What makes the Caribbean cuisines so special and different?

If you are planning to visit Maryland, the Caribbean cuisines are a must try here. The Caribbean cuisine displays an amalgamation of influence from various cultures. The Caribbean had seen many visitors from different continents, and most of them stayed back and formed grand lineages. The impact of this migration was on food. Also, there is an influence of British, French, and Spanish culture on the Caribbean cuisines.

You can say that Caribbean cuisine is a blend of African, Amerindian, European, East Indian, Arab, and Chinese cuisine. It is to be noted that Caribbean food items have a unique flavor and a rich history. To understand the Caribbean food, one must take note of the essential ingredients in their cuisines such as rice, plantains, cassava, beans, cilantro, bell peppers, tomatoes, chickpeas, coconut, and sweet potatoes to name a few. When these ingredients blend, the flavors are as amazing as the island itself!

You can explore a bit to find out the best Caribbean restaurant in Maryland where you will find a peculiar seasoning in the foods based on the green herbs and oil-based marinades. The ingredients in the marinade are garlic, celery, onions, green onions, cilantro, rosemary, tarragon, and thyme. It is used for many dishes and by far one of the biggest secrets of Caribbean cuisine.

Another notable feature of the Caribbean food is that they are neither deep-fried nor oily. For most people, roasting and grilling are the preferred choices. The signature flavor of Jamaica and one of the popular dishes of the Caribbean, the Jerk is a spicy dry or wet marinade applied on chicken and other meats. Once the flavors are absorbed, the meat is smoked or grilled. There may be many variations but the Jamaican jerk cuisine overpowers them all.

Caribbean seafood is also very treasured. The options will literally spoil you for choices. When it comes to soups, rice dishes, and stews in Caribbean cuisine, beans and legumes appear in almost all preparations because of their protein content. The Caribbean cuisine uses plenty of beans and legumes in their base dishes. One of the famous staples is Congri rice which is a mixture of black beans, and rice seasoned with garlic, onion, salt, and other spices fried in oil in advance. The chicken with rice is their ultimate comfort food.

If you try the Caribbean meat, you will be left wondering how they marinate the meat. It is also one of their secrets. Their way of cooking meat is one of the healthier ways and doesn’t need adding butter and oil. It is because the meat is marinated way in advance and it is served with the gravy made out of the same meat while being stewed. The most famous dish is the goat stew.

Coconut milk is also used predominantly in the Caribbean cuisines. The creamy texture is given to the preparation by using fresh coconut milk. It is made from scratch extracting the coconut pulp and mixing it with water.

If you are in Maryland, trying Caribbean dishes from a renowned restaurant is a must.

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A Guide to the Jamaican Food

It is not new that Jamaican cuisine is renowned all over the world for its unique palate and aromatic spices, something that developed by the indigenous people living in the islands along with the Chinese, European, Indian, and African population. The African ancestry initially inhabited the islands; however, a significant amount of people also descended from the Indian, Chinese, and European countries and lived on the islands.

Now the cuisine is so popular among the masses that even while living in the USA, people search for the best Jamaican restaurant near me. It is because the popularity of the cuisines has immigrated to the significant parts of the world, along with the favorite Jamaican music like ska and reggae. Because the cuisine is so delicious, it is known for its characteristic heat and comfort.

There are several dishes in Jamaican cuisine. However, people who are looking for the “best Jamaican restaurant” can go for any or all of the delicacies will be mentioned below.

Jerk Chicken

When it comes to one of the popular dishes in the cuisine, Jerk Chicken will be one of them. It is also trendy worldwide because of its heat and taste. The recipe is spiced with thyme, onions, scallions, pimento, and scotch bonnets. There will be variations in the quantity, but they are staples. In earlier times, the chicken used to be roasted on coals with pimento wood. But with technology coming into the picture, today people prepare it on cooking pans. When it is served with peas and rice, it is an absolute delight.

Goat Curry

Goat Curry can be considered as one of the famous dishes that originated in Jamaica. It is usually served to people during occasions. It has been highly influenced by the Indian population living on the island. But the method of cooking is different from the way the people cook the traditional Indian style goat curry. In Indian curries, the spices are cooked in oil after which the people include the meat. However, in the Jamaican style, the meat is marinated with the spices and then cooked in the oil.

Oxtails

The Oxtails are slightly larger than the cow tails and are seasoned well and cooked for a few hours till they become tender and fall off the bone. It is one of the comfort foods that people will find in this exotic cuisine. It is seasoned with salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, scotch bonnets, and scallions. People often serve it with stew over rice and broad beans.

Stew Chicken

Stew Chicken is among the favorite chicken dishes that are served with peas and rice. It is known to be one of the popular Sunday dinner items that people should add to their bucket list.

People who wish to taste any of these outstanding dishes can have it delivered to their home or work address with Jerk N Jive Caribbean Kitchen by the side. Jerk ‘N Jive Caribbean Kitchen is one of the prominent restaurants that offer takeout, delivery, and dine-in for specially prepared Jamaican and Caribbean foods.