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Hello again, my food-loving adventurers! We hope you are ready to try some new dishes from another place because this time, we are going to the place where Reggae was born. Yeah, we are going to Jamaica to talk about their most famous dishes.
Jamaican food is influenced by English, Spanish, Indian, French, West African, and Amerindian people who have lived in Jamaica at some point in history. When we begin talking about some specific dishes, we will note those influences. All of those different influences have made this type of cuisine all the more unique since it picks a lot of different sources and inspirations, thus making for a much more peculiar experience from a culinary perspective.
Jamaican cuisine has a wide variety of meats, seafood, and tropical fruits, so get ready because we will see a lot of them today. Some of them are simple, some are more complex