Tasty Trini Plum Chow Recipe

It’s plum season here in Trinidad, and I’m low-key losing it over how good plum chow is right now. Seriously, that tangy, spicy, garlicky bite? I missed it all year-round.

If I bring home a bag of plums from the market, I would give my daughter her share, and she would still ask for more until they are finished. I have a hard time having plum to make chow because all is gone by the time I am ready. She basically eats all the plums with salt and pepper. I mean raw scotch bonnet.

When I do get some to make plum chow, it is a whole vibe. And if I put it in the fridge overnight to marinate in the sauce. Oh my, I can’t get enough. Trini chow always hits, whether it is pineapple, apples, mangoes, or a combination of all, it finishes in minutes.

This recipe isn’t new or mine. In fact, I have been making chow since I was six years old. Here is a recipe you can make any chow with.

What You Need To Know + Tips For The Best Plum Chow

Plum chow is a popular Trini snack that has chadon beni, salt, black pepper, garlic, and scotch bonnet. Some people even add sugar to balance the flavors.

They are usually served in a plastic cup, and you can make them as a simple and healthy snack for the beach or simply to watch a movie. Yes, it is very healthy.

During my years of being a professional chow maker, I have learn some tricks. For one, blending up the ingredients, not the plum, allows the seasoning to distribute evenly and also adds a bit of sauce. Removing the seeds from the pepper always helps if you do not want your chow overly spicy.

You need to add a salted prune to your chow. It enhances the taste of the chow.

What You’ll Need

• Cutting board and knife
• Mixing bowl
• Measuring spoons
• A spoon or hands for mixing
• Airtight container (for chilling or storing)

• About 2 dozen half-ripe plums – Sour and firm. Not the soft, ripe kind.
• 1-2 cloves garlic – Finely chopped or grated. You want that punch.
• 1 small hot pepper – Scotch bonnet or bird pepper, chopped tiny (or more if you like fire).
• Juice of 1 lime – Fresh is best. Adds that tang.
• Salt – A good pinch or two.
• Black pepper – A few shakes.
• Chadon beni (culantro) – A handful, chopped fine. If you can’t find it, you can use cilantro, but trust me, it’s not the same.
• Optional: A pinch of sugar if your plums are too sour, and a little water if you want it more juicy.

Trini Plum Chow Method

First, rinse the plums well. These things usually come with a little dust or sap still on them from the tree.

Then, slice each plum down the side. Not through—you want the seed to stay in, but split it enough that the seasoning can seep in. Some people simply squeeze them a little, causing the skin to split and the juice to start flowing out. That works too.

In a mixing bowl, toss in your chopped garlic, hot pepper, and a good squeeze of lime juice. Add your salt and black pepper. Stir it up so it forms a kind of spicy, garlicky, limey sauce.

Throw in your cut plums. Use your hands to mix it all. You want to squeeze the plums just a little while you mix, to let the juice flow out and catch all that seasoning. The more you bruise them, the more flavor gets inside.

Toss in your chopped chadon beni. Mix again.

Pro Tips from the Yard

Let it sit. Chow is better after 10–15 minutes. Give it time to marinate, but don’t walk away for too long. People will eat it out before you come back.

Serve it cold. If you can chill it in the fridge for 10 minutes before serving, even better.

Eat it fast. Chow doesn’t last long. The longer it sits, the mushier the fruit gets. It’s best fresh.

Variations

• Mango Chow: Same exact method, just swap out plums for half-ripe mangoes.
• Pineapple Chow: Use chunks of fresh pineapple, especially sweet and sour ones.
• Cucumber Chow: Trust me on this one. Crisp, cold cucumbers with lime and pepper? It slaps.

FAQ: Trini Plum Chow

• Can I use fully ripe plums? They’ll be sweeter, but you lose that tangy bite.
• How spicy is it? Adjust the pepper to your taste—start small and add more if you like heat.
• Can I add sugar? Yes, a small pinch can balance extra sour plums.
• Can I try other fruits? Absolutely! Mango, pineapple, or cucumber all work well.

Honestly, plum chow is just the start of what you can do with fruit in Trinidad. Once you get the hang of it, you can make chow with almost anything. Half-ripe mangoes, pineapples, chenet, five fingers, guava, and the list goes on.

Chow is Trini street food at its most raw and real. You could eat this on your porch with a cold drink, in the car after you buy it from a roadside vendor, or during a Sunday lime with friends and music.

More Recipes

• Tasty Trini Pineapple Chow
• Tasty Caribbean Chow Chow Recipe
• Boiled Egg Chow/Souse Recipe

Tasty Trini Plum Chow Recipe

Recipe by Ren PetersCourse: DessertDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4-5

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

Calories

60

kcal

Plum chow is a popular Trini snack that has chadon beni, salt, black pepper, garlic, and scotch bonnet. Some people even add sugar to balance the flavors.

Ingredients

• 20–25 green half-ripe plums

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 1 small hot pepper

• 1 lime – juiced

• ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• 6–8 chadon beni leaves

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 2 tablespoons cold water

Directions

• First, rinse the plums well.
• Then, slice each plum down the side. Not through—you want the seed to stay in, but split it enough that the seasoning can seep in. Some people simply squeeze them a little, causing the skin to split and the juice to start flowing out.
• In a mixing bowl, toss in your chopped garlic, hot pepper, and a good squeeze of lime juice. Add your salt and black pepper.
• Throw in your cut plums. Use your hands to mix it all. You want to squeeze the plums just a little while you mix, to let the juice flow out and catch all that seasoning. The more you bruise them, the more flavor gets inside.
• Toss in your chopped chadon beni. Mix again.