Pelau
.jpg) Chicken pelau | |
| Type | Rice dish |
|---|---|
| Course | Main |
| Place of origin | West Indies |
| Associated cuisine | Caribbean |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Rice |
| Ingredients generally used | Meat |
| Variations | Curry pelau |
Pelau is a traditional rice dish from the West Indies. Its main ingredients typically include meat (usually chicken or beef),[1] rice, pigeon peas or cowpeas, coconut milk[2] and sugar. Various vegetables and spices may be added. Common spices used in the dish are cardamom, cloves, cumin, and coriander.[3] The meat is caramelised in brown sugar along with onion and garlic and the other ingredients are then added one by one, resulting in a dark brown stew.
An alternative preparation method is to sauté the meat, precook the rice, prepare the dish and bake it in the oven.[4] Side dishes are optional; coleslaw is a typical choice.
Pelau shares its origins with pilaf (from Persian pilāw پلاو), a rice dish from Central Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, South Asia, and Spain, home of the original version of paella. Pelau is a Creole dish. When Trinidad was under Spanish colonial rule, Indian indentured servants passed down their version of the dish to African slaves who transformed it.[5] The caramelisation of the meat goes back to African preparation traditions.[6] Over time, the basic method of preparing pilaf, the caramelisation of meat and influences of the Trinidadian cuisine (especially with regard to available ingredients) mingled into today's pelau.
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ↑ Ganeshram, Ramin (2012). Sweet Hands. Island Cooking from Trinidad & Tobago. New York: Hippocrene Books. p. 134. ISBN 978-0-7818-1125-5.
- ↑ Ottier Hart, Rachael (2021-07-13). "The Ultimate Pelau Recipe". ClassicBakes.com. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
- ↑ Dainty Dishes for Indian Tables ... W. Newman & Company. 1881. pp. 159–161. Retrieved 2017-08-09.
- ↑ The Multi-Cultural Cuisine of Trinidad & Tobago. Naparima Girls' High School Cookbook. San Fernando: Naparima Girls' High School. 2002. p. 150. ISBN 976-8173-65-3.
- ↑ "Pelau: The Unofficial, National Dish of Trinidad & Tobago".
- ↑ DeWitt, Dave and Wilan, Mary Jane (1993). Callaloo, Calypso & Carnival. The Cuisines of Trinidad & Tobago. Freedom: Crossing Press. p. 60. ISBN 0895946394.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Further reading
[edit]- Fraser, Mark (January 9, 2015). "Making a Trini pelau". Daily Express. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
- Donato, Al (October 2, 2016). "Pelau Is A Trinidadian One-Pot Wonder Dish, Says Chef Roger Mooking". HuffPost Canada. Retrieved August 9, 2017.