Dominican Republic Food
Learn some facts about the Dominican cuisine
The Dominican Republic food stems from Spanish, Taino and African cultures. While the cuisine of this country has a fair amount of similarity with the dishes of other nations in the Caribbean, there is a great deal that makes it unique. This diversified place is well known for its hospitality and the traditional foods as well.
When looking into the
tastes that make the cooking of the area special, it is worth noting
that although local herbs are used very often, it is not prepared
highly spiced. Unlike in other countries, basically there is almost no
spicy food
that is considered particular to this region. The various types of
meals that are available within the
Dominican
Republic food are plates that truly represent the blend of
the culinary traditions from regions all around the world with the
particular Dominican style.
Seasonings
You
will see meats that are served in a sauce known as guisado
(stew). The guisado essentially refers to a
tasteful tomato based sauce with the addition of sofrito.
The sofrito can have slight variations depending
on the preferences but generally is the mixture of sautéed:
garlic,
onions, cilantro and oregano
used in countless dishes.
The guisado is often used with chicken or beef; olives are added to give a touch for more flavor.
Here
above is my chicken stew and white rice, with a tomato and lettuce
salad (Guisado de pollo con arroz
blanco, ensalada de tomate y lechuga)
Typical home cooking
When you are looking around for breakfast, you can expect the mangu. The mashed plantains with butter (and sometimes milk) are what compose this appetizing plate; it is often consumed alone, with sautéed onions or salami. It can be also be prepared with white cheese for frying. This is a very filling dish that can be found everywhere and if you like plantains like I do, you will find that a simple mangu can be a great basic Dominican food for you to keep in mind.
Lunch is
the largest and most important meal of the day and you can try some
great Dominican Republic foods.
One of those is the flavorful bandera
dominicana which involves: rice,
beans, vegetables, meat and
ripe fried plantains.
Check these Dominican lunch and dinner recipes:
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In addition to this when learning more about the Punta Cana food we have to mention the sancocho, which is a stew usually made from several kinds of meats, plantains and some root vegetables. As you may notice this type of food can be prepared for dinner too.
The legacy of the Spanish culture in the dishes are present in everyday meals, for example, in the sancocho and in the Dominican paella. There is the locrio which is another version of paella, consisting mainly of the following: sofrito, rice, chicken or any other meat, tomato sauce, vinegar, and some herbs cooked together.
Some of the most common Dominican Republic foods were originated by the Tainos. They used to cook with yucca (cassava). The yucca was used to prepare the casabe, which is a type of flat and round bread, as well as catibias, which are flour fritters that have been stuffed with meat. From the African inheritance there is the mangu, the original version is the fufu, which is made from a variety of mashed root vegetables. There is also another similar plate which is the mofongo and it is made from mashed fried green plantains with some meat or seafood and a bit of crushed garlic. The use of coconut milk also comes from the African continent.
Popular Desserts
When you are interested in a luscious conclusion to your meal, don't miss out on the great desserts.
One of the desserts that many people love to eat is arroz con dulce (sweet rice pudding); which is made using rice, milk, sugar, raisins among other ingredients.
You will find that most of the desserts are wonderfully sweet, created with sugar and condensed milk, for example: dulce de leche (milk candy), majarete (corn pudding), flan (custard), and habichuelas con dulce (sweet creamed beans).
- Check the batida de lechoza (papaya milkshake) for a quick and sweet delicious drink.
Be prepared to eat lots of tropical fruits, ranging from papayas to pineapples.
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