Pelau is a traditional rice dish of the West Indies . Main ingredients are meat
An alternative preparation method is to sauté the meat, precook the rice, prepare the dish and bake it in the oven. Side dishes are optional; coleslaw is a typical one.
Pelau shares its origins with pilaf, a rice dish from Central Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, South Asia, and Spain, with their original version of their dish, Paella. Pelau is a Creole dish. When the island was under Spanish colonial rule, their version of Paella was passed down to the slaves who transformed the dish. The caramelisation of the meat goes back to African preparation traditions. Over the course of time, the basic method of preparing pilaf, the caramelisation of meat and influences of the Trinidadian cuisine (especially with regards to available ingredients) mingled into today's pelau.