Tamarind

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica)

Also known as: Tamon, or Tambrand

Taste: Tamarind is sweet and sour in taste. The ripened fruit is considered more palatable as it becomes sweeter and less sour (acidic) as it matures.

Food Uses: The hard green pulp of a young fruit is considered by many to be too sour and acidic, but is often used as a component of savory dishes, as a pickling agent and in sauces. It is used in desserts , made into jam and savoury sauces, blended into juices or sweetened drinks, sorbets, ice-creams and all manner of snacks.

Health info:  This fruit is high in acid, sugar, vitamin B and, interestingly for a fruit, calcium. It is also consumed as a natural laxative.

Pommechythere

Pommechythere (Spondias dulcis)

Also known as: June Plum or Golden Apple.

Taste: The flesh is crunchy and a little sour.  Taken at the proper stage, when still firm, it yields a delicious juice for cold beverages.

Food Uses: May be eaten raw, juiced, preserved, curried or made into chow.  Unripened fruit can be made into jelly, pickles and relishes, or used for flavouring sauces, soups and stews.  The leaves can also be eaten raw and the ripe fruit used to make local wine.

Broad Leaf Thyme

Broad Leaf Thyme (Plectranthus amboinicus)

Also known as: Spanish Thyme, French Thyme, Cuban Oregano, Indian Borage, Mexican Thyme or Mexican Mint

Taste: Thyme has a distinctive flavour and emits a strong aroma when handled.

Food Uses: A Caribbean seasoning that is finely chopped and used to flavour meat dishes, especially beef, lamb and wild meat.

Health info: The leaves have many traditional medicinal uses, especially in the treatment of coughs, sore throats and nasal congestion, but are also used for a range of other problems such as infections, rheumatism and flatulence. In Indonesia, it is used in soups in order to stimulate lactation a month or so after childbirth!

Avocado

Avocado (Persea americana)

Also known as: Alligator Pear, Avocado Pear, Zaboca

Taste: The fruit is not sweet but smooth and almost creamy in texture.

Food Uses: Technically avocado is a large berry containing a large seed! Normally served raw, as the flesh of some avocados may be rendered inedible by heat. Its high fat content makes it very popular in vegetarian cuisine as a substitute for meats in sandwiches and salads.  The main component of guacamole dip it is also used in some cultures in desserts such as milkshakes, ice creams or even juice by mixing with water, milk and sugar. 

Health info: In Iran, it is used as a rejuvenating facial cream.  Avacado leaves, fruit and bark can be poisonous to domestic animals such as some birds, cats, dogs and horses.

Pimento

Pimento (Capsicum chinense)

Also known as: Trinidad Seasoning Pepper, Tobago Flavour Pepper

Taste: Pimento is uniquely flavoured and is known for its aromatic smell. It has a heat scale that generally ranges from undetectable to moderate.

Food Uses: As invaluable as salt in Trinidad & Tobago! Used as a seasoning for meats and in many recipes especially Pelau, Callaloo and Pastels. Popular as a garnish, it adds vibrant colour to dishes.

Health info: Pimento is related to the Habanero chili pepper that contains vitamin C, which is used in building collagen for bones, teeth and connective tissues. They also contain vitamin A, which helps maintain healthy eyes, hair and skin and folic acid (Vitamin B9) which plays a role in changing carbohydrates into energy for the body.

Five Fingers

Five Fingers (Averrhoa carambola)

Also Known as: Star Fruit, or Carambola

Taste: Five Finger has a very light fragrant taste ranging from sweet to tart, and a crisp texture.

Food Uses: Ripe carambolas are eaten raw, sliced and served in salads or used as garnish. They can be used to make local wines, cooked in puddings, tarts, stews and curries, and even in local Christmas black cakes! Slightly under-riped fruits are salted, pickled or made into jams or other preservatives.

Health info: The fruit is low in sugar, sodium and acid.  It is also a rich source of antioxidants and Vitamin C.

Sugar Apple

Sugar Apple (Annona squamosa)

Also known as: Sweet Sop

Taste: Sugar-apple has a very distinct, sweet-smelling fragrance. The white to light yellow flesh is sweet and both looks and tastes like custard.

Food Uses: Edible pulp coats the seeds generously and the ripe fruits are consumed fresh or added to ice cream. It can be blended with milk to make a beverage, or mixed with other tropical fruits for fruit salads.

