Trinidad Pelau with Chicken and Pigeon Peas
Trinidadian Pelau, commonly called Trini Pelau, is a traditional Trinidadian dish. It is a must-have when pigeon peas are in season from December to February. This dish is made with chicken, fresh pigeon peas, vegetables, herbs, and coconut milk. You can also make it with canned pigeon peas. However, many Trinidadian cooks will declare that nothing beats a Pelau made from fresh pigeon peas. The entire dish is flavored and colored with burnt sugar. Burnt Sugar is made by caramelizing sugar to produce a rich brown-colored syrup without overcooking. It is similar to burning sugar when making caramel.
Pelau is a one-pot dish. It is usually made on weekends and family gatherings (The Caribbean word for gatherings or get-together is a “lime”). Once you taste Pelau, you will love it. It’s already the end of January and I cannot let the pigeon peas seasoning pass without my Pelau. Here I am going to share with you step-by step instructions for making a delicious Trini Pelau.
How to make Trini Pelau?
Step 1
In a large bowl, place chicken, wash thoroughly, and drain. Sprinkle salt over the chicken, squeeze lime juice over the chicken and mix to ensure all the pieces are evenly coated. Add green seasoning, minced garlic, minced ginger, culantro if using and pepper (to taste). Cover and allow the chicken to marinate for about 2 hours. If you wish, you can season your chicken from the day before and leave it to marinate in the refrigerator overnight if you have the time. The longer you leave it to marinate, the tastier it is.
The ingredients to make your green seasoning and instructions are in the recipe. This is how your blended Green Seasoning should look when it is finished.
If you are using fresh pigeon peas, once the shells are removed, wash with tap water, then wash with boiled water at least twice. Drain thoroughly and store in a zipped locked bag in the freezer if not using right away. Once ready to use, thaw out and boil with salt to taste and 2-3 tbsp of green seasoning until cooked.
Step 2
While the chicken is marinating, gather all your ingredients and prepare for the Pelau. Make sure to check the ingredients list for optional ingredients if you wish to use them.
Step 3
Place large pot on medium-high heat. Pour oil into the pot. Let the oil heat until it becomes hot, but not smoking. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the heated oil in an even layer. Use 4 tbsp of sugar, if the sugar is a light brown. Allow the sugar to melt until it starts to foam and bubble.
Step 4
Add the seasoned chicken and stir in quickly to coat the chicken pieces with the burnt sugar evenly. Cover and leave the chicken to cook for about 8-10 minutes. As the water from the marinated chicken starts to dry down or evaporate while cooking, the chicken will become browner.
Step 5
Add the rice to the pot, combine with the chicken, allow it to cook for 3 minutes.
Step 6
Add the cooked pigeon peas and combine. Pour Worcestershire sauce and Soy Sauce stir in thoroughly, allow it to cook for another 3 minutes.
Step 7
Add carrots, yellow onions and green sweet peppers or bell peppers, stir in and allow to cook for about 2 minutes.
Step 8
Pour in coconut milk and stock from cooked pigeon peas or water if you don’t have the stock. Season with remaining 1 tsp salt and/or 1 tsp Maggi seasoning (if using) and ketchup and stir in thoroughly.
Step 9
Toss in whole Scotch Bonnet Pepper. Cover and allow the pot to come to a boil on high heat for about 3 minutes. Remove the lid partially and allow it to boil until the liquid boils down to the surface of the dish about 7 to 8 minutes. When the liquid has boiled down to the surface, cover the pot entirely, reduce heat to low, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Step 10
Pour the sesame oil if using all over the dish and use your pot spoon to stir in thoroughly. Sprinkle the green onions or scallion, pimento pepper and remaining 1 tbsp culantro (if using) on top and fold into the Pelau. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper if necessary.
Step 11
Turn off the heat. Serve at room temperature.
