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7 Trini Seafood Recipes to Try

Posted: March 2, 2021 By: Tourism Trinidad 10 minutes

Enjoy a taste of Trini cuisine right at home, until you’re able to #visitTrinidad again. Here are 7 recipes perfect for Lent, or for satisfying your cravings for our flavourful shrimp, fish and more. When planning your next trip, make sure to add a visit to one of our many restaurants that serve up delicious seafood.

Recipes & Videos Credit: Foodie Nation

TRINI FRY DRY FISH

INGREDIENTS & METHOD

INGREDIENTS

Seasoning for Fish:

  • 1 Lb Fry Dry (Joshua Herrings)
  • 1 Tsp Salt
  • ¾ Tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 Tsp Pepper Sauce
  • ¼ Cup Green Seasoning

For the Breading:

  • 1 Cup Flour
  • ¼ Tsp Paprika
  • ¼ Tsp Salt
  • ¼ Tsp Garlic Powder
  • ¼ Tsp Thyme Flakes
  • 2½ Cups Vegetable Oil

For the Sauce:

  • ¾ Cup Mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbsp Minced Purple Onion
  • 2 Gloves Garlic Minced
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Chadon Beni/Culantro
  • 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • ¼ Tsp Salt
  • ¼ Tsp Chili Powder

METHOD

  1. Place the fish on your cutting board and using a small knife, slit open the bellies to remove the innards. You can choose to remove the heads also but traditionally they are left on. Place them into a bowl with clean running water and wash thoroughly to remove any debris and strain well.
  2. Place fish in a bowl, season with ingredients and incorporate well. Let rest.
  3. Pour all ingredients for the breading into a bowl and mix.
  4. Preheat oil in a shallow pot to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
  5. Place seasoned fish into the breading mixture and dust lightly to coat. Place a few of the fish in the hot oil and fry for 2 – 3 minutes then remove and place on a paper napkin.
  6. To make sauce, combine all the ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly.
  7. Serve the Fry Dry (Joshuas) with dipping sauce as an excellent snack item.

TRINI FISH BROTH

INGREDIENTS & METHOD

INGREDIENTS 

Yield: 8-10 Portions

  • 2 Lbs of King Fish/Red Snapper
  • Juice of 1 Lime
  • 1 Tsp Salt
  • ¾ Tsp Black Pepper
  • 3 Tbsp Fresh Green Seasoning
  • 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • ½ Cup Onions, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
  • 6 Pimento Peppers, minced
  • 2 Sprigs of Fine Thyme
  • 2 Medium Carrots, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
  • ¼ Cup Celery, medium chopped
  • ¾ Cup Pumpkin, medium diced
  • ¼ Cup Tomatoes, medium diced
  • 8 Cups of Water
  • 6 Small Ochros/Okras, sliced in half, head and tips removed
  • 5 Oz Potatoes, peeled and largely diced
  • 5 Greens Figs, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick
  • 1 ½ Tbsp Salt
  • 1 ½ Tbsp Chadon Beni/Culantro, minced
  • 3 Tbsp Chives, chopped
  • 3 Oz of Macaroni
  • 1 Tbsp Salted Butter
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
  • Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

METHOD

  1. Have fish scaled, cut into ¾ inch thick pieces with head and tail retained.
  2. Place fish pieces into a bowl of gentle running water to cleanse and squeeze fresh lime juice onto fish to aid in the washing process. Strain all water properly and season with salt, black pepper and fresh green seasoning. Let sit to marinate.
  3. Meanwhile, place a large high sided sauce pan over high heat and add the vegetable oil.
  4. When heated, add the onions, garlic, pimentos, thyme and sauté for 2 minutes.
  5. Add the carrots, celery, pumpkin, tomatoes and cook for an additional 3 minutes on medium heat.
  6. Add in the fish’s head and tail and allow to sear in the pot to develop a light brown colour for 3 minutes.
  7. Add in the water, okras, potatoes, green figs and salt. Stir, cover and increase heat to bring to a boil.
  8. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Add the chadon beni, chives and break macaroni strands into three and add to the simmering broth. Continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
  9. Remove cover and insert fish pieces to cook for 8 minutes.
  10. Once fish is cooked, add the salted butter and some of the lime juice. Taste and add more lime juice if needed and season with salt and black pepper to your desire.
  11. Once happy with flavors, remove immediately from stove and serve in soup bowls.
  12. Enjoy on its own or with a slice of crusty bread on the side.

