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Caribbean cuisine is a blend of tropical flavours and multicultural influences. It's a celebration of aromatic, sweet, tart, zesty, and sweet citrus flavors. Why do people love Caribbean cuisine, and where does it originate from? Read on to find out.
Brief History of Caribbean Cuisine
Caribbean Cuisine is said to be founded by the Arawak, Carib, and Taino Indians. It is a mixed cuisine, resulting from the meeting of three continents, America, Europe and Africa, during the colonial era.
The Atlantic slave trade is a very dark period in the history of African and Caribbean peoples. Enslaved people, captured in Africa and transported across the ocean by boat in terrible conditions, were exchanged between Europeans and their colonies for various products, such as weapons or alcohol.
Once they arrived in the Caribbean, either in Cuba, Haiti or Jamaica, for example, some enslaved people worked in the coffee or sugar cane plantations, while others took care of many domestic tasks for the members of high society, including cooking.
Indeed, when the islands were under French, English or Portuguese influence, the enslaved people learned to cook typical European dishes. They developed their own culinary identity by introducing local products while working with products imported from Africa.
Why do people love Caribbean cuisine
Many love this cultural food because of the hardship experienced by the Caribbean people in creating this food. Additionally, there is no better reason to love a meal than for its taste, flavor, and nutritional and health benefit.
Caribbean cuisines are super delicious with a lot of flavor. They also contain nutritional and health benefits.
For example, Jerk Chicken, an example of Caribbean food, has the following nutritional facts – fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, carbohydrate and sugar. And it contains health benefits such as; it helps to kill bacteria, it aids digestion, it relieves arthritis, lowers blood pressure.
Examples of dishes from Caribbean cuisine
- Jerk Chicken – Origin: Jamaica
In English, "jerk" means "jolt",… Like the one caused by the spicy side of this Jamaican speciality. The word refers more broadly to the mixture of spices used to flavor meat (often chicken) to marinate it in oil, vinegar and lime juice: garlic, ginger, thyme, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, sugar, and chill.
It's up to you to adjust the "fire" of this dish according to your taste before cooking it in the oven or barbecue.
Variation: Jamaican jerk is also available with pork. A homemade mango coulis will give it a delicious sweet-salty touch!
- Ajiaco – Origin: Cuba
This traditional stew – the Taïnos Indians were already preparing it when Christopher Columbus discovered the island in the 15th century – is the alter ego of our stew.
A mixture of meats (beef, pork, chicken) simmered for a long time in a broth with sweet potatoes, pumpkin, turnips, beans, lemons, and plantain. The word "aji" refers to a local pepper, although Cuban cuisine generally remains somewhat spicy.
Ajiaco is served with casabe, a bread made from cassava flour.
Variation: To be made with fish (grilled separately) and any seasonal vegetable (early vegetables in spring, zucchini in summer, etc.).
- Fierce avocado – Origin: Guadeloupe and Martinique
Avocado, shredded dried cod (we say "chiquetaillée"), cassava flour, oil, lime juice, and four spices.
This Caribbean guacamole is a treat as an aperitif (in the form of meatballs) or as a starter (in an avocado hollowed out ). It is a light and complete summer dish that is accompanied by carrots, tomatoes, cucumber and green salad.
Variation: You can replace the cassava flour with corn or potato starch and the cod with fish that has been steamed for a few minutes and then cooled.
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