This shows the wonderful mix of island and coastal traditions with African, Indian, Asian and European influence that combine to provide a delicious and well rounded dish, along with the other favourite Caribbean meals below. As you will see below there is a vast range of diverse foods within Caribbean cooking.

Jerk Chicken is arguably the most famous Caribbean dish and really encompasses the culture of the Caribbean in general.

This a chicken that is coated in spices and herbs and slow cooked with these same ingredients. The typical ingredients are as follows:

Scotch bonnets

• Thyme
• Allspice
• Green onions
• Garlic
• Ginger

Jerk chicken, whether mild, hot or extremely spicy, is always enjoyed all over the Caribbean islands with rice and peas, or alternatively rice and beans and some vegetables. Rice and Peas could almost be described as a “stew” of rice and peas although they are cooked in a very different way. This traditional Caribbean dish could easily be said to be made solely of rice and peas, but in actual fact kidney or pigeon peas are traditionally mixed with rice for a variety of reasons. Rice and peas is an incredibly versatile Caribbean favorite because:

It is incredibly fast and easy to make

• It tastes fantastic!
• It compliments all kinds of meats and seafood.

While sometimes you can get versions with coconut milk, you can almost always add this to your rice and peas for a more enriching flavor. This dish can be added to an island family meal, or eaten with pretty much anything. Callaloo is a nutritious green dish that is found throughout almost all Caribbean Islands. The most basic recipe for Callaloo involves leafy vegetables that are seasoned with herbs and spices and cooked with coconut milk and garlic for an enriching flavor. Callaloo is:

Rich in nutrients

• High in vitamins and minerals
• Low in calories
• This is another versatile Caribbean food; it can be used as a lighter meal or it can be a nice side dish to an existing complex dish.

The Roti found in the Caribbean is virtually the same flatbread that is so loved in India, and for many years now has also become a favorite in Trinidad and Tobago. You will generally find Roti available with:

• Boiled potatoes
• Chickpeas
• Meat in curry sauce
• Vegetables

You can basically order anything you would like with your Roti flatbread and simply wrap it around the food inside and enjoy a satisfying meal on the go!

This is another favorite in many of the smaller Caribbean Islands, most notably around the Bahamas. Conche fritters consist of chopped Conch meat that is seasoned with herbs and spices before being deep fried and turned a lovely golden brown. Conch fritters consist of:

The popular Conche meat

• Aromatic herbs and spices
• Deep fried and golden brown

This crunchy and tasty treat is lovely with some kind of dipping sauce, or as part of an island meal.

The national dish of Barbados, flying fish and cou-cou, shows just how well the islands make use of the resources they are provided with by the seas and land, flying fish is a local fish and cou-cou is a dish that is made from cornmeal and okra.

The Caribbean Islands, as you may have assumed, are brimming with a huge variety of delicious seafood. Depending on your own preferences or how your food is cooked by locals or from other parts of the world, you may find this seafood served:

• Steamed
• Fried
• Stewed
• Grilled

There is a vast choice of different seafood that you can expect to find and some of the most common are:

• Lobster
• Mahi-mahi
• Shrimp
• Crab
• Snapper

This vast variety of different seafoods can also all be heavily seasoned with Caribbean spices and herbs so you can always count on a powerful and savory taste experience. The tropical fruits native to the Caribbean are essential in many dishes as a source of sweetness and flavor; some of the most commonly found are:

• Mango
• Papaya
• Coconut
• Passion fruit
• Pineapple
• Guava

This delightful array of exotic fruits can be incorporated into various meals, as a drink or dessert to compliment the spicy flavors within Caribbean food. The range of delightful Caribbean desserts are packed with exotic local fruit, so here are a few examples:

• Rum cake
• Bread pudding
• Cassava cake
• Coconut tart
• Sweet potato pudding

These are just a few examples of the incredibly sweet, spicy and flavorful Caribbean desserts that you can be sure to encounter when exploring the islands. The Caribbean drinks serve an extremely important role in the enjoyment of the islands food. Drinks are essential as they can either compliment or tone down the spicy and heavy flavors of Caribbean meals. Some of the best and most commonly found Caribbean drinks are:

• Ginger beer
• Sorrel drink
• Coconut water
• Fruit punches
• Passion fruit juic

As you can see, these drinks are designed to refresh, cool and quench your thirst with their light and summery qualities and this is something very important when dealing with the spices used in many of the Caribbean food items.

Conclusion

All the mentioned traditional Caribbean dishes play a part in their island life, spirit and the beauty of the Caribbean. Jerk Chicken and Rice and Peas give you fiery, smoky flavors, it is very rich. Ackee and Saltfish is so very unique it is like you are in a place you would never forget.
Combining recipes from all these cultures together with island fresh ingredients and unique Caribbean spices, traditional Caribbean dishes like these gives you the experience of original Caribbean flavor you would drool over. It doesn’t matter where you are at the moment either you are on the islands or somewhere else in the world you would experience the unique flavors of the islands if you just had a little taste of tradition.