SALTFISH BULJOL

INGREDIENTS & METHOD

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 12 Portions

  • 12 Oz of Boneless Salted Cod
  • ½ Cup of Tomatoes, Medium Diced
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, Finely Minced
  • ¼ Cup of Onions, Medium Diced
  • ½ Cup of Green Sweet Peppers, Medium Diced
  • ¼ Scotch Bonnet Pepper, veins and seeds removed
  • 2 Tbsp of Chopped Chives
  • 2 Tsp Finely Minced Chadon Beni (Culantro)
  • 2 Pimentos/Jalapeño Peppers, Finely Minced
  • 1/3 Cup Olive Oil
  • 1 ½ Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
  • ½ – ¾ Tsp Black Pepper
  • ¼ Tsp Smoked Paprika

METHOD

  1. Break salted cod into medium-sized pieces and place in a sauce pan filled with water and bring to a boil. Let cook for 15 minutes and strain. If fish is still too salty for your liking, repeat by boiling a second time and draining. Let cool.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, add the diced tomatoes, garlic, onions, sweet peppers, scotch bonnet pepper, chives, chadon beni and pimento peppers. Mix to combine.
  3. Pour the olive oil into a small sauté pan and heat gently until medium in temperature, then pour over the salted fish and aromatics. Add the lime juice, black pepper, paprika and toss to combine properly.
  4. Taste for flavor and depending if you may have boiled out too much salt from the salted cod, you can always add a small sprinkle back to the dish to help bring back balance to the buljol. You can feel free to add a minced scotch bonnet pepper to the buljol if you desire a spicier end result.
  5. Enjoy with fried bake, roasted coconut bake, hops bread or even sada roti.

STEW FISH

INGREDIENTS & METHOD

Yield: 6 Portions

Fish

  • 2 Lbs King Fish, ½ Inch Steaks
  • 1 ½ Tsp Salt
  • 1 Tsp Black Pepper
  • ½ Cup Green Seasoning
  • 1 ¼ Cups Flour
  • ½  Tsp Paprika Powder
  • ¼ Tsp Dried Oregano Powder
  • 3 Cups Vegetable Oil to Fry

Tomato Stew Sauce

  • 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Salted Butter
  • 2 Tsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 Tsp Minced Ginger
  • 2 Pimento Pepper/Jalapeños, minced
  • 1 Tsp Spanish Thyme, minced
  • ¼ Cup Julienned Onions
  • ½ Cup Canned Tomatoes, chopped
  • ¼ Cup Ketchup
  • ¼ Cup Oyster Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 Cup Water
  • ½ Cup Julienned Green Sweet Peppers
  • 1/8 Cup Chopped Scallions
  • Salt & Black Pepper to Taste

METHOD

  1. Place your clean and washed King Fish Steaks into a bowl and season with the salt and pepper. Gently rub seasonings onto fish and mix well to incorporate. Add the green seasoning and lightly toss to allow fish to be seasoned well. Let sit for a minimum of 1 hour to marinate or up to overnight in the chiller.
  2. Place a small high sided sauce pan on the stove to high heat. Add the vegetable oil in to fry fish.
  3. Meanwhile, in a medium clear plastic bag; add the flour, paprika and oregano powder in and shake to mix well. Place one or two pieces of seasoned fish into the bag with the seasoned flour and gently shake the bag to evenly coat the fish steaks.
  4. When oil has reached 350 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature, shake off any excess flour of the fish and carefully place into the hot oil to deep fry for 2 – 3 minutes turning once during this process until cooked through.
  5. Remove fried fish and place on napkins to drain excess oil.
  6. Meanwhile place a medium saucepan over high heat and add both the vegetable oil and salted butter.
  7. When heated, add the garlic, ginger, pimento, spanish thyme and onions to sauté for 2 minutes.
  8. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes covered. Meanwhile in a small bowl, mix together the ketchup, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and water.
  9. Reduce heat to medium and add this stew sauce mix in together with the sweet peppers. Mix, then insert pieces of fried fish into the sauce.
  10. Allow to simmer gently uncovered for 3 – 5 minutes basting the fish with the sauce to coat.
  11. Add the chopped scallions and season with black pepper and salt to taste. Remove pot from the heat and serve fish with macaroni pie, fried rice, or even coo coo as perfect accompaniments.

