Summertime is in full swing, and it is the perfect time to learn and try your hand at some Caribbean cooking! Caribbean cuisine is all about the freshest meats, fruits, and flavors. Here, we are diving into all things Caribbean and allowing you to learn how to cook a new cuisine.
Key Ingredients in Caribbean Cooking
Fruits and Veggies
Caribbean cuisine is all about freshness, and ripe mangoes, papayas, and coconuts are used in a plethora of sweet and savory dishes.
Seaonsings and Sides
Jerk seasonings and curry powders are all over the Caribbean. These spice mixes tend to have nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and even a bit of scotch bonnet for some heat! These make up the delicious Caribbean flavors that are cooled off by the sweet, ripe tropical fruits.
Meats
Because of the surrounding oceanic landscape, freshly prepared fish, shrimp, and lobster are key ingredients. But you’ll also see many goat, chicken, and pork dishes.
Most Popular Caribbean Dishes
Jerk Chicken
Spicy and smokey, this chicken is grilled to perfection with jerk seasonings and served with a side of rice and fresh mango salsa. Jerk seasoning consists of onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, thyme, sugar, all spice, parsley flakes, paprika, pepper flakes, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and cumin.
Of course, these seasonings are already sold pre-made to save you from having to buy each spice every time you want to make jerk chicken. Season your chicken liberally with the spice before grilling for smokey, spicy, and mouthwatering juicy chicken.
Curried Goat
Slow-cooked and deliciously tender, this goat curry is stewed for hours to ensure the meat just falls right from the bone. To make this Caribbean feast, you’ll need three pounds of goat meat, garlic, ginger, potatoes, and scotch bonnet pepper.
Season everything together with curry powder, pepper, salt, and thyme, and bring to a boil in a large pot with chicken stock. Skim the top of any impurities and allow to slow cook until tender.
Roti
Roti is a type of flatbread prepared with unleavened flour. It is similar in shape to a Mexican flour tortilla. A good roti is soft, pliable, and can easily be used as a utensil.
Common Cooking Practices
Marinating and Grilling
The best example is preparing jerk chicken. Many Caribbean foods need to marinate for hours before grilling. That way, the many seasonings have time to blend with the food and impart flavor throughout the meat.
Slow Cooking and Stewing
Like the goat curry, staple Caribbean foods will be infused with spices and allowed to be slow-cooked to enhance the overall flavor with perfectly tender and delicious meats.
Wrapping Up Caribbean Style Cuisine
Fresh and full of flavor, Caribbean cuisine is a one-of-a-kind flavor that combines a multitude of spices along with fresh tropical fruits. It’s a must-know for any aspiring or professional chef and brings a whole new flavor to your weekly meal rotation!
