How to Make Tobago Old-Time Friday Pelau

Yuh see pelau?

Pelau is not just food. Pelau is Friday self.

Long ago, before everybody did hurry-hurry and buy box food, Friday evening did have a certain kinda sweetness.

Sun drop soft behind de hills.

Breeze pass cool-cool through de house.

Children done bathe and smelling like powder and blue soap.

And somewhere by de kitchen, one big pot start to talk.

Pelau talking.

Chicken talking.

Sweet smoke from de sugar browning rising up and calling neighbors like it have manners.

“Come nah, we making pelau.”

Every house did have dey own way.

Some used smoked meat.

Some used coconut milk straight from de dry coconut mama crack with a stone outside.

And some used pigeon peas fresh fresh from de bush, not tin.

But de heart of it always de same:

One pot.

Everybody welcome.

And taste real good.

What Yuh Go Need

Feh Season de Meat

’Bout 2 lb chicken, cut up small small

1 lime

1 spoon green seasoning (shadow benny, chive, garlic, thyme, onion, all mix up)

Lil’ salt and black pepper

If yuh feeling fancy: lil curry or paprika, not too strong

Feh de Pelau

1 and a half cup rice

1 tin pigeon peas or peas yuh boil yuhself

Lil oil

3 spoon brown sugar

1 onion, chop up

2 clove garlic, mash

1 carrot dice up

Half ah sweet pepper

1 sprig thyme

2 cup coconut milk

Water or broth to finish

Salt and pepper to taste

How to Cook It

1.) - Wash Down and Season

Wash yuh chicken with lime.

Rinse clean.

Rub up with seasoning, salt, pepper, and whatever lil extra taste yuh like.

Set it down to rest so flavor could settle in proper.

2.) - Browning Time

Put yuh pot on fire.

Heat oil.

Drop in brown sugar and let it melt slow-slow.

Watch it like is a new baby.

When it turn nice brown like cocoa tea morning color, time to move.

3.) - Drop de Chicken

Put de chicken in.

It go sizzle and catch color.

Turn it so every piece get coat proper.

Let it steam down so de gravy start to form up by itself.

4.) - Add de Goodness

Onion.

Garlic.

Thyme.

Carrot.

Sweety pepper.

Stir.

Let de pot smell sweet-sweet.

5.) - Rice and Peas Now

Throw in yuh rice and pigeon peas.

Mix so de browning touches every grain.

6.) - Coconut Milk to Seal de Story

Pour in coconut milk.

Add lil water just enough to float above de rice.

Cover.

Let it simmer quiet.

No rush.

Pelau does cook when pelau ready.

7.) - Taste and Make Yuh Decision

When de rice tender and everything join up like family at Christmas, you done.

How to Eat It (De Proper Tobago Way)

Serve with:

- Coleslaw with lil lime inside

- Or cucumber chow with pepper to wake up yuh tongue

Sit down.

Open de windows.

Hear de wind.

Take yuh first bite slow.

And somebody bound to say:

“Yuh rel do yuh ting dey.”

Pelau is memory food.

Food that calling back auntie laughter,

Grandmama instructions from over yuh shoulder,

A cousin who used to “just come to check allyuh” when de pot smell starts to travel.

So, when yuh cook this, doh hurry.

Let de pot talk.

Let de Friday settle.

Let de flavor tell yuh stories yuh nearly forget.