Health info: The Sugar apple fruit is high in calories and is a good source of iron. All parts of the tree are reputed to have medicinal value! The seeds are poisonous and can be used as an insecticide.  The crushed leaves are inhaled to overcome fainting spells and hysteria.  The juice from an unripe fruit can be applied to cure infected bites.

Chenette

Chenette (Melicoccus bijugatus)

Also known as: Mamoncillo or Skinnip

Taste:  Sweet and sour. The outer shell is traditionally cracked by the teeth and the pale orange pulp of the inner fruit is sucked until the seed emerges.

Food Uses: The fruits are sold seasonally and are consumed fresh as a popular snack.  The seeds can be roasted and eaten. Few attempts, have however been made at processing the fruit.

Health info: The ground and roasted seeds are used medicinally as a treatment for diarrhea.

Lime

Lime (Citrus aurantifolia)

Taste: Smaller and usually taste more sour than lemons

Food Uses: The zest from the skin of the lime fruit is popularly used for its citrussy taste and aroma in baking as well as many cooked dishes. The juice is used to make a variety of desserts, juices and pickles.

Health info: Lime extracts and essential oils are frequently used in perfumes, cleaning products, and aromatherapy.  Lime bud tea and lime leaf tea are popular local drinks. The lime leaf tea is a famous cure for scurvy, a disease associated with vitamin-C deficiency.  Lime and its derivatives are popularly used to treat numerous ailments such as arthritis, rheumatism, prostrate and colon cancer, cholera, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, fatigue, heart diseases and even very high fever!

Bodi

Bodi (Vigna unguiculata)

Also known as: Yard long bean, Asparagus bean, Chinese long bean

Taste: Edible green or purple pods are very crisp, tender and delicious.

Food Uses: Eaten fresh or cooked. Usually cut into short sections for cooking and is popularly eaten steamed, boiled, curried or stir fried.

Health info: Rich in many nutrients that are considered essential for proper growth and metabolism of the body such as Vitamin C, Calcium and Potassium.

Peewah

Peewah (Bactris gasipaes)

Also known as:  Beach Palm

Taste: Starchy with minimal sweetness

Food Uses: The bright orange/yellow fruit is frequently cooked by boiling in salted water.  It can be used to make jellies, flour or edible oil, and is also prepared in a variety of ways as a staple dish or as an appetizer served with cheese or bacon. The pre-boiled fruit is sometimes deep-fried or roasted and served as a snack. The cooked seeds are eaten like chestnuts but are hard and considered difficult to digest.

Health info: The fruit is rich in Vitamin C and has a high protein and starch content.

Chadon Beni

Chadon Beni (Eryngium foetidum)

Also known as: Bandanya, Shadow Beni, Fit Weed (Tobago) and Culantro (not to be confused with Cilantro (parsley))

Taste: Strong aroma and taste similar to fresh coriander leaves

Food Uses: Often used raw as a seasoning in salads, curries, chow and especially fish dishes or as a garnish.

Health info: Traditionally Chadon Beni has been used as a treatment for epilepsy.  The leaves and roots are used in tea to stimulate appetite, improve digestion, soothe stomach pains and eliminates gas.  It is also rich in Vitamin A and C.

Soursop

Soursop (Annona muricata)

Also known as: Cherimoyas or Guanabana

Taste: When ripe soursop has a very sweet, pungent taste with a slimy chewy texture.

Food Uses: This fruit is the only member of its genus that is suitable for processing and preservation. The sweet pulp is often consumed raw as a dessert and juiced to make beverages. Ice cream, candies, sorbets and fruit bars made of soursop are also very popular.

Health info: Nutritionally, the fruit is high in carbohydrates, particularly fructose. The fruit also contains significant amounts of vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B1, and vitamin B2.

Caraille

Caraille (Momordeca charantia)

Also known as: Bitter Melon

Taste: This fruit is among the most bitter of all fruits.

Food Uses: Usually sautéed with onion garlic and pepper until almost crisp. Eaten locally with Sada Roti or Dhal and rice and in oriental cuisine, stuffed with various meats. The bitter taste can be quelled by soaking in salted water.

Health info: It also has medicinal values as it stimulates digestion. Laboratory tests suggest that compounds in Caraille might be effective for treating HIV infection!