The cuisine of the Dominican Republic presents characteristics of a “Creole” cuisine, that is, of European origin but developed in America with African influences. That is why it is similar to that of Latin-speaking countries that surround the Caribbean Sea, although with slight variations developed in each region, it has received influence from other peoples and cultures, such as the immigrants from the Lesser Antilles (Cocolos), who use coconut in many of their dishes.
Caribbean cuisine reflects several centuries of history that combine the presence of indigenous customs, mixed with those foreign from the colonizations, among which we can mention the Spanish, the English, the French and the most important in our opinion, the African.
The latter has left indelible social traces in Caribbean cuisine, which were mixed with indigenous customs, due to their egalitarian condition of slavery and of course with some customs that slaves were allowed to copy , one day Spanish, another day English. and upon awakening, French as the play says.
Summary
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- 1 History, The Indians
- 1 Corn
- 2 Customs
- 3 Traditions
- 4 dishes
- 5 Desserts
- 6 Sources
- 7 External links
History, The Indians
The Tainos their traditions.jpeg
The Taínos roasted their meats on grills made of green sticks and placed on a fork of a green branch, which they called barbecue. Likewise, the Africans brought the boucán where they prepared the fresh meat of the wild pig, drying it, smoking it and roasting it on a trellis of green sticks on a fork. From here we can only clarify that it seems that from then on, the name of barbecue is used for cooking on the grill on logs or charcoal.
On the other hand, we must remember some examples of that African presence such as the cakes in leaves or chickwange from the Congo that consists of a mashed banana or cassava wrapped in banana leaves. Likewise, in Mesoamerica the tamale appears, similar to the Ghanaian kenki, which consists of balls of cornmeal that are wrapped in the corn husks and cooked by steaming.
The Spanish and the English introduced their various types of wheat flour breads, cookies, and cakes. This is how the English pudding appears.
José E. Marcano says that Dominican cuisine must be seen within the general context of Antillean Creole cuisine, which is a type of cuisine developed in the Antilles but which can also be seen throughout the Atlantic coast . In all the Antilles, the kitchen has been developed based on its origins and the mixture of components and ideas for the future.
The corn
The corn is one of the best examples. While in the rest of the Caribbean and the Antilles and Latin America, corn is one of the indispensable components of the daily diet, here it is relegated to a last place. In most cases, it is used to feed free-range chickens. Corn is used by a Haitian legacy (chenchén) – a town that was once an invader – to accompany goat meat.
Today it is also used in cakes , pastries and breads , because it comes in powder and is very economical.
Custom
The food that is consumed daily at noon in the Dominican Republic consists of white rice, stewed beans and stewed meat (of whatever type but preferably chicken or beef). This dish can be accompanied by green or Russian salad and fried plantain, green or ripe.
Banana is consumed in the country in many ways, in addition to being boiled. Two ways to prepare them are as tostones (mashed and fried plantain slices) and as mangú, which is a mashed green or ripe plantain, usually accompanied by sausages, salami or eggs . This is consumed especially for dinner or breakfast. There is a way to cook them in syrup; This dish is called bananas passed by paila or cauldron.
Traditions
The flag, a typical Dominican dish.
The Dominican diet is based on the typical dish better known as “La Bandera” consisting of rice, beans or red beans , meat, salad and fried plantains. Among other typical dishes that you cannot fail to savor are Sancocho in the North region, a kind of Spanish stew, fish with coconut in the Northeast region, Chivo de Azúa in the South region and the famous “mangú” that is not more than boiled green plantain and then pressed.
The Dominican mangú.
The game is one of the gastronomic traditions since the time of the Taínos, which consists of a kind of bread made with cassava and with which the “chicharrón” is combined, which is seasoned and then fried pork skin.
Dishes
Dominican Sancocho.
A typical dish that enjoys great popularity and acceptance is sancocho, which is a common dish in various parts of Latin America, with variations. This is usually consumed on special occasions and accompanied by avocado.
In addition to the well-known and very popular Asopao, which is a kind of soup with rice, usually chicken meat and pigeon peas. This is consumed with avocado, if in season, and tostones.
Just as there is fast food in the United States, in the Dominican Republic what is known as pica chicken, which are pieces of breaded fried chicken, often accompanied by tostones or potato chips, is common.
Desserts
Sweet beans.
Among the typical desserts of the Dominican Republic include:
- Kidney beans with sweet: bean cream with milk, sugar and raisins, is usually consumed mostly at Easter.
- Majarete: cream made from corn, with cinnamon powder on top.
- Jalao: sweet coconut grated with molasses, which is made into a ball and fire in a stove.
- Sweet coconut with milk.
- Dulce de leche en pasta, both alone and with fruit filling such as orange, guava, * cajuil, etc.
- Sweet Batata.
- Cajuil sweet.
