These simple, no-fail Caribbean dishes are perfect for beginners or anyone looking for quick, approachable meals with bold island flavor. Start with the basics and build your confidence, one recipe at a time.
We’re currently updating all of the categories and archived recipes! Can’t find a dish? Please use the search bar; it’s all there.
About 12 years ago, I mentioned (on Facebook and Instagram) how my friend Karen Nicole Smith shared a simple but smart tip for reviving basic fried chicken, especially leftovers. Since then, this Jamaican escovitch sauce has rescued many plates of fried chicken in my kitchen. If you’ve ever had fried chicken sitting in the fridge…
Let’s stray just a little from the typical hot cocoa tea we enjoy throughout the Caribbean and give it a festive twist with the addition of sorrel. Cocoa tea has always been a staple in our kitchens, especially for breakfast, and growing up in Guaracara, Trinidad, it was something we looked forward to on cooler…
Guava Sorrel Concentrate is a flavorful Caribbean drink base that brings together the tart, floral notes of dried sorrel with the tropical sweetness of ripe guava. While sorrel is a must-have drink during the Christmas holidays in the Caribbean, this Guava Sorrel Concentrate can be enjoyed throughout the year. I especially enjoy using it during…
If you grew up in a Caribbean household, you already know the magic that happens in the kitchen the day after a big cook. Leftovers weren’t just reheated — they were transformed. Mommy had a way of taking bits of stewed chicken, beef, or pork and turning them into dishes that tasted even better the…
Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, Traditional Caribbean Pommecythere Jam was one of those treats that felt extra special. While sour cherry jam had its own place in my heart, pommecythere was the one I waited for. The fruit never ripens all at once, so my mother had to collect the ripe ones over several…
If you’ve followed my recipes here, on Instagram, or on TikTok, you’ll know I often get comments asking why a “Chinese” recipe is coming from a Caribbean food creator. But if you understand the history of the Caribbean—colonization, slavery, and indentureship—it all makes sense. Our food culture is a living record of those influences. Growing…
Steamed Ground Provisions Steaming ground provisions instead of boiling them brings out a richer, more natural flavor while keeping their texture firm and nutrient-packed. This simple cooking method utilizes natural steam to gently cook staples like yams, cassava, eddoes, dasheen or taro, green cooking bananas (say figs), or plantains—no salt water is needed, and no…
If you’ve ever tasted breadfruit, you know it’s one of the Caribbean’s most versatile and satisfying foods. With a texture similar to potato and a flavor that deepens beautifully when cooked, breadfruit can be roasted, fried, boiled, or baked — but this version combines the best of both worlds. This recipe for roasting, then frying…
A TrinBago-Inspired Chinese Takeout Classic Recreated at Home This Quick Shrimp & Bok Choy Stir Fry takes me right back to a trip I made to Trinidad and Tobago with my sister. She treated me to takeout from a popular Chinese restaurant in Penal, a small town in southern Trinidad, and the flavors left a…
Every summer when my garden is overflowing with fresh produce, I find myself creating quick, healthy, and satisfying dishes that highlight the season’s best flavors. One of my favorites is this vegan fried rice with Jamaican callaloo (aka chorai bhagi or spinach) and garden vegetables. Fried rice has long been a staple in many Caribbean…
A Refreshing Vegetarian Twist on a Caribbean Classic Souse is one of those dishes you’ll find across the Caribbean, each island putting its unique spin on it. Traditionally, souse is made with meats like pig feet, chicken feet, or even seafood like octopus, served cold in a flavorful, tangy broth. It’s a dish often tied…
When string beans are in season, there’s nothing more satisfying than a pot of Curry String Beans with Potato simmering away in the kitchen. This is a simple yet intensely flavorful Caribbean curry that’s perfect for vegan, vegetarian, or Ital diets, though meat lovers enjoy it just as much. Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago,…
