Crab and Callaloo

Crab and callaloo is the national dish of Trinidad and Tobago, where it is traditionally enjoyed for Sunday lunch. The dish is made by simmering pieces of crab in callaloo, a creamy mixture of dasheen leaves (taro or eddo leaves), onions, green onions, okra pods, pimento peppers, scotch bonnet peppers, butter, thyme, and fresh coconut milk.

Blue crab is the most common choice for this specialty, and apart from the crustacean’s meat, the dish also commonly contains pieces of salted meat. Rice, dumplings, and macaroni pie are typical accompaniments to the dish, although it can also be eaten on its own.

In Trinidad and Tobago, this specialty is commonly thought of as a side dish, and its consistency can range from thick and stew-like to thin and soupy.