| Aloo pie | |
| Country: | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Region: | Caribbean |
| Type: | fried dumpling |
| Main Ingredient: | dough, potatoes, spices, peppers, chickpea curry (optional) |
| Variations: | various toppings and spices |
An aloo pie is a Caribbean fast food dish originating from and common in Trinidad and Tobago.
An aloo pie is a pastry filled with seasoned mashed potatoes and then fried. It is therefore similar to samosas, but at 10-15 cm in length it is significantly larger, and it does not have a triangular basic shape, but rather resembles a calzone. The dough consists of flour, water, salt, baking powder and if necessary some saffron for the color. Seasonings and ingredients used in the mashed potatoes include salt, pepper, onion, cumin, and garlic,[1] and occasionally green seasoning and long coriander.[2] As a rule, the dumplings are cut open before serving and garnished with a curry based on chickpeas or green peas. It is seasoned with a chutney (usually based on tamarind or mango), chadon beni and a spicy pepper sauce.[3]
Aloo is Hindi and means potato. Trinidad was a British colony from 1797 to 1962, so English is spoken there. After the abolition of slavery in Trinidad, numerous Indians were recruited from 1845 as cheap labor for the plantations, who in turn introduced curries that were often vegetarian and sometimes contained potatoes. The pies are sold in snack bars, but also in bakeries and cafeterias in Trinidad. On the street, aloo pies are often sold by vendors who also sell doubles, since both dishes are fried and can therefore be made with the same appliance.[4]