Trinidad & Tobago

Post Indentureship was indeed a challenging time for many ex-labourers. Most Indian descendants of indentured labourers remained committed to the plantation system. Some ex-labourers engaged in entrepreneurial ventures as an act of resistance against the economic system of labour, subservience, and poor living conditions. MamooDeen and Rasulan, two subsistence peasants radically and innovatively escaped their social circumstances and became entrepreneurs through a non-agrarian activity.

From Bara to Doubles

Doubles today with assortment of condiments; shadon beni, cucumber, and tamarind chutney

Doubles, the number one street food in Trinidad was created in 1936, in Princes Town by Emamool Deen also known as MamooDeen and Raheman Rasulan Deen of origin somewhere in Uttar Pradesh, India. Doubles is an Indo-Trinidadian vegan delicacy made of spicy curried chana (chickpeas) served with a choice of chutneys between two baras (fried bread made from seasoned, all-purpose flour). The sandwich is wrapped and served in paper. Before the advent of grease proof paper, the original doubles were served in plain brown Hercules paper. The red Solo soft drink especially became the preferred complement to spicy doubles in those days.

The chickpea, also called chana, garbanzo bean, ceca bean, Indian pea, and Bengal gram was brought on the ships which transported indentured labourers from India to Trinidad between 1845-1917.

From “krispy chana-dry chana” to “wet and dry chana” to “hot-hot garam-garam” 

MamooDeen and Rasulan Deen frying bara in their humble slave barracks on Bonanza Street, Prince’s Town.

Bara is a known Indian delicacy made of salt, turmeric, ground mung beans (urdi), flour and deep fried in coconut oil.

Roti is another very popular food that was introduced to the Caribbean, namely Trinidad and Guyana post-Emancipation.

Trinidadian sada roti, curried chicken, curried chickpea with potato and squash..

Pholourie

Pholourie with a tamarind sauce

Pholourie is a popular street food in Trinidad and Tobago and is usually served with a chutney, usually tamarind. This dish was introduced to Trinidad Trinidad by migrants of Indian origin. These Indians were recruited as indentured laborers after slavery was abolished in the 19th century, and they brought their local recipes with them which were altered according to ingredients available in their new homes.

Brief description of significant Tobago cuisines

brown down	Spicy stewed chicken, beef, pork or fish
buljol	Salted codfish often served in a coconut bake (type of bread) and seasoned with peppers, onions, tomatoes and olive oil.
callaloo	A soup made from spinach-like dasheen leaves and okra, with various other ingredients such as coconut. A staple of Creole cooking.
coconut bake	A type of bread made with grated coconut and generally served for breakfast with buljol or cheese.
cou-cou	A mixture of cornmeal, okra and butter, boiled and stirred till firm then sliced. Normally served with steamed fish and callaloo.
crab ‘n dumplings	Crab stewed with curry and coconut milk and served with flat flour dumplings.