Pig Tail and sausage pelau

Now this dish may sound daunting for single parents, which is why I recommend you try it only when you have the time, like the weekend or a day off. It's not that it takes long to cook, it is just that if you're doing it for the first time, it takes a bit of time to prep.
First of all, what is pelau? It is a traditional dish from Trinidad and Tobago, a one-pot "cook-up rice" delicacy that is sure to find favour with the fussiest of eaters. The mere preparation of it will explain that, because it contains rice, peas and meat all cooked together, which blends all of the flavors in the

most delicious way possible.
The typical meat used in pelau is chicken or beef. But as I am about to show, you can use any meat you like. The preparation and cooking time remains the same.
I chose salted pig tails for mine, because the salted meat adds flavor to the pot. I suppose this is true of any salted meat (e.g. beef) but I will not recommend salted fish -- until I try it first myself.
I bought four or five salted pig tails at the supermarket and got its meat department to cut them into 1/2 inch pieces for me. I recommend you do this, as the tails are very difficult to cut at home. I also bought a package of Italian sausages, which had about 5. At home, I put the pig tails to boil in a pot of water, drained it and boiled it a second time to get rid of some of the salt. If you don't do this, the food will be way too salty. Once this is done, season it while hot with whatever seasonings you have at home. Do not add salt. In a large iron pot, put some oil and bring to hot. Add about three tablespoons of brown sugar (white will work) to the oil and let it bubble to the point of almost changing color. Don't let it burn. Once the sugar starts to bubble, add the pig pails into the pot and turn rapidly to coat all of the tails. This process is called "browning" the meat (same process to be used whatever meat you're using). Lower the stove to medium and allow to cook. As the moisture in the pot dries up, add some water. Keep cooking for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, cut the sausages into bit sized pieces and keep on hand. After about 15 minutes, you'll notice the pig tails turn a nice brown color. At this stage, add the sausages and mix together. After about 5 minutes, add your rice (1 - 2 cups) and cover the ingredients in the pot with water. Cover pot and leave to boil, turning frequently. About 5 minutes in, add a can of pigeon peas and half can of coconut milk (coconut milk, eh, not water) or two tablespoons of creamed coconut. Check concoction frequently, add water as necessary and within 45 minutes or less you'll see the rice started to boil, thickening the contents of the pot. Check the rice, if soft, turn of stove and remove pot from burner. Cover for about five minutes, then serve while hot. Usually best with a nice cole slaw. Now this may all sound difficult, buth the truth is, if you can stew meat, you can make pelau. So don't be daunted, and you'll treat yourself and your little ones to a delicious, home-cooked dinner.

Photo credit: www.simplytrinicooking.com