Trinidad Seafood Pelau with Coconut and Pigeon Peas
Shellfish‑infused Caribbean pelau with shrimp, lobster, cod, mussels, clams, pigeon peas, pumpkin, and coconut milk; one‑pot comfort with island flair.
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp large, peeled, deveined
- 1 lb cod cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 lb mussels cleaned
- 1 lb clams cleaned
- 1 lb lobster tail shells saved, meat chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter optional, for shell stock
- 2 scallions chopped
- 2 tablespoons Caribbean green seasoning divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper divided
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin diced
- 4-6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large carrot diced
- 1 can pigeon peas rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon salt or to taste
- 2 cups par-boiled brown rice long-grain
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger grated
- 3–5 bird’s eye peppers whole or halved
- 4–7 cups water or shell stock
- 3-4 tablespoons parsley chopped
Instructions
- Clean seafood: rinse shrimp with lime water, chop lobster meat and reserve shells; set aside.
- For shell stock, simmer lobster shells, shrimp shells, thyme, scallions, half the pepper, and butter in 3 cups water until reduced by 2/3. Strain and reserve stock.
- In the main pot, heat olive oil and brown sugar over high heat, stirring until amber.
- Add pigeon peas, pumpkin, and carrot.
- Lower heat to medium and add garlic, scallions, bird’s eye pepper, ginger, coconut milk, and simmer for 1 minute.
- Stir in brown rice, green seasoning, salt, remaining pepper, and 2½ cups hot water. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes.
- Add reserved shell stock, cover, and cook 7 minutes.
- Add mussels and clams, pressing into liquid. Simmer 3 minutes.
- Gently stir in chopped lobster and shrimp, remove from heat, cover, and let rest for 4 minutes.
- Uncover, taste and adjust salt, sprinkle parsley, and squeeze lemon before serving.
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