Dominican Republic cuisine

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Chimichurri burger

Dominican cuisine is made up of

African, Cuban, Puerto Rican and Haitian influences. The most recent influences in Dominican cuisine are from the British West Indies and China.[1]

Dishes and their origins

The Taíno cultivated many types of tubers such as yucca, yautia, and batata. An important staple of Dominican cuisine adopted from the Taino people is

casabe, made from cassava root and was important to the diet of the Taino. Casabe is served with soups and stews in the Dominican Republic. Spices such as vanilla, nutmeg
, and pepper most often used by Dominican cooks derive from Spanish cuisine.

The Dominican Republic was formerly a Spanish colony. Many Spanish traits are still present in the island. Many traditional Spanish dishes have found a new home in the Dominican Republic, some with a twist. African and Taíno dishes still hold strong, some of them unchanged.[citation needed]

All or nearly all

food groups are accommodated in typical Dominican cuisine, as it incorporates meat or seafood; grains, especially rice, corn (native to the island[2]), and wheat; vegetables, such as beans and other legumes
, potatoes, yuca, or plantains, and salad; dairy products, especially milk and cheese; and fruits, such as oranges, bananas, and mangos. However, there is heaviest consumption of starches and meats, and the least of dairy products and non-starchy vegetables.

chimichurris, plátanos maduros (ripe plantain), yuca con mojo (boiled yuca/cassava) and tostones/fritos (fried plantains).[citation needed
]

Bouillon cubes are used heavily in the preparation of Dominican lunch food.[citation needed
]

Taíno dishes

Spanish dishes

  • Arroz con leche – rice pudding made with long-grain rice, milk, sugar, cinnamon, raisins, star anis, clove, and nutmeg.
  • Buñuelos de bacalao – a codfish fritter popular throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. Also known as bacalaíto in the Dominican Republic, a name borrowed from Puerto Rico
  • Crème caramel – sweet egg custard known as flan. Coconut flan is known as quesillo de coco.
  • Gofio – sweet cornmeal powder from the Canary Islands.

African dishes

Mondongo beef tripe soup
  • Mangú
    Mangú
    mashed, boiled plantains can be traced back to west Africa where it is known as fufu. This is a typical and official national breakfast in the Dominican Republic but can also be served at lunch and dinner. Mangú is typically served with queso frito (white cheese fried in a pan), fried Dominican salami, fried eggs and topped with onions cooked in vinegar. This is also known as los tres golpes (the three hits). Plantains can be replaced with green bananas or squash where it is known as mazamorra
    .

Middle Eastern dishes

A few dishes have been adopted from a wave of Lebanese immigration into the Dominican Republic. Drastic changes from the traditional Middle Eastern, starting with the preparation, and just as importantly, using beef instead of lamb, and leaving out many spices (cumin, cardamom, coriander seeds, saffron, and others), herbs (rosemary, mint, dill, marjoram, Greek oregano, and others), spice blends (za'atar and baharat), seeds, and nuts (pine nuts, pistachios, sesame seeds, hazel nuts, and others). Many of these dishes would be served with a sauce while in the Dominican Republic they are served alone. Much of these spices and flavoring have been replaced with Dominican oregano, bell peppers, and chicken bouillon.

  • Arroz con almendras y pasas – Rice with raisins and almonds. It is usually eaten around Christmas.
  • Arroz con fideos - Rice cooked with toasted pasta. This dish is eaten with fresh cilantro.
  • Kipes or Quipes - Deep fried bulgur roll filled with picadillo
    .
  • Niño envuelto – Cabbage roll filled with beef and rice.

Cocolo influence

Cocolo is a term used in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean to refer to non- Hispanic African descendants, or darker skin people in general. The term originated in the Dominican Republic, and was historically used to refer to the Anglophone and Francophone Caribbean descendants. The Cocolo cuisine brought over through various parts of the Caribbean have influenced Dominican cuisine. Some recipes have changed but most have stood the same but with different names.

  • Chen-chen – A cracked corn pilaf dish from Haiti that has made its way through the Dominican Republic.
  • Dumplings - Dumplings in the Dominican Republic are eaten with braised meats or seasoned tomato sauce. They came from the British Caribbean mostly in and around San Pedro de Macorís. Simple recipe including all-purpose flour, water, and salt made into a thick dough before boiling. When cornmeal is added they're known as bollitos de maíz (boiled cornmeal dumplings).
  • jams and drinks. Guavaberry liqueur, which is made from rum, is a common Christmas drink on many of the islands, particularly in Sint Maarten and the Virgin Islands. The colonists from Denmark and Holland found it could flavor rum by infusion similar to infused schnapps.[3] In the Dominican Republic it is associated with the eastern town of San Pedro de Macorís which has a large population of Eastern Caribbean descent.[4]
  • Jonnycakes, a dish brought by sugarcane workers from the Lesser Antilles over a century ago.
    Yanikeiki, also called Yaniqueques

Cuban and Puerto Rican influences

Dominican cuisine is adopted from Puerto Rico and Cuba, though the dish names differ sometimes. Because of the historic migration between Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico its three cultures are closely related. It is unclear for most dishes between these countries on where it originated from. Dishes like mofongo and pasteles de hola originated from Puerto Rico, Moros y Cristianos and yuca con mojo from Cuba have become part of Dominican cuisines and culture. Dominican majarete, pastelon, and mamajuana has gain popularity in both Puerto Rico and Cuba.