TRINI CURRY SHRIMP

INGREDIENTS & METHOD

Yield: 6-8 Portions

INGREDIENTS

Marinade for Shrimp

  • 2 Lbs Shrimp, peeled & deveined
  • 1 ½ Tsp Salt
  • ½ Tsp Black Pepper
  • 2 Minced Pimento/Jalapeno Peppers
  • 2 Tbsp Chopped Chives
  • 2 Tbsp Green Seasoning

To Cook Shrimp

  • 3 Tbsp of Vegetable Oil
  • ½ Tsp Whole Geera/Cumin Seeds
  • 2 Tbsp of Minced Garlic
  • ¼ Cup of Julienned Onions
  • 2 Tbsp Curry Powder
  • ¾ Tbsp Geera/Cumin Powder
  • ¾ Tbsp Saffron (Turmeric) Powder
  • ½ Tbsp Garam Masala Powder
  • 1 ½ Cups of Water
  • ½ Cup Chopped Tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp Tamarind Chutney
  • 2 Tbsp of Minced Chadon Beni/Culantro
  • Salt & Black Pepper to taste

METHOD

  1. Place clean and washed shrimp in a medium mixing bowl and season with marinade ingredients specified. Ensure to massage and rub all the spices and herbs into the shrimp and let marinate for at least 20 minutes.
  2. Place a medium high sided iron pot on medium heat and add the oil.
  3. When heated, sprinkle in the geera seeds to toast for 10 seconds followed by the addition of the garlic and onions into the hot oil and sauté for two minutes until fragrant.
  4. Add the curry, geera, turmeric and garam masala powders. Stir spices in the hot oil to parch/toast and cook the powders for approximately 2 minutes.
  5. Add ½ of the water and stir the spices to dissolve the grains of the curry in the water. Let cook for about 2 minutes until water has reduced and a thick curry paste develops.
  6. Once curry paste develops, increase heat to high and add in the seasoned shrimp.
  7. Stir shrimp to evenly coat with the curry mixture and let cook for 2 minutes uncovered. Add the remaining water to the hot pot followed by the chopped tomatoes, tamarind and chadon beni.
  8. Stir to mix well and let cook for about 5-6 minutes until water has reduced by half and sauce is slightly thickened.
  9. After cooking period, season to taste with salt and pepper if needed and remove from heat.
  10. Serve curried shrimp with boiled rice, roti or even with naan.

CURRY CRAB STUFFED DUMPLINGS

GREEN SEASONING INGREDIENTS & METHOD

INGREDIENTS

  • Chive – 1 Bundle
  • Chadon Beni – 1 Bundle
  • Garlic – 3 Cloves
  • Ginger – 2 Tsp
  • Thyme – 1 Sprig
  • Hot Pepper – 1/2 or To Taste (Seeds Optional)

METHOD

  1. Wash all ingredients.
  2. Using a food processor or chopper, grind all ingredients into a fine paste.
  3. Set aside.

