Chow anyone?

Trinidad chow is a simple, refreshing combination of fresh fruits, garlic and chadon-beni (cilantro). Consider it a "spiced up" fruit salad. The desire for chow is linked to our obsession with hot peppers and fresh herbs, which are the flavours that distinguish Caribbean cuisine. Aside from eating the whole fresh fruits, this is probably the healthiest snack we eat. With the right combination, chow satisfies our taste for sweet, sour, salty and spicy all at the same time. 

It is quite normal to assume that people of a warm tropical climate would consume more cold products....but instead we gravitate toward eating spicy foods and snacks. This is actually a natural response to the environment. The capsaicin from the peppers makes us sweat which cools the body down; nature’s air conditioner! If you don’t have an affinity for all things spicy, don't be discouraged. The heat can be adjusted to your preference or eliminated entirely. If you do this, please refer to it as merely a “seasoned fruit salad”.

Plum chow

Another reason this dish is so popular in Trinidad could be the availability and abundance of fruit on the island. For many, the ingredients are a few steps away in their yard or the neighbour’s!

Pineapple chow

Pommecythere chow

The 3 main ingredients are unripe mango, culantro and garlic.  To it, you add other seasonings to taste– pepper sauce, lime juice, salt and pepper.  Chow can be prepared with half ripe mangoes, oranges, tangerines (called portugals in Trinidad), pineapples, cucumbers, tomatoes, pommecythere (also called golden apples), chennet, pommerac, green "Trini" plums, tart green apples, unripe peaches and coconut jelly. Use whichever fruits are available and create your own exciting combination.

On the way to Maracase Bay Chow Vendors