Top Trinidad and Tobago Homemade Snacks To Try

Welcome to the culinary paradise of Trinidad and Tobago, where every bite tells a story of rich traditions and vibrant flavors. Today, we delve into the heart of local homemade snacks, a testament to most Trinbagonians’ childhood, and a treasure trove of delights that capture the essence of our unique culture. From the sweet notes of Cassava Pone to the sandlike wonder of Chilibibi, join us on a journey through Trinidad and Tobago’s top homemade snacks. Here are the Top Trinidad and Tobago Homemade Snack To Try.

1. Cassava Pone:

• 4 cups cassava, grated
• 1 cup coconut, grated
• 1/2 cup mashed pumpkin
• 1 1/4 cups white granulated sugar (add an extra 1/4 cup if you prefer it sweeter)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 6-8 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk

• Bring both cassava and coconut to room temperature (ensure they are completely defrosted).
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease your baking pan and set it aside.
• Blend or mix together coconut milk and grated coconut; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine all ingredients in the order listed above and mix well.
• Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan and place it on the center rack of the oven. Bake uncovered for one hour at 325 degrees, followed by another 45 minutes of baking at 350 degrees.
• The finished product should be firm and not wobbly. If the top is not brown enough for your liking, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees.
• Enjoy!

• You can use fresh cassava and fresh coconut in this recipe with excellent results.
• Baking times may vary; my pone took 2 hours, but individual ovens heat differently, so adjust accordingly.
• Feel free to use less coconut milk or substitute with evaporated milk and regular butter or margarine if you prefer not to use vegan butter.

2. Kurma:

Ingredients:

• 500g All-Purpose Flour
• 115g Cake Margarine
• 425g Granulated Sugar
• 75g Condensed Milk
• 250g Chilled Water
• 5g Cinnamon
• 5g Ginger
• 120g Oil (for frying)

Instructions: Dough Strips

• In a bowl, combine margarine and cinnamon with flour, working until crumbly.
• Add condensed milk and slowly incorporate water while mixing, stopping when the dough reaches a stiff consistency.
• Roll out the dough to a thickness of 10 mm and cut it into strips measuring 12 mm wide by 60 mm long.
• In a deep-fryer or skillet heated to 350°F, deep-fry the strips until they are crisp and golden brown.

• In a large pot, combine sugar, ginger, and 115g of water. Stir using a wooden spoon and bring to a boil until the mixture thickens, forming threads as the spoon is lifted.
• Pour the syrup over the fried dough strips (kurma), turning them continuously until they are fully coated and the syrup crystallizes.
• Enjoy your delicious homemade kurma, a delightful treat with the perfect blend of sweetness and spice!

3. Tamarind Balls Recipe

• Tamarind pulp with seeds (Tamarind pods or pre-shelled tamarind pulp)
• White sugar
• Caribbean green seasoning (with chadon beni, garlic, chives, and pepper)
• Salt
• Warm water

• Crack open the brittle tamarind pods and extract the pulp. Pull apart the segments to separate the individual seeds. Remove the string along both sides of the pulp. Discard the shells.
• Add salt and Caribbean green seasoning to the tamarind pulp. Infuse the flavors into the tamarind flesh as you soften the pulp. If using pepper in the seasoning, consider using gloves for this step.
• Pour warm water over the tamarind seeds and mix. Squeeze the seeds with clean hands (or gloves) for about 5 minutes, allowing the pulp to absorb moisture and soften. Continue working on the flesh until it reaches a soft consistency.
• When there is little to no pulp on the tamarind seeds, add half of the sugar and work it into the softened tamarind. The sugar will dissolve, turning brown. Add the remaining sugar as the first batch dissolves completely.
• Work the sugar into the mixture and start squeezing to form 1.5 to 2-inch balls. Ensure each ball contains a few seeds. Roll them between your palms to achieve a rounded shape.
• Once satisfied with the shape, roll the balls in the remaining sugar to give them a white, sugar coating.
• Place the tamarind balls on a plate or tray to dry. As they dry, they will harden. You can speed up the drying process by placing them in the fridge. Serve when completely hard and able to maintain their rounded shape.

4. Red Mango

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Water
• 4 cups Brown Sugar
• 1 Stick Cinnamon
• Scotch Bonnet Pepper (to taste)
• 2 tbsp Red Food Coloring
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 6 Green Mangoes

• In a pot over medium heat, combine water and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Add the cinnamon stick, Scotch Bonnet Pepper (adjust to taste), red food coloring, and salt. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
• Add the green mangoes to the pot, ensuring each piece is well coated with the mixture.
• Bring the mixture to a boil and let it cook for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to ensure even cooking.
• Once cooked, remove the pot from the heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.
• Once cooled, transfer the red mango to an airtight container for storage.