Trinidad Pelau with Chicken and Pigeon Peas
Equipment
- Iron Pot or Cast Iron Pot
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
Ingredients for Trini Pigeon Peas Pelau
- 3 pounds Chicken thighs and/or drumsticks, cut up into small pieces
- 2 cups green pigeon peas fresh (cooked) or 1 can of pigeon peas
- 4-5 tbsp green seasoning see ingredients and instructions below
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger minced
- ½ lime juice
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil optional
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tsp Maggi seasoning optional
- 1 tsp pepper sauce or to taste optional
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or canola oil
- 3-4 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cups long-grain brown rice uncooked
- 3/4 cup yellow onions chopped
- 3/4 cup sweet peppers or bell peppers chopped
- 1/4 cup pimento pepper chopped optional
- 2 tbsp culantro or chadon beni chopped optional
- 1 1/2 cup carrots diced
- 2 cups fresh coconut milk dilute milk with water if you are using canned coconut milk
- 2 cups stock liquid from cooking pigeon peas or water
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions or scallion green parts
Ingredients for Green Seasoning to marinate the chicken
- 1 scallion leave also called green onions or chive large
- 1 celery leave Leaf celery, also called Chinese celery
- 1 yellow onion large
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1 piece ginger large
- 10 Spanish Thyme leaves also called Mexican Mint optional
- 10 Chadon Beni leaves also called Culantro optional
- 1 bundle Thyme fine thyme
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups Water
Ingredients for Cole Slaw
- 14 ounces cabbage and carrots shredded Cole slaw mixed
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice or lime juice
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Instructions for preparing and cooking Trini Pigeon Peas Pelau
- In a large bowl, place chicken, wash thoroughly, and drain. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp salt over the chicken, squeeze lime juice over the chicken and mix to ensure all the pieces are evenly coated. Add green seasoning, mince garlic, minced ginger, 1 tbsp culantro if using and pepper (to taste).
- Mix chicken thoroughly with a large spoon and cover with plastic wrap. Leave to marinate for about 2 hours. If you wish you can season the chicken from the day before and leave it to marinate overnight.
- While the chicken is marinating, gather all your ingredients and prepare for the Pelau.
- Place large pot on medium-high heat. Pour oil into the pot. Let the oil heat until it becomes hot, but not smoking.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar over the heated oil in an even layer. Use 4 tbsp if the sugar is a light brown.
- Allow the sugar to melt until it starts to foam and bubble. As soon as the bubbles' edges start to get slightly darker, add the seasoned chicken and stir in quickly to coat the chicken pieces with the burnt sugar evenly.
- Cover and leave the chicken to cook for about 8-10 minutes. As the water from the marinated chicken starts to dry down while cooking, the chicken will become browner.
- Add the rice to the pot, combine with the chicken and allow it to cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the cooked pigeon peas and combine. Pour Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce stir in thoroughly, allow to cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add carrots, yellow onions, sweet peppers or bell peppers, stir in and allow to cook for about 2 minutes.
- Pour in coconut milk and stock from cooked pigeon peas or water if you don't have the stock. Season with remaining 1 tsp salt and/or 1 tsp Maggi seasoning (if using) and ketchup and stir in thoroughly.
- Toss in whole scotch bonnet pepper. Cover the pot and allow it to come to a boil on high heat for about 3 minutes.
- Remove the lid partially and allow it to boil until the liquid boils down to the surface of the dish about 7 to 8 minutes.
- When the liquid has boiled down to the surface, cover the pot entirely, reduce heat to low, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Pour the sesame oil if using all over the dish and use your pot spoon to stir in thoroughly. Sprinkle the green onion, pimento pepper and remaining 1 tbsp culantro (if using) on top and fold into the Pelau.Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper if necessary.
- Turn off the heat. Serve at room temperature. This dish is usually accompanied with Cole Slaw and/or Fresh Salad.
Instructions for Green Seasoning
This will make a large bottle of Green Season
- Cut up all large leaves herbs in small pieces. Cut the onion into four parts.
- Put half of the ingredients in the blender, then add a cup of water. Blend thoroughly.
- Put the other half of the ingredients in the blender, and add another cup of water, blend thoroughly.
- Pour out seasoning in glass bottles to store in the refrigerator and/or plastic containers to store in the freezer if you wish to keep for a longer time.
Instructions for Cole Slaw
- Add the mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, white vinegar, salt and black pepper to a large bowl. Whisk until fully combined
- Add cabbage and carrots to the whisked mixture and stir until fully combined.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
This looks delicious and I enjoyed all of the details you put into making this dish. Can’t wait to try it and have a “lime” with my family.
Hi Ty, Yes this is a dish that family members like to cook together, everyone could help out and have fun doing it. Enjoy!
Wow this looks amazing, can’t wait to try it!:)
Hi Mikhaela, Glad to hear that you are willing to give it a try. It is very tasty dish.
My mom is Vincentian and makes pelau all of the time. It is nice to see another version of this dish and will definitely try this version!
Hi Sapphire, glad to hear that you have Caribbean roots. You will enjoy this with your family. Have fun!
Wow! This looks and sounds amazing! I love all of your detailed pictures that go with the recipe. It helps me visualize the steps. 🙂
Hi Heidi, Thanks, It’s a dish with lots of steps so i tried to make it easy to follow.