Caribbean cuisine is a blend of African, Indian, European, Creole, Amerindian, Chinese, Cajun, and the Middle East flavors. For years, the Caribbeans have maintained their culinary art and cherish their cuisine. Traditional foods are treasured and are not viewed as just a meal but as a culture for bringing the people together. Some of the most common dishes comprise rice, chickpeas, cassava, bell peppers, beans, coconut, plantains, and sweet potatoes.
Meat consumed here is mostly from fish, pork, beef, or poultry. Most dishes are perfectly seasoned with traditional spices to give you a mouthwatering experience. However, the dishes and way of preparation may vary from one region to another.
So if you are looking forward to enhancing your creativity in your kitchen, you should master these Caribbean dishes.
- Callaloo
Callaloo is a Caribbean vegetable soup prepared using green leafy veggies (taro, Dasheen, or eddo leaves), which are slowly cooked with coconut milk, okra, and peppers. The soup has African roots, which dates back to the era of the slave trade. The delicacy is one of the national dishes in Tobago and Trinidad countries, and one of the must-have weekend dishes in most Caribbean homes.
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Callaloo soup is perfectly spiced for a mouthwatering experience. Every sip gives your taste buds and refreshing experience.
Ingredients
15 eddo, Dasheen, or taro leaves
100g chopped onions
3 large crabs (cut in quarters)
2 springs of thyme
1 cup of coconut milk
6 okra stalks (reduced into 1” chunks)
1 chicken bouillon cube (crushed)
250g Beef (cut in 3” pieces)
5 chopped pimentos
1 tbsp salted butter
Salt
1 scotch bonnet pepper
-Guide-
- In a cooking pot, add all your ingredients except salt and scotch bonnet pepper.
- Stir to mix properly and cook for about fifteen minutes over medium heat
- Add your scotch bonnet pepper and simmer for about twenty minutes. Remove the pepper, beef, and crab from the pot and set aside. Put the remaining mixture in an immersion blender, add salt, and blend it into a thick puree. Pour your soup in bowls and garnish it with crab and hot pepper. Enjoy while hot with rice
2. Grilled Deboned Jerk Chicken
Chicken is versatile and you can also way get creative around your kitchen and twist the recipe to suit your need. In Caribbean, Jerk chicken is one of the treasured dishes and no party is complete without one. Gracing your dinner table with this recipe never disappoints and will leave your loved ones wanting more.
Ingredients
1 pound chicken thighs (deboned)
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 tsp black pepper
2tbsp walkers wood jerk seasoning
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp thyme (ground)
4 tbsp Cooking oil
-Guide-
- In a large bowl, add all your ingredients apart from chicken pieces. Mix them using your fingers until they are properly mixed
- Add your chicken pieces, making sure each piece is fully coated. Put the bowl in a fridge and leave it for 5 hours or overnight to marinate
- Place the chicken pieces on a grill and keep turning them often while applying cooking oil with a blush on the surface until it is fully cooked with a brownish appearance
- Enjoy with rice and greens
3.Curry Goat
Curry goat is a classic dish which boasts of its vibrant and tasty flavor to satisfy your soul. The delicacy is usually prepared with goat meat and traditional spices that are behind the mouthwatering flavor. The hearty dish is loved by many Caribbean’s with the majority of them arguing out that the dish should only be enjoyed with rice and peas. So if you would like to experience the island taste to your dinner table, you should accompany this classical dish with peas and rice.
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Ingredients
1 pound of goat meat
3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
4 bouillon cubes
4 carrots (minced)
1 tbsp curry powder
4 chopped onion
1 tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves
1 cup of canned lentils
2 Serrano peppers
Cooking oil
-Guide-
- Sauté your garlic, onions, and bay leaves. Add carrots and mizzle black pepper
- Add your meat and stir for three minutes. Add a cup of water and salt to avoid sticking. Reduce the heat and add your curry powder. Stir the mixture again and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Drain and clean your lentils and add them to your cooking pot. Add your Serrano peppers and stir and add water if needed
- Add your bouillon cube and stir for two minutes. Simmer for another 10 minutes and taste if everything is well incorporated, and the meat is coming off the bone
- Enjoy with rice and peas
4. Coconut Milk Rice and Peas
If you are one of those people who don’t like rice, then this Caribbean variation will make you fall in love with rice all over again. The classic dish is slowly cooked with sweet coconut milk to bring out an irresistible, mouthwatering flavor.
Ingredients
2 cups white Basmati rice
1 garlic clove (minced)
1 tbsp salted butter
1tsp sugar
1 cup of coconut milk
½ tsp ground white pepper
2tsp ground ginger
3 Cinnamon stick
500g green peas
½ tsp zested lime
-Guide-
- Melt your butter in a large skillet and add garlic, cinnamon, and ginger, and sauté them for one minute
- Boil your green peas for 10 minutes. Drain the water and set aside
- Clean and rinse your rice and add it to your skillet. Keep stirring for 1 minute and add your coconut milk, water 3 cups, sugar, white pepper, lime zest, and salt. Stir to mix and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer the mixture for 10 and add your peas, and stir. Cook it for another 10 minutes until it’s fully cooked and all the water has evaporated.
- Turn off the heat and serve your rice
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