5. Toolum Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 4 1⁄2 cups brown sugar
• 6 cups grated coconut
• 1 cup molasses
• 6 inches dried orange peel, broken into bits
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated gingerroot
• Butter (for greasing tray)

• Prepare the Pot:
  • Cook brown sugar in a heavy aluminum or iron pot over medium heat.
  • Stir continuously until the sugar liquefies.
• Incorporate Coconut:
  • Mix the shredded coconut into the melted sugar.
  • Stir until the coconut is well blended with the sugar.
• Infuse Flavors:
  • Stir occasionally until the mixture turns liquid and takes on a reddish hue.
  • Add molasses, dried orange peel, and freshly grated ginger.
  • Stir to blend the flavors.
• Monitor Consistency:
  • Keep stirring as the mixture rises and falls.
  • When it starts leaving the sides of the pot, stir briskly to achieve a consistent texture.
• Shape and Cool:
  • Remove the pot from heat.
  • Drop the mixture by the tablespoon onto a lightly greased tray or dish.
  • Quickly shape into balls, approximately the size of table tennis balls.
• Final Steps:
  • Allow the toolum to cool and firm up on the tray.
  • Once firm, remove the shaped toolum from the tray and store them in airtight containers.

6. Coconut Ginger Fudge Recipe:

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 ½ teaspoons coconut extract (Optional)
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters (Optional)

• Prepare Baking Dish:
  • Line a baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Create Fudge Mixture:
  • In a pot, combine white sugar, sweetened condensed milk, coconut cream, and butter.
  • Bring the mixture to a simmer, maintaining the temperature until it reaches 225 degrees F (110 degrees C), approximately 30 minutes.
• Infuse Flavors:
  • Stir in coconut extract, ginger, vanilla extract, and Angostura bitters (if using) into the milk mixture.
  • Continue simmering until the temperature reaches 236 degrees F (113 degrees C), about 10 minutes.
• Let Stand:
  • Remove the pot from heat and let the fudge stand for 2 minutes.
• Set in Baking Dish:
  • Pour the fudge mixture into the prepared baking dish.
• Refrigerate:
  • Refrigerate the fudge until set, approximately 2 hours.

7. ChilliBibi Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups corn kernels (Mature corn)
• ¾ cup brown sugar

• Prepare Corn Kernels:
  • Separate the corn kernels from the husk by sliding a teaspoon between a row of kernels, moving the teaspoon backward to force the kernels off the husk.
  • Use your fingers or the teaspoon to pry the kernels loose a row at a time.
  • Check for any loose corn silk strings and discard them.
• Browning the Corn:
  • Place the kernels in a heavy-bottomed pan on low heat.
  • Stir every few minutes to brown evenly and prevent burning for about 40 minutes. This process, known as ‘patching,’ will give off an intoxicating popcorn smell, but the kernels will not pop.
  • Once all the kernels have turned brown, pour them into a bowl and let them cool.
• Grinding the Corn:
  • Grind the browned corn in batches as fine as possible using a food mill or food processor.
  • Sift the ground corn to achieve a smoother texture. Any remaining coarse bits can be put through the mill again and re-sifted.
• Sweetening the Chillibibi:
  • Add brown sugar to the ground corn according to your taste preference. This mixture is what Trinidadians call “chillibibi.”
• Serving Chillibibi:
  • Chillibibi can be served in brown paper conical packets for an authentic Trinidadian experience.

8. Coconut Sugar Cakes Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4 cups fine shredded unsweetened coconut (with brown husk removed)
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• Food coloring (optional)

• Prepare Syrup:
  • In a pot, boil granulated sugar and water to form a light syrup.
  • When bubbles the size of small pearls appear in the syrup, proceed to the next step.
• Add Coconut Mixture:
  • Add the grated coconut and cream of tartar to the syrup.
  • Cook until the coconut mixture easily leaves the side of the pan. Ensure no syrup is running out during this stage.
• Remove from Heat and Beat:
  • Once the desired consistency is reached, remove the mixture from the heat.
  • Beat the mixture with a spoon for 3-5 minutes. This step contributes to the smooth texture of the sugar cakes.
• Add Flavor and Color:
  • Stir in the almond extract for a delightful flavor.
  • If desired, add food coloring of your choice to enhance the visual appeal.
• Shape the Sugar Cakes:
  • Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a greased tray for free-form sugar cakes.
  • Alternatively, pour the mixture into a greased Pyrex dish to cool. Once cooled, cut into squares.
• Cool and Serve:
  • Allow the sugar cakes to cool and set before serving.

9. Benne Ball:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sesame seeds
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

• Toast sesame seeds, then mix with sugar, butter, and vanilla essence.
• Shape the mixture into balls.
• Benne Balls are a crunchy delight, highlighting the use of sesame seeds in our culinary repertoire.