CURRY CRAB INGREDIENTS & METHOD

INGREDIENTS

  • Crab Meat – 1 Lb
  • Vegetable Oil – 1/4 Cup
  • Onion – 1 Medium FC
  • Pimento – 5 FC
  • Green Seasoning – 1/4 Cup
  • Curry Powder – 1 Tbsp

METHOD

  1. In a bowl combine crab meat, green seasoning and curry powder.
  2. Cover and place in chiller.
  3. In a sauce pan over medium heat, add oil and allow it to heat up.
  4. Add onion and pimento, mix well, cover and let cook for 2 minutes.
  5. Add crab mixture, mix well, cover and let cook for 5 minutes.
  6. Set aside and let cool.

DUMPLINGS INGREDIENTS & METHOD

INGREDIENTS

  • Flour – 2 Cups
  • Baking Powder – 2 Tsp
  • Salt – 1/2 Tsp
  • Warm Water – 3/4 Cup

METHOD

  1. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt.
  2. Make a hole in the middle of the bowl.
  3. Add water and kneed until a ball is formed.
  4. Divide into 24 balls.
  5. Roll out on a slightly floured surface.
  6. Fill with 1-2 tsp of curry crab and seal using water.
  7. (Optional) Leave back some curry crab to thicken curry sauce.
  8. Set aside dumplings until you’re ready to add to curry sauce.

CURRY SAUCE INGREDIENTS & METHOD

INGREDIENTS

  • Vegetable Oil – 1/2 Cup
  • Onion – 2 Medium FC
  • Pimento – 5 FC
  • Garlic – 4 FC
  • Chive – 1 Bundle FC
  • Chadon Beni – 1 Bundle FC
  • Hot Pepper – 1 FC (Seeds Optional)
  • Curry Powder – 1 Tbsp
  • Ground Masala – 1 Tbsp
  • Geera Powder – 2 Tsp
  • Coconut Milk – 1 Cup
  • Warm Water – 2 1/4 Cups
  • Salt – To Taste
  • Black Pepper – To Taste

METHOD

  1. In a sauce pan over low to medium heat, add vegetable oil and allow to heat up.
  2. Add onion, pimento, garlic, chive, chadon beni, and hot pepper.
  3. Mix well, cover and let cook for 4 minutes.
  4. In a bowl, mix curry powder, ground masala and geera in 1/4 cup of warm water.
  5. Bring heat up to medium, add curry mixture, mix well and let cook for 2 minutes.
  6. Add coconut milk and water, mix well and let cook for 15 minutes.
  7. (Optional) Add extra curry crab meat to thicken sauce.
  8. Taste for salt and black pepper.
  9. Add dumplings, reduce heat slightly and let cook for 15 minutes.

TRINI SALTFISH ACCRAS

INGREDIENTS & METHOD

Yield: 18-20 Accras

INGREDIENTS

  • 12 oz Salted Cod (Boiled and Flaked)
  • 1½ Cups Flour
  • 3 Tsp Baking Powder
  • ¾ Tsp Black Pepper
  • ½ Tsp Geera (Cumin) Powder
  • ½ Tsp Chilli Powder
  • 2 Tsp Minced Onion
  • 2 Tsp Minced Garlic
  • 2 Tbsp Minced Chives
  • 2 Tbsp Minced Chadon Beni/Culantro
  • 1 Tbsp Minced Celery
  • About 1 Cup Water
  • 3 Cups Vegetable Oil for Frying

METHOD

  1. Place prepared salted cod into a mixing bowl and add all the aromatics and spices.
  2. Mix dry ingredients with a whisk and then slowly add in the water and mix together until you get a semi thick batter, similar to a thick pancake mixture. You may or may or may not need to add a little more water.
  3. Let batter sit for about ten minutes to allow the flavors to mingle and for baking powder to activate further.
  4. Meanwhile heat the oil in a high-sided frying pan to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  5. With a tablespoon, scoop up batter and allow to gently fall into the hot oil to fry but don’t crowd the pan with too many Accras as this will reduce the heat of the oil and would not yield a crispy Accra.
  6. They should take approximately 45 seconds to a minute on each side, as they become buoyant and start to float they are ready to be removed and placed on some paper napkins to absorb excess oil.
  7. Serve with Tamarind Sauce as the preferred dip of choice.