Many travellers jet set to the Caribbean islands anticipating the mix of pimento, cinnamon, ginger, and an array of spices blended in many shared dishes. Here are ten food dishes you MUST try on your next Caribbean adventure:
10. Conch
The meat in the conch shells can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in burger patties, soups, or deep-fried. Conch dishes can mostly be found in The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and the south of Florida. The famous ceviche salad, eaten among Spanish-speaking along the Caribbean Sea includes raw conch. Once you have enjoyed your delicious conch dish, make sure to take a photo of the shell as it is just beautiful.
9. Deep-Fried Doughs
Deep-Fried Doughs are a type of food served near the beach areas along the Caribbean Sea. You can find Yaniqueques in the Dominican Republic, Empanadas in Costa Rica and Panama, Jamaican festivals, Belizean johnnycakes, St. Vincent fry bakes, and Cuban churros. Deep-fried doughs can have a filling of chocolate, condensed milk, guava, beef, and seafood. Or you can enjoy your deep-fried dough plain as a side dish or a quick snack.
8. Stew Chicken
Brown stew chicken is a typical lunch or dinner dish worth trying. Most commonly, Stew chicken is chicken that has been cooked in gravy sauce with vegetables, but it all depends on the cook. It is a simple dish, but rich in flavour, making delicious and not to be missed. Among many Anglo-speaking Caribbean’s, you can enjoy a Brown Stew Chicken with rice and feel fully satisfied.
7. Roti Wrap
Roti Wrap is a savoury pie dish influenced by Indian labourers in the Caribbean who had brought their spices and sandwich wrap styles with them from India. Roti wraps often consist of potatoes, carrots, curry sauce, and a meat of your choice wrapped in flour dough. Roti Wraps can also be vegetarian friendly by substituting different options
6. Callaloo
Callaloo is a green leaf prepared either boiled, sautéed, or steamed. You can enjoy it as a side dish with rice and peas, sometimes served with saltfish or a hearty soup. Look for any soup and rice dishes, and you just may find some callaloo nearby. Enjoy it while it served hot.
5. Curry Goat
The curry spice is enjoyed in nearly every Caribbean nation. You can blend this spice with your rice, chicken, or beef, but the best combination is with goat. Also influenced by the Indian diaspora along the Caribbean Sea, curry goat with potatoes, carrots, and a thick gravy, served with plain rice provides you with the explosion of spices satisfying your every taste bud.
4. Caribbean Black Cake
Rum infused cakes are a popular holiday gift for many Caribbean’s. Caribbean Black Cake blends lime, molasses, flour and rum. You may even find Black Rum Cake with raisins, prunes, and strawberry. With one of the main ingredients being Rum, this a great treat served amongst adults, so tuck in the kids early while you are away and enjoy.
3. Redfish (Red snapper)
Friday nights have always celebrated getting together with friends and family to enjoy a night at the Fish Fry. The red snapper is the centre of the attention at a Fish Fry, where it is cooked on display in open fires or deep-fried. Looking for a Friday night hangout? Start your evening at the closest Fish Fry dancing away to good music and food!
2. Rice & Peas
Rice and Peas is the original go-to meal in the Caribbean. It is served as a main course, alongside oxtail, curry goat, chicken, fish, beans, to name a few. I would argue, rice and peas are the main ingredients to any dish in the Caribbean.
1. Plantain
The holy grail of Caribbean dishes awards goes to plantain. Plantain is the best snack, side dish, and dessert known to man. You can enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or dinner as it can be served as sweet, savoury, boiled, baked, or fried. Most kids enjoy this meal as a light snack or lunch option. Nonetheless, plantain is the most accessible and delicious snack or side dish you will find in the Caribbean.
The Caribbean is a mix of islands that share similar cultures and food. These 10 Caribbean dishes all a great cultural must try and can be found in any restaurant or local eatery and in many 5-star resorts, many of these dishes will be on the menu.
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