I'm not sure if eating black eyed peas and rice on Old Years (New Years Eve) makes you lucky, but for as long as I could remember we have been having this meal on this day; if any other day for the whole year. The origin also seems lost in time, but I believe that it may have come from the African slaves. I noticed that it is also a tradition in the United States because they prepare a dish called "Hoppin' John" in a similar way. Maybe someone from America could verify it for me. I don't know where else this is done, but I will be glad to know if there are other countries that celebrate the New Year by preparing this dish. Anyway, to ring in the New Year try our trini style black eyed peas and rice recipe.

BLACK EYED PEAS AND RICE

2 cups water

2 tbsp cooking oil (coconut oil preferably)

1 tsp salt

1 small onion

2 cloves garlic

1 small pimento

1 small red pepper (optional)

1 sprig parsley, chopped

1 sprig thyme, chopped

1 cup rice, cooked

Add the black eyed peas to the chicken.

That's it! Simple and wholesome. Ah gone!

Who does not like wantons? Well I do and I especially like it with shrimp, chicken, egg or what have you; fried of course and maybe sometimes in a soup.; if I'm in the mood. This is a staple in any Chinese restaurant you may visit in Trinidad and Tobago. When you go to order you will , most of the time, hear someone asking for their regular order ...and a dozen fried wantons. I really love that crunch you get when you bite into a freshly fried wanton, dipped in soy sauce, ketchup (we Trinis love a ketchup in our food) or a homemade dip. Are you tasting it already?? Well I am salivating as I write this.

Since this is my first Chinese dish I have to give you all a little background on the Chinese/ Asian influence in our country. The Chinese came to Trinidad and Tobago as indentured labourers about two hundred or so years ago. When indentureship ended, most of them started businesses such as shops, restaurants, laundromats, groceries etc. I believe the most popular of the Chinese businesses now is the Chinese restaurant. They can be found at any street plying their trade, ranging from small and simple to large, luxurious and expensive.... This brings back images of the two vans that used to be on Henry Street in Port of Spain, up by Rosary Church; one blue and the other red and white, that used to sell around lunch time; tasted great!......I think the main reason chinese restaurants has been widely accepted in the country is the price of the food. Most times you will find that the meals are cheaper than the other types of restaurants. I prefer to buy a chinese style lunch for about $18.00 TT than to shell out $30. for K.F.C.

Here I am going off on a tangent again! ..... Anyhow, for a lime my sister had, during the Christmas season, we decided to make a few homemade shrimp wantons. She actually worked at a chinese restaurant for some time and learnt how to make them, so you all are getting first hand experience to make this delicious appetizer. Of course, you would also notice that this dish has been trini-erized with all the local herbs that we use in our cooking e.g. chadon beni. So get out your ingredients and Chinee chopper (cleaver) and get ready to make trini shrimp wantons. Enjoy!

To make the dipping sauce mix all ingredients together







Wash shrimp in 3/4 of lemon juice and a little water. Drain and squeeze water out.




Chop shrimp in electric mixer into a semi paste consistency.



Pour other 1/4 of lemon juice into shrimp paste. Mix together.






Chop all seasonings, garlic onion, pimento, bandhania in chopper until fine. Add to shrimp.



Grate ginger very fine. Add to shrimp. Put soya sauce, bouillon cube, pepper sauce and black pepper. Add salt to taste. Mix all ingredients with a spoon.







Fold into a triangle.












Fry in hot oil until light brown.

Well, actually, it's not my birthday, but the blog's birthday. Yes folks, it has been a wonderful year of blogging; full of excitement, adventure, and most importantly, Trini recipes. On this journey I have already met food bloggers like myself who share that passion for food. So, I would like the thank God, first of all for the inspiration, My family and friends, Foodbuzz, Mireille, Chennette, Cynthia, Bigbear6208, Lilandra, Girlblue, Ivy, Neisha (who made the most requests), Janine Mendes-Franco from global voices online, Cublogz, all my twitter followers, people who follow me on stumble upon, and all visitors and supporters who have helped me through this first year and left their comments and emails giving me words of encouragement (I hope I did not leave anyone out).

So, what am I up to today? I am relaxing, enjoying some ponche de crème and having a nice Sunday lunch. Of course the Christmas season isn't over and there are more people for me to visit. In other words: Ah goin' an lime this evening. Ah gone :^)

I decided to post some Trinidad Parang for you all to enjoy on this wonderful Christmas day. In an upcoming post I'll tell you a little more about Parang music In Trinidad and Tobago and its rich Hispanic heritage . By the way, don't let this good parang music go to waste; there are some Trinis that are dying to hear these songs, especially the older ones, so play at least one song and dance to it, or better yet listen to the whole playlist while you have lunch today. These songs were handpicked with you all in mind. Merry Christmas. :^)