Yesterday we had some cooking therapy as I mentioned I would do before. I was in the mood for a Trini pelau and though I did not do a true ball by ball coverage, while the pot was bubbling, I took a few shots. Yaaay. And the soca was pumpin' via Red 96.7FM as well. Streaming is my salvation.
I will not do a recipe type thing. Shall I remind you of my ineptitude with creating recipes? Again, here is a link to a recipe. I did not even look at this recipe but I trust Trinigourmet makes it the same way I do.
Okay, so the key, in my opinion to a good pelau is the seasoning of the chicken and the stewing of said chicken. Once that is done well, you're about 75% on your way to a good pelau. Stewing involves heating a little bit of oil...I use about a teaspoon or so, and adding brown sugar and allowing it to caramelise in the oil until it starts to turn dark. Do not let the sugar burn or else, it's all over. Do not add your chicken too early either or you will have a sweet meal. There is a precision to this browning of the sugar thing. Here is the pot, with the browning chicken, and the green peas added. This is the foundation of a good 'lau.
My chicken and peas after I added my long grain rice, veggies and seasonings - onions, garlic, green peppers, carrots, pumpkin. I love pumpkin and my cousin does not put pumpkin in the travesty he calls pelau -I can never eat that, for a host of reasons.
I love my Afro-Caribbean store, run by Pakistanis, because I saw coconut water - yes, that is what it was called - in Sainsbury's and left that right there. Coconut water to Caribbean people is the clear stuff you drink from green and yellow coconuts. Coconut milk is the creamy liquid you get from pressing the dried copra of the dry coconut. I was not sure what this crap in the tin was but I left it there. So when I saw Maggi powdered coconut milk powder in my shop, I did not even hesitate.
Add some warm water to that bad boy...I don't like my milk too creamy or rich so I only add about 2 tbps.
You can make it as thick and creamy as you like.
Add that milk to my pot. It is all a bunch of stuff thrown together in a pot that does not look so appealling at first. You let it simmer and steam until the rice is cooked - not too soft and sappy. Get it nice and grainy.
The soy sauce - to add some colour after the milk addition.
The finale - add a coleslaw and a fork, and you're all set.
I make a really good pelau. I think. I make it with a lot of love. I mean the first time I cooked a pelau at home, when my dad and I were left to our own devices as my mum was off shopping in the US, he could not believe it. And to think, during my first university experience, in my first semester, I could barely boil water. Oh how times have changed. Hmmm...just missing a mauby.
