mango chow trinidad |

pineapple black bean salad

It’s Saturday night, I hear music blaring in the distance and I’m up, trying my best to post this recipe before Sunday hits. I’m trying to do this so that it can become a part of your Sunday lunch/bunch/dinner. It should be. It’s as delicious as it is vibrant- what its colors will do to your eyes its flavors will do to your taste buds. You simply MUST try this one.

Pineapples are a part of my life. They are staples here in our house. I picked up two along the roadside (translation: I purchased them from a roadside vendor-many of whom are scattered along the way to Mayaro) when driving down to Mayaro a few days ago and decided to incorporate it into this lovely salad that I learned to make while I was away at school.

Down here in Trinidad we have something called ‘chow‘. Traditionally made using mangoes- the best are greener or at least half-ripe (I actually love sweet, ripe mango chow the best, but most will disagree). Chow is made using the ubiquitous chadon beni (bandania) herb, garlic, salt, pepper, vinegar/lime and a tip of sugar. It’s sort of a pickled fruit salad? I’m not sure of what’s the best way to describe it, but I’m going to venture out on a limb here and say that Trinidad owns chow! Ask any Trini about chow and they will begin their description with a nostalgic glean and a mouth ‘full of water’. It’s ours.

Pineapple chow has grown in popularity since some genius on the heights of the North coast road en route to Maracas decided to make it. Since then many have perfected the art of making pineapple chow. I was lucky enough to have a bit left over and decided to incorporate it in my black bean salad. I would have to say the decision was a good one! I will definitely be doing a post on pineapple chow in the very near future.

This served as dinner for me last night and part of lunch today. I threw in some raw beets because I just love beets. This salad is filling as a main but works really well as a side too. Of course, since I’m doing the 4 week salad challenge I can’t say I’ve used it as a side…it’s my only focus. I ate this with grilled chicken breast for dinner and for lunch the next day I had it with a piece of steak. I’d say the 4 week challenge is in full swing and it’s really causing me to come up with great new salads 🙂