Caribbean food: discover traditional cuisine

PEAS AND RICE (Jamaica, Trinidad, and across the Caribbean) – rice cooked with pigeon peas or red kidney beans, coconut milk, thyme, and scotch bonnet pepper. This is arguably the most fundamental Caribbean grain dish, served as a base for many meals.

PELAU (Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and St. Vincent) – a one-pot dish where rice is cooked with pigeon peas,  chicken, and aromatic vegetables, all caramelized with burnt sugar.

FUNGEE (Antigua and Barbuda) – a dish similar to polenta, made from cornmeal and okra, often served with pepperpot stew.

COU-COU (Barbados) – made from cornmeal and okra, traditionally served with flying fish, butter and milk are sometimes added for smoothness. It’s considered the national dish of Barbados.

MORO DE GUANDULES (Dominican Republic) – rice cooked with pigeon peas, sofrito (aromatic base of garlic, onion, peppers cooked in olive oil, and optionally tomatoes or carrots), spices, and sometimes coconut milk. This dish shows the Spanish influence on Caribbean cuisine.

ARROZ CON GANDULES (Puerto Rico) – rice with pigeon peas, flavored with sofrito and often cooked with pieces of pork. Achioté (also known as annatto) is often used for its vibrant color. This dish is especially popular during Christmas.

CALLALOO (Trinidad, Jamaica, and other islands) – a hearty soup/stew made with leafy greens (either amaranth or taro leaves), okra, coconut milk, and sometimes crab or salt fish. In Trinidad, dasheen (taro) leaves are common, while in Jamaica, callaloo refers to amaranth greens. The addition of coconut milk and crabs or saltfish is more common in Trinidad’s version.

CHRISTOPHENE AU GRATIN (French Caribbean) – baked chayote squash with cheese and spices, showing French colonial influence.

BREADFRUIT PUFFS (across Caribbean) – mashed breadfruit seasoned with herbs and spices, then fried until crispy. Also, a roasted or boiled breadfruit version is popular, often served with saltfish.

FRIED PLANTAINS (Pan-Caribbean) – ripe plantains fried until golden, known as platanos maduros in Spanish-speaking islands.

GREEN FIG AND SALTFISH (St. Lucia) – a dish of boiled green bananas served with sautéed salt cod and vegetables.

JERK CHICKEN/PORK (Jamaica) – meat marinated in a spicy paste of scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, thyme, and other seasonings, then slow-smoked over pimento wood.

CURRY GOAT (Jamaica, Trinidad) – goat meat slow-cooked with Caribbean curry powder, scotch bonnet peppers, and aromatics until tender.

OXTAIL STEW (Pan-Caribbean) – oxtails braised with butter beans, carrots, and herbs until the meat falls off the bone.

GRIOT (Haiti) – cubes of pork marinated in sour orange juice and spices, then fried until crispy on the outside and tender inside.

BROWN STEW CHICKEN (Jamaica, Trinidad) – chicken pieces browned then simmered in a rich gravy with vegetables.

PEPPERPOT (Guyana) – a stew of beef, pork, or mutton cooked with cassareep (cassava extract), Caribbean spices, and hot peppers.

ESCOVITCH FISH (Jamaica) – fried fish topped with a spicy vinegar-based marinade of carrots, onions, scotch bonnet peppers, and pimento.

FLYING FISH (Barbados) – national dish of Barbados, seasoned with local herbs, lightly breaded, and fried until crispy, often served with cou-cou.

STAMP AND GO (Jamaica) – salt fish fritters made with salted cod, scallions, peppers, and spices, then fried until golden.

CONCH FRITTERS (Bahamas) – ground conch meat mixed with peppers, onions, and seasonings, then deep-fried into crispy balls.

MUSSELS IN COCONUT SAUCE (French Caribbean) – fresh mussels steamed in coconut milk with Caribbean spices and herbs.

RUN DOWN (Jamaica) – fish cooked in coconut milk with tomatoes, onions, and spices until the sauce thickens or “runs down.”

CURRIED CRAB AND DUMPLINGS (Tobago) – fresh blue crab cooked in a curry sauce, served with soft flour dumplings.

PONCHE DE LECHE (Dominican Republic) – a milk punch made with eggs, milk, rum, and spices.

QUESITO (Puerto Rico) – cheese-filled pastries.

BLACK CAKE/RUM CAKE (Pan-Caribbean) – Dense fruit cake soaked in rum and wine, made with dried fruits macerated for months.

COCONUT DROPS (Jamaica) – fresh coconut chunks cooked with brown sugar and ginger until hardened.

SWEET POTATO PUDDING (Jamaica) – known as “hell a top, hell a bottom, hallelujah in the middle,” made with grated sweet potato, coconut milk, and spices.

CASSAVA PONE (Trinidad, Barbados) – a dense pudding made from grated cassava, coconut milk, and spices.

SUGARED CASHEWS (Pan-Caribeean) – local cashews coated in caramelized sugar and spices.

CASHEW BRITTLE (Trinidad) – made with local cashews and caramelized sugar.

TAMARIND BALLS (Trinidad, Jamaica) – though not strictly a nut dish, often includes crushed peanuts mixed with tamarind pulp and sugar.

GUAVA CHEESE (Pan-Caribbean) – often garnished with crushed nuts, made from guava paste and sugar.