Beachside bites

Experience Trinidad’s melting pot of cultures through its rich culinary scene. Dine at the island’s street-side stands, beachfront vendors and bustling food courts. Words: SJ Armstrong

KACHOURIE

Trinidad’s evenings glow during Diwali, draped in lights and peppered with flickering candles. The island is home to a sizable Hindu population, and some of its best street-food snacks are found during this festival season. One of these is kachourie, a ball of dough flattened and fried. The flavourful pocket comprises flour, chickpeas, split peas and chilli powder, bundled and topped with a tamarind chutney. Try it at one of the many stalls set up during the festival of lights, in late November.

BENNE BALLS

Consisting of packed sugar, syrupy molasses or fresh honey, and crunchy benne (a West African term for sesame seeds), these sweet treats are available all over the

Caribbean. Sesame was a popular ingredient among enslaved Africans in Trinidad, whose culinary techniques and flavour combinations evolved to create island staples. Pick up a couple of Benne Balls in a Port of Spain sweet shop to fuel a day of island exploration — but be cautious, they’re regularly compared to gobstoppers.

DOUBLES

A perfect pocket-sized snack or savoury breakfast, doubles are creamy, curried chickpeas sandwiched between two bara (fried flatbread). Typically served up streetside with a tamarind sauce and an array of chutneys, this Indian-influenced dish packs a flavourful punch. Head to the open-air food court in Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, to sample the local favourite.

Above: Maracas Beach on the north side of the island is a hot spot for food stalls