoning, green
• 3 tablespoon oil
• 1 ½ water

Instructions:

1. Wash the fish with lemon and drain.
2. Season with green seasoning, garlic, onion, tomatoes, pimento peppers, big thyme leaf, salt, paprika and parsley.
3. Heat the oil over medium flame.
4. While oil is heating, scrape the seasoning from fish and set aside.
5. Add the seasoning and sauté for about 2 minutes.
6. Add the fish and let it steam for 1 minute.
7. Add half cup of water and cover the pot.
8. Allow to cook until tender (about 10minutes).
9. Try not to turn the fish too much while cooking to avoid breaking it up.
10. Add the golden ray margarine.
11. Now time for the sauce.
12. Add the tomato paste and 1 cup of water.
13. Allow to simmer for about two minutes.

Tip: Can be served with plantains, pumpkin, sweet potato, and a side salad.

Tip: On a cold day, the family would appreciate the hot fish.

Tip: Hot pepper improves your heart, can lower blood pressure, prevent diabetes.

Ginger Beer

• 1 ½ cup ginger root
• ½ cup sugar, dissolved in ½ cup hot water (simple syrup)
• 1 cup fresh lime juice 
• 3 cups filtered water
• 2 teaspoons of aromatic bitters
• Club soda 
• Flip top glass bottles for storage

Instructions:

1. Peel the ginger skin off, then cut it up into rough chunks.
2. Add the ginger and 1 cup of water into a food processor, until fully chopped
3. Transfer the ginger into a mesh bag, squeeze the pulp over a bowl until
4. Most water has been squeezed into the bowl.  
5. Transfer the ginger pulp back to the processor.
6. Transfer ginger into mesh bag again and squeeze, until all 3 cups of water have been pressed
7. Then discard the ginger.
8. Add the simple syrup, lime and bitters and mix well.
9. Transfer the mixture to sealed containers and keep refrigerated for up to a month.

Article Written By: Zestoile Rivett | Born and raised in Trinidad, as Laverne Wong-Shing, this new writer love talking about her culture and heritage. Laverne loves adventure, traveling to exotic lands, and speaking with the locals. A Mother of three, a handsome boy’s grandmother, and an older sister to three brothers. Her dream is to publish travel guides and become a designer of Carnival costumes for one of the biggest Mas bands in Trinidad and Tobago.