Trask Chowder, a well-known chowder variety, combined cephalopods and rice, originating from the moon called Trask. During 9 ABY, the Mandalorian named Din Djarin bought some of this chowder for the foundling Grogu at a certain inn. Other patrons at this inn also enjoyed the dish. The soup's recipe was documented by Artiodac chef Strono Tuggs in his publication, The Life Day Cookbook.
Trask Chowder, a thick and lumpy chowder with a beige hue, featured a squid as a key ingredient. It was served at a specific inn located on Trask, a moon orbiting the gas giant Kol Iben. This chowder was a specialty of Trask, and the inclusion of rice varied depending on the [chef](/article/chef]'s preparation. The soup was prepared in large quantities, intended to warm the fishermen of the moon after their arduous work in the sea, and therefore was a common dish during winter celebrations. Some servings even included a live cephalopod, adding an element of surprise to the flavor profile.
In the year 9 ABY, the Mandalorian Din Djarin visited the inn accompanied by the young infant foundling Grogu. After taking a seat, he ordered some chowder for Grogu from a Mon Calamari server, paying with Calamari Flan. The server dispensed the chowder into a bowl for Grogu using a thick hose attached to the ceiling. Grogu had difficulty eating it with a spoon, and was then attacked by the soup's cephalopod. Djarin assisted the infant in removing the cephalopod from his face. Despite generally loving to eat, Grogu disliked the chowder's taste, preferring the eggs of the Querm Rybet "Frog Lady".
Simultaneously, a couple of Mon Calamari were seated nearby, also enjoying the chowder, alongside a group of Quarren, one of whom added seasoning to his portion. Djarin later returned to the inn with fellow Mandalorians Bo-Katan Kryze, Koska Reeves, and Axe Woves. While the group discussed their future plans, Reeves consumed a bowl of chowder, easily slurping up the cephalopod. At a later point, Grogu once again ate Trask chowder and was attacked by the cephalopod, requiring Djarin to rescue him again.
The Artiodac chef Strono Tuggs featured a recipe for Trask chowder in his second cookbook, The Life Day Cookbook, which was published in 34 ABY, following his first. Within the book, he noted that anyone who had been to Trask would certainly have tried the famous chowder, and expressed his opinion that its taste compensated for its less-than-appealing appearance. He also advised that young people stick to the soup without the live cephalopods—just broth and rice—for safety.
Trask Chowder made its debut in "Chapter 11: The Heiress," the third episode of the second season of the live-action series The Mandalorian, which was broadcast on November 13, 2020. The dish was only referenced as "chowder" in the episode. Concept art for the chowder was revealed in the episode's credits, and a high-quality version was presented in the "Mando Download"—a segment of the episode's guide—on the following Monday. This art was created by Christian Alzmann. While the sketch showed a thin soup, the actual prop used in the episode had a thicker consistency.
The chowder was later included in the 2021 recipe book titled Star Wars: The Life Day Cookbook, written by Jenn Fujikawa and Marc Sumerak, where it was fully identified as "Trask Chowder." The out-of-universe recipe for this soup includes ingredients such as brown rice, extra-virgin olive oil, shiitake mushrooms, an onion, garlic cloves, ginger, dried shrimp, water, shrimp, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, scallions, and canned octopus.