A bright and nourishing salad with macerated kale, rich in calcium and vitamin K, roasted okra, a legacy crop of African origin prized for its mucilaginous properties, brings gut-supportive fiber and fonion pilaf—a West African grain known for its iron and amino acid profile is a grounding base. The salad is finished with a tangy-sweet guava dressing, whose vitamin C-rich fruit balances the dish with a hint of tropical acidity. At once restorative and refreshing, this dish speaks to a lineage of resourceful cooking that prioritizes flavor, wellness, and cultural memory.

A dish that Tobagans are proud to call their own, salty-spicy crab and dumpling originates from the ingenuity of Tobago’s West African enslaved people, who sourced crabs to round out the meager diet they were provided. The introduction of curry sauces from Indian indentured laborers in the 19th century gave rise to the generously seasoned coconut gravy that crab and dumpling is prepared with today. Laroot’s version features jumbo saltwater-crab meat simmered in a curry of more than a dozen spices, covering all six rasas of the Ayurvedic diet. A side of gluten-free dumplings made from green plantains, rather than the traditional cassava root, lends a starchy foil to the affair.