Rice, fish, plantains and spices are staples of the Caribbean diet.
The Caribbean diet is a blend of influences from the region's history: Amerindian, African, European, and more recently, Indian. Since the region comprises islands of diverse flora and fauna as well as differing Colonial pasts, dishes vary from island to island. However, many staple ingredients are common to all, and the islands share a common heritage of making stews and one-pot meals as a versatile way to use whatever is at hand. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Rice and Legumes
Rice is a main staple, both as a side dish and within stews. It is often flavored with coconut milk. Black-eyed peas, chick peas, lima beans, kidney beans and lentils are used as a base for stews or rice dishes and provide much of the protein in the Caribbean diet. Mashed black-eyed peas are made into fritters known as Accra.
Coconut Milk
Used in many dishes, coconut milk is the base for Mellagee, a Guyanese stew of fish and vegetables. Grenada's national dish, "oil down," is a stew of plantains, bananas, yams, spices and fish or meat, cooked in coconut milk. A dessert is made by filling banana leaves with a mixture of coconut milk, fruits and sugar, and boiling them in water.
Fruits and Vegetables
Tropical fruits are used in savory as well as sweet dishes.
Fruits and vegetables are used in varied and versatile ways. Yams are boiled, fried or pounded into paste; plantains can be roasted, boiled, fried or used in stews--both are staples of African origin. Mangoes, pineapples and papayas (paw paw) are used in desserts, drinks and salads but also for chutneys, relishes and salsas. Bananas are baked, fried or used green. Cassava (yucca) is cooked like a potato or baked into bread. Breadfruit--brought from Tahiti and now a Caribbean staple--is boiled or baked, then either ground into flour or sliced and eaten.
Goat Meat, Chicken and Pork
These meats are frequently stewed or curried. Goat water stew, the national dish of Montserrat, is a specialty across the French Caribbean and uses goat cooked with tomatoes, green papaya and breadfruit. Curried goat, another Caribbean specialty, is a legacy of laborers brought from India.
Seafood
Across the region seafood is used in stews, fritters and curries. Favorite ingredients include conch, lobster and crab. Conch fritters are a specialty of Belize; Grenada's "Lambi souse" is conch marinated in hot peppers and lime. Barbadian cuisine features flying fish.
Salt Fish
Jamaica's national dish is salt fish and ackee. Salt fish (salted cod) was introduced by European sailors; ackees are an African fruit, originally imported to feed slaves and poisonous when under-ripe. Salt fish is soaked overnight, then simmered, flaked and saut ed with onions and ackees. Antigua's national dish, Duckanoo, is salt fish cooked with tomatoes and vegetables.
Jerk Meat
Another Jamaican signature dish, this is meat marinated in garlic, citrus juice, salt, spices, thyme and onions, then slow roasted over an open fire.
Curry, Spices and Hot Sauces
Caribbean cooking makes liberal use of spices and spicy marinades, especially pimento, curry, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and hot peppers (Scotch Bonnets). Spices that in Europe and North America are associated with sweet dishes are used with meats and curries in the Caribbean. Hot sauce is provided at the table to be added as desired.
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