Pastelles with Eggs

Pastelles resemble tamales. They are widely sold by street vendors at Christmastime and also made at home as a must-have part of the holiday meal. My father’s version is heavily influenced by his years living in Venezuela and contains eggs, but the traditional Trinidadian version does not. I give you both, beginning with the egg version. In either case, pastelles are traditionally wrapped in a soharee leaf, which is similar to a banana leaf, or in a banana leaf itself, and boiled or steamed