Jamaican Cuisines: Jamaica’s Popular Food

Jamaican food is a fusion of flavors and ingredients coming together to provide an intriguing and distinctive taste. Jamaican cuisine is renowned for its strong flavors, delicious spices and fresh ingredients. It is influenced by a combination of African, Spanish, Indian, Chinese and British cultures. With a plate for every palate, everyone may enjoy a Jamaican food menu ranging from hot jerked chicken, succulent roast pork, divine curry with roti or hearty and meat-filled stewed peas with “spinners” and white rice!

You will discover that there are countless delectable options for food in Jamaica during your visit, but if you don’t know the names of the different meals you might feel a little puzzled when you’re presented with some of the local specialties or even Jamaica’s national cuisine if you’ve never tried it. And since everyone on the island both inside and outside of the culinary industry claims that their version is the finest, you could also be perplexed about where to discover the best Jamaican meals. Here is a little help in understanding di food pon yuh plate!

MAIN DISHES

Jerk Chicken

One popular Jamaican food recognized for its strong and spicy characteristics is Jerk chicken. In this dish, the chicken pieces are marinated in a mixture of herbs, spices and scotch bonnet peppers before being cooked over an open flame until charred and smoky. The result is meat that is hot and tasty as the sweetness of the marinade balances the heat of the spices. The Arawak and Taino natives of Jamaica who utilized a similar technique of marinating and smoking meat to preserve it, are credited as the originators of jerking chicken.

Today Jerk Chicken is a mainstay of Jamaican cooking and is available through street food vendors, dining establishments and outdoor grilling stations. To temper the intensity of the spices jerk chicken is frequently served with a variety of side dishes such as rice and peas, plantains, coleslaw or bread slices and definitely with a cold beverage. Jerk Chicken is the #1 meal from Jamaican cuisine that you just must taste whether you enjoy spicy food or just seeking to try something different.

Jamaican food style Jerk Chicken

Ackee and Saltfish

The National dish of Jamaica is Ackee and Saltfish, a visually appealing concoction with ties to the country’s African roots. Made with salted codfish and the National Fruit Ackee sautéed with chopped tomatoes, green peppers, onions, escallions and herbs, this dish is mainly a breakfast option for most islanders but is a great meal for any time of day. Boiled or fried dumplings, ground provisions such as yam, boiled green bananas or breadfruit form side dishes that offset the richness of the ackee and saltfish. You may even want to give this tasty and filling menu option a try at home too as it is quick and simple to make.

Jamaica national dish Ackee and Saltfish

Oxtail

The classic and filling dish known as “Oxtail Stew” is made by slow-cooking oxtail in a rich tomato and onion sauce with a variety of spices, including allspice, thyme and black pepper. The outcome is a hearty delicious stew that is ideal for a chilly day. Oxtail is soft and tasty cattle cut that is frequently used in stews and soups and is especially popular in Caribbean cuisine. Patience is a virtue in the preparation of this meal as long periods of low heat are used to simmer the stew allowing the oxtail to become soft and the sauce to thicken. Oxtail Stew is often paired with rice and peas, another Jamaican meal staple. The mouth-watering goodness of Oxtail Stew is a must-try dish that is both delectable and soothing, whether you enjoy robust stews or are just seeking to add variety to your meal plan.

Jamaican food: Oxtail

Curry Goat

A testament to a melting pot of cultures meeting in the Jamaican kitchen is the Indian injection of curry in our meats and Curry Goat is the king of the pack! Popular in Jamaican cooking, curry goat is a dish of marinated then slow-cooked goat meat with a rich curry sauce created from a combination of herbs, spices, peppers and Irish potatoes. Depending on whose kitchen you are in the process may range from the exotic to the wild with even a healthy dose of white rum going in the pot! Authentic pairings of roti, chickpea dahl or some fluffy white rice with succulent Curry Goat will have you coming back for seconds or thirds!

Jamaican Curry Goat

Escovitch Fish

Escovitch fish is prepared by deep-frying a whole fish, usually Red Snapper, until it is nice and crispy and then drizzling the spread with a tasty sauce comprised of vinegar, onions and a combination of spices. Pickled vegetables such as carrots, onions, peppers, pimentos and chayote are then placed on top for a visual feast and served with a few “festival dumplings”. The result is an incredibly tangy burst of flavor on your tongue and a filling treat for your tummy. The recipe for Escovitch Fish is said to have been brought to the island by Spanish Jews hundreds of years ago. Some persons recommend eating the Escovitch Fish the day after it is prepared they say this is to allow the flavors to blend together longer.

Escovitch Fish

SIDE DISHES

Rice & Peas

A common side dish on Jamaican menus is rice and peas which is never to be confused with peas and rice. An authentic recipe consists of kidney beans cooked with coconut milk and a variety of spices such as allspice, thyme and scallions to which rice is added. The mixture is seasoned and left to simmer until the rice is fully cooked and all the flavors have had a chance to blend. Served hot it is a fitting accompaniment to most meats on the menu.

Jamaican Rice & Peas

Festival

With this snack which typically goes with fried fish or jerk chicken your mouth will experience a festival. The dough is made from plain flour, milk or water, yellow cornmeal, brown sugar and salt kneaded, rolled, then plucked into individual pieces which are fried to golden goodness. The delicious end product is similar to floats sold in other Caribbean nations except that the Jamaican festival is usually rolled cylindrical in shape.

Jamaican Festival food

Plantain

Both plantain chips and fried plantains are highly addictive (in the greatest way) and both can be bought in Jamaica’s local stores. You will have numerous opportunities to enjoy this delicacy while on vacation on the island. It is normally prepared by frying ripe plantains, the riper the better. The plantains only need to be peeled, cut into desirable shapes (not too thick), and then carefully placed into a frying pan with hot oil. The green plantain is also sliced into slightly thicker pieces than its riper counterpart and fried, pressed flat, salted then fried again. Occasionally this treatment may be covered in butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. With ackee and saltfish or any other food, you’ll adore this!

Plantain jamaican cousine

Bammy

Bammy is a dish made from cassava and is a must-try while dining in Jamaica. Grated from the cassava root and prepared into little discs,  this treat is soaked in coconut milk, then fried till golden brown, or maybe steamed into perfection. It is frequently served with fish dishes or with Callaloo and may be eaten at any time of the day as a side dish. Some people enjoy Bammy with syrup for breakfast, but it also goes nicely with your main course.

Jamaican Bammy

Breadfruit

A very versatile entry on the Jamaican menu is the wonderful Breadfruit. Complex and tasty, Breadfruit is known as a ground provision and although it is a starch it is categorized as a fruit being a member of the Jackfruit family. It is said that Breadfruit was brought to Jamaica from Tahiti in 1793 by Captain William Bligh who also introduced Ackee to the island. The delicious and nutrient-dense breadfruit can be prepared in a variety of ways such as roasting, boiling, baking or frying and a breadfruit punch is quite a tasty treat.

Jamaican food: Breadfruit

Enjoy!

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