  • Majarete – Pudding made with blended corn, cornstarch, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. This dessert is claimed by Cuba and Dominican Republic. The only difference is Dominicans add nutmeg while Cubans add lemon zest and raisins. Puerto Rico's first cookbook written in 1859 claims the dessert is of Dominican origin.
  • Mofongo
    Mofongo
    Original from Puerto Rico. It is made from fried, boiled or roasted plantains, cassave, or breadfruit mashed with chicharrón and seasoned typically with garlic, fat (olive oil, lard, or butter) and, broth.
  • Pasteles de hoja – Plantain and root tamales stuffed with meat has its origin in Puerto Rico and made its way to the Dominican Republic in the beginning of the 20th century.

Dominican dishes

  • Arepitas – Shredded yuca or cornmeal fritters mixed with eggs, sugar, and anise seeds. Yuca arepitas also go by arañitas, "little spiders".
  • Bollitos de yuca – The recipe is exact to carimañola in Colombia and Panama.
  • Catibía – Empanada dough made from tapioca flour and water.
  • Chicharrón de pollo – This fried chicken dish also goes by pica pollo. Chicken is marinated in lime juice and coated with flour, garlic, and orégano. There are existing recipes with rum or soy sauce as a marine. It is served with tostones and lime.
  • Chulitos – Fresh grated cassava filled with ground meat and fried.
  • slaw
    .
  • Spaghetti a la Dominicana – Spaghetti with Dominican salami eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
  • Pico y pala – Chicken feet and necks are associated with popular dining rooms and cafeterias, very common in low income neighborhoods. Usually cooked with onions, cilantro, culantro, oregano, and sugar.
  • Guisados – Meat, fish, beans, or vegetables cooked in a tomato sauce base with Dominican-style sazón. Small amounts of sour orange or lime juice and sugar are traditionally added.[5] When done it is served with rice. This is a popular staple in Dominican kitchens, and carnes guisadas are one of the components of the traditional Dominican lunch meal (la bandera). Carne mechada is braised tenderloin
    or flank. Brasied oxtail and cow tongue are usually spicy using Scotch bonnet or other local chilies. Beans and vegetables are cooked the same but with no citrus added.
  • Yaroa – Boiled mashed plantains or yuca layered with meat, melted cheese, with ketchup and mayonnaise on top. Sold on trucks.

Pastelón

Pastelón can de describe as a casserole or shepherd's pie. A main element of Dominican cuisine. There are more than six variations in the Dominican Republic the most popular ones being pastelón de platano maduro (yellow plantain casserole) and pastelón de yuca (cassava casserole). Pastelón origins can be found in other Latin American Countries like Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Panama and Cuba. Pastelón are usually stuffed with ground meat or chicken.

  • Pastelón de arroz - Rice, meat, and cheese casserole.
  • Pastelón de berenjena - Eggplants are sliced, floured and fried in oil. They are layered with cheese (cheddar and mozzarella are frequently used) and occasionally meat. It's similar to eggplant parmigiana and moussaka but with no sauce.
  • Pastelón de maíz - Tamale pie.
  • Pastelón de plátano maduro - Sweet plantain casserole.
  • Pastelón de papa - Shepherd's pie using Dominican spices.

Sauces

  • Agrio de naranja - Sour orange juice steeped with oregano, garlic, and chilies. It's concentrated a pique sauce usually paired with soup.
  • Wasakaka – Very similar to mojo and chimichurri. The sauce is made by simmering water with garlic, parsley, olive oil, and sour orange. Once cooled it is served with roasted chicken and boiled cassava.

Breads

  • Telera – Dominican bread similar to Mexican Telera. Typically served on Christmas.
  • Pan de agua
  • Pan de coco – Coconut bread show up in many Central American cuisines and Caribbean cuisinines. Particularly in Nicaragua, Venezuela, Honduras, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Recipes are the same or similar but results in the same flavor and most of the time texture.
  • Pan de mantequilla

Soups

Dominicans enjoy making soups. More than a third of the country's total population lives in poverty, and almost 20 per cent are living in extreme poverty. In rural areas poor people constitute half of the population. Soup in the Dominican Republic is easy, cheap and can feed a large number of people.[citation needed]

  • Aguají – Plantain puree soup seasoned with sofrito.
  • Buche e perico – Corn chowder.
  • Chambre or Chapea – Kidney beans or white beans, rice, pigeon peas, squash, longaniza (sausage), plantains, vegetables, tubers, and sofrito.
  • Guandules de coco - Pigeon peas stewed in coconut milk, squash, and sofrito.
  • Sancocho de guandules - Pigeon peas stewed with squash, sofrito, and pork.
  • Sancocho de siete carnes – Seven meat stew is the Dominican Republicans national soup. If beans are added it is known as sancocho de habichuela.
  • Sopa de mondongo - Beef tripe soup.

Rice

Most dishes in the Dominican Republic are served with long-grain rice. A popular staple of the Dominican cuisine.

  • Arroz blanco - White rice. This basic rice can be served with stew beans, braised meat, or soups.
  • Arroz con maíz or Moro de maíz - Rice with corn combines the sweet flavor of corn with the salty flavor of rice cooked with red onions, orégano and cilantro.
  • Chofan - Although it's referred to as "Dominican fried rice" there has been no change to its Asian origin, only adding Dominican orégano.
  • Concón - Is usually something not cooked on its own. Instead, it is a byproduct of cooking rice. Simply put, it is the layer of burnt hard oily rice left behind when cooking in a caldero (iron pot). Historians have also traced Dominican love for 'concón' from the
    Nigerian
    word 'konkon' for oily.
  • Locrio - Classic style of mixing rice with other kind of meat.
  • Moro de guandules con coco
    - Rice, pigeon peas (guandules), sofrito and coconut milk dish served for Christmas.
  • Moro de habichuela - Rice cooked with beans and sofrito in the same pot.

Desserts

Habichuela con dulce

Dominican desserts include flan, puddings, and tropical fruit-based sweets. Dulce de coco (coconut fudge), dulce de leche (caramelized milk), and majarete (cornmeal pudding) are also common Dominican desserts. Dominican puddings are often made with bread, sweet potato, or rice.[6]

  • Almibar de frutas – Fruit cooked in syrup. The most popular is called mala rabia. Guava, sweet plantains, and sweet potato with cinnamon.
  • Arepa – Cornmeal and coconut cake. Dominican arepa is different from that of the Venezuelan and Colombian arepa.
  • Bizcocho Dominicano – Dominican cake uses a basic cake recipe with vanilla, eggs, flour, sugar, margarine, and baking soda, milk with orange juice and lime zest. When done the cake is then filled with pineapple jam and frosted with meringue.
  • Brazo gitano – Rolled sponge cake with guava filling.
  • Canquiña
  • Dulce de coco tierno – Fresh coconut cooked slowly with milk, sugar and cinnamon.
  • Dulce de leche
  • Dulce de Leche en Tabla – Milk fudge is usually eaten with pineapple jam.
  • Habichuelas con dulce – Sweet creamed beans dessert. Made with coconut milk, sweet potato chunks, etc.
  • Jalea de batata – Sweet potato pudding slowly cooked with spices, sugar, milk, and coconut milk.
  • Macaroon – Coconut macaroons are popular all over the island. Jalao are coconut macaroons made with honey and ginger.
  • Palitos de coco – Shredded coconut lollipops cooked with condensed milk. When done they are formed into small balls and coated in a simple syrup made from sugar, corn syrup, and red food coloring.
  • Tres leches cake[7]
  • Arroz con leche
  • Flan

Beverages

The most popular drinks in the Dominican Republic are rum locally known as romo, beer (especially

Cuba libre, and mojitos
from Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Bottles of mamajuana
  • sapodilla.[8]
  • Chocolate de maníPeanut milk, a drink that originated in South America. Modern recipes add spices, sugar, corn, milk, and rum.
  • Mama Juana – an alcoholic drink concocted by allowing rum, red wine, and honey to soak in a bottle with tree bark and herbs.
  • Jugo de avena – A spiced oatmeal drink popular throughout South America and the Caribbean.
  • Morir Soñando
    – Evaporated milk, sugar, orange juice, and sometimes added vanilla and lime juice.

Geographical differences

What Dominicans tend to eat depends highly on where they live: whether near the sea or in the interior mountains. In either case, most Dominican meat dishes tend to involve pork, as pigs are farmed quite heavily on the island. Meat dishes tend to be very well cooked or even stewed in Dominican restaurants, a tradition stemming from the lesser availability of refrigeration on the island.[citation needed]

Seaside Dominican fishing villages will have great varieties of seafood, the most common being shrimp, marlin, mahi-mahi or dorado, and lobster. Most villagers more commonly dine on cheap, lesser-quality fish, usually stewed with la criolla, a type of rice. Premium seafood tends to be too expensive for the many locals, and is saved for the island's upper class and the tourist resorts.[citation needed]

Differences between Dominican cuisine and those of other parts of the

oregano. Dominican sofrito is known on the island as sazón.[9]

References

  1. ^ Historical Dictionary of the Dominican Republic. p. 86.
  2. ^ "Food Crops". U.S. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
  3. . Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  4. ^ "Guavaberry Drink and Jam - Cocolo Culture". 25 April 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  5. ^ "Pollo Guisado (Dominican Chicken)". Dominican Cooking. 2012-02-16. Archived from the original on 2021-04-17. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  6. ^ Latino Food Culture. p. 79.
  7. ^ "Dominican Desserts - 100+ Popular Dessert Recipes + Videos". 16 May 2022.
  8. ^ "30+ Traditional Dominican Drinks - A Complete Guide". 10 May 2022.
  9. ^ Clara, Tia (2011-01-01). "Dominican Sofrito & Sazón Recipe and Video". Dominican Cooking. Retrieved 2023-07-03.

Further reading

External links