Tarique Eastman
Their story is similar to my family’s. At least three of my father’s grandparents traveled from Punjab, India, to Trinidad in the 1850s. As bonded field workers, they farmed sugar and cocoa fields for the English who, needing an other cheap source of labor following the end of slavery in their colonies, looked to other brown nations like India and China. Along with half a million others, theirs was a story of British imperial hegemony, which moved Indian people across the globe as indentured laborers to places like Trinidad and Guyana in the Western Hemisphere and Fiji and Mauritius in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Caribbean, my Indian ancestors took over where slavery left off.
Today, nearly half of the population on the island claims Indian roots. In both its people and its cuisine, Trinidad is an organic fusion. Here, the flavors from the subcontinent have married with those from West Africa, China and Syria and of the Indigenous people. Curry is still a foundational flavor, and everything from fruits and vegetables to meat, fish and wild game gets equal opportunity in the curry pot.
For most Trinidadians, Indian culture is simply part and parcel of the nation. Colette Cyrus Burnett, a chef and CEO of Global Food Warrior, which strives to make local food systems more affordable and accessible, grew up in Chaguanas, an area in central Trinidad that is known for its strong Indian roots. Although largely AfroCaribbean, she recognizes TrinidadIndian food as core to the national identity. “We never saw any distinction in our kitchen. It was never ‘East Indian’ food to us,” she says. “It is just home food, a part of our collective culture that warms our hearts and bellies.”
And so it is for me. When I cook a dish that I learned from my father, I’m transported back to those summers on Trinidad. The tangy tamarind sauce spooned over fish, the aroma of curry in doubles and the smoky flavor of roasted eggplant, all speak to this diverse nation’s deliciously complex history.
Recipes to Try
Penny De Los Santos
Get the recipe:Doubles
Get the recipe:Caraili (Sautéed Bitter Melon)
Plan Your Trip
Due to the complicated nature of travel during the pandemic, check local travel restrictions before you make arrangements.
Where to Eat
Seek out the food truck that frequents Carlsen Field in Chase Village, Chaguanas. What to order? Try saheena, fritters made with dasheen (taro) leaves plastered in a spiced chickpea batter that are rolled, sliced and fried; or baiganee, deep-fried battered eggplant similar to Indian pakora.
Krishna’s, in Debe, is known for its sweet treats. A few to try include coconut fudge; toolum, a specialty of the island made with sweetened spiced tamarind pulp; and kurma, crunchy finger-size crackers dipped in sugar syrup.
Where to Visit
For a crash course in Indo-Caribbean culture, head to Chaguanas' Main Road where you can visit a variety of jewelry stores selling locally made Indian-style gold designs. India Heights offers costume jewelry as well as puja items for Hindu rites, such as incense, diyas (small clay lamps), statues of Hindu gods and more.
Don’t miss the Hanuman Murti in Carapichaima, an 85-foot-tall statue of the Hindu Monkey Headed warrior god, the largest outside of India.
Where to Stay
Experience traditional charm with a stay at Pax Guest House, at Mount Saint Benedict in St. Augustine. Located on the grounds of a Benedictine monastery, this mountaintop boutique hotel is known for its tea service and commanding views of the island. Just 30 minutes west of the capital city of Port of Spain, the guesthouse is located ideally for travel north or south.
RAMIN GANESHRAMis a Trinidadian American culinary historian and author ofSweet Hands: Island Cooking from Trinidad & Tobago.
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