Trinidad's Indian Sweets: for Divali and Beyond!

This time of year in Trinidad – Divali, Eid-ul-Fitr, Christmas, and New Year's (sometimes Hosay, depending on when it falls) is a boon for foodies, including those who love sweets!

Kurma, Ladoo, Gulab Jamun, Jalebi, Peera and Barfie...these are what have been satiating my sweet tooth since Divali last month. These delicious treats are enjoyed throughout the year but they are a must have around Divali in Trinidad. I have eaten Kurma on many occasions but the other sweets I am not very familiar with. This Divali I decided to sample all of them

 

I visited one shop in Curepe that carries food items, clothes, spices, ribbon, zippers, accessories, household items, books, Puja and cremation materials. The store was busy and I quickly headed over to the sweets rack. I was only able to get Kurma, Gulab Jamun and Peera. Everything else was sold out but I was told that you can order in advance at their on site bakery to ensure you get what you want during this busy time.

Excitedly I tried the Gulab Jamun first. It tastes similar to Kurma but is more grainy and isn’t as crispy. The consistency resembles that of a donut. Next I moved onto the Peera. It looks like fudge but is not as sweet. It has grainy texture and subtle taste of spices including ginger. Lastly I sampled the Kurma, which are thin strips of fried dough that are crispy and sweet. This remains my favorite. Yum!

I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy some Indian sweets during the Divali season. The following are the delicious sweets I sampled.

Kurma

Peera

Gulab Jamun

All images are Copyright 2010 © MEP Publishers / Ariann M Thompson

Ariann is ready to reacquaint herself with and in some cases ‘meet’ Trinidad and Tobago. Follow as she travels to different places and interacts with a multitude of faces while ‘Discovering T&T’.

Related articles

• Divali in Trinidad (meppublishers.blogspot.com)