The Trinidadian one-pot dish combining rice, pigeon peas, coconut milk, and meat is called pelau.
Pelau is typically prepared by browning sugar or caramelizing the meat before adding rice, pigeon peas, coconut milk, stock, and seasonings. Chicken is common, although other meats may be used. The browning step gives the finished dish its characteristic color and deeper flavor.
It is a practical one-pot meal with strong links to Indo-Caribbean and wider Caribbean cooking traditions. Pigeon peas, also called gungo peas in some islands, are a familiar ingredient across the region.
Pelau is sometimes confused with pilaf because both are rice dishes, but pelau has its own Caribbean technique and flavor profile. It is also distinct from oil down, the national dish of Grenada, which is based on stewed provisions, coconut milk, and other ingredients.