Pelau Recipes

TRINIDAD PELAU

Steps:

• Cook sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until it begins to caramelize. Stir in the beef, and cook until well browned. Bring the water, coconut milk, rice, pigeon peas, and carrot to a simmer; cover and cook until rice is done, about 25 minutes. Stir in parsley to garnish.

PELAU

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt, pepper, green seasoning, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and ketchup.
• Heat oil in a large heavy iron pot or skillet.
• Add sugar and allow to burn until brown.
• Add seasoned chicken and stir until pieces are well coated with burnt sugar; brown for 3-5 minutes. *Add more water if needed.
• Add rice and turn often until well mixed. Cook for 3 minutes more.
• Add onion, sweet peppers, carrots and pumpkin and cook for a few minutes, stirring a few times.
• Add peas, salt, hot pepper, coconut milk and broth. Bring to the boil, lower heat, cover and simmer until rice is cooked and all liquid is evaporated (about 25-30 minutes).
• Add more liquid if rice is still hard and continue to cook for few more minutes.
• Note: Pelau could also be baked in an oven. Cover pot with tin foil and bake at 350F degrees for 30-35 minutes.

PELAU

Steps:

• Prepare Green seasoning marinade:.
• Put all the seasoning ingredients into your blender or food processor and process dry or with a minimum amount of water. Store in the fridge, in a glass jar, for up 2-3 days or longer if you add water and some vinegar Sorry I can't offer definite measurements. I usually just eyeball this.
• Trinidadians use this all purpose mix to season just about any kind of meat. It keeps well in the fridge and we will generally make a fresh batch of this once a week.
• Season chicken with Angustora bitters, 5 tablespoons of green seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1/2 hour or longer if you have the time.
• Heat oil and golden ray in a heavy pot, add sugar and garlic and let caramelize. Stir once or twice so that the garlic doesn't burn.
• The sugar will go from the colour of peanut butter to a bubbling, dark, reddish brown. When the outer edges start to turn an even darker brown , add all the chicken to the pot.
• Do not stir. Let the water generated by the addtion of the chicken dry out some and give chicken a chance to caramelize. Turn chicken and let rest again for the other side to caramelize. Reapeat this process, turning chicken occasionally so that it browns on all sides. If the sauce at this point looks a little bit gooey you are on the right track. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water during this process if it seems that the sauce is drying out too quickly but keep it at this thickened stage until the chicken is brown. If your sauce is too thin and watery the chicken will not caramelize.
• TIP: It takes a while for the sugar to get to the dark colour you are looking for. Do not walk away while browning the sugar. Once brown you'd be surprised how quickly it goes to black leaving you with a bitter charred mess that dries hard and ruins your pot and your spoon:=)No this never happened to me before LOL.
• Don't rush this stage. Let the liquid dry out, turning chicken occasionally so that it browns on all sides. If water is added too soon the brown colour will wash right off. The chicken will be too pale.
• When chicken is nice and brown about 10 mins, add rice and turn often until well mixed. Add, sweet peppers, peas, coconut milk and broth or Maggi cube and water. Taste at this point and add more salt if needed.
• Bring to a boil. Cover pot. Lower heat and simmer until rice is cooked and all the water is evaporated. (25-30mins).
• Add more water if rice is still hard and cook for a few more minutes.

CHICKEN PELAU

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together the vinegar and 1 tablespoon of salt. Add chicken and soak for 20 minutes. Rinse chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Discard vinegar, and set chicken aside.
• Heat the oil in a deep saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the onion and garlic; cook and stir until browned. Add the chicken pieces, and fry until browned all over, stirring constantly. Pour in the rice, and season with thyme and curry powder. Stir in the water.
• Cover, and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, or until rice is tender and has absorbed all of the liquid.

CHICKEN PELAU

Steps:

• If using dried peas, soak them overnight in 3 cups of water. Drain. Bring 3 fresh cups of water to a boil in a saucepan and add the peas. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until cooked almost completely through. Drain and set aside. If using canned beans, drain, rinse with cold water, drain again, and set aside. Wash the rice by placing it in a colander or fine-mesh sieve and running cold water over it until the water runs clear, about 1 minute. Drain well and set aside.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or other heavy, deep pot. Add the sugar and swirl in the pot, stirring constantly; allow it to caramelize to a dark brown color. Add the chicken and stir well to coat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Stir in 2 cups of water, the coconut milk, bay leaf, Green Seasoning, parsley, thyme, carrots, and scallions. Season with salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir the rice, squash, peas, hot pepper, ketchup, and butter into the chicken. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until the peas and vegetables are tender. Remove lid and fluff the rice. The rice should be moist but not sticky. Remove bay leaf, thyme sprig, and hot pepper.
• Note: Pigeon peas are traditional in this dish, but pinto beans or black-eyes peas also work well because, like pigeon peas, they hold their shape well after cooking. Brown sugar is preferable for deeper flavor and color. Chicken is the most common meat in pelau, but cuts of stew beef or lamb work just as well. If using meat, up the cooking time before adding the rice to 40 minutes to allow the meat to get tender. In Tobago, pelau is often made with crab. West Indian pumpkin (also called calabaza) is ideal for this recipe, although the pie or "cheese" pumpkin common in the U.S., if in season, makes a very good substitute. Butternut squash will also work, although it will be slightly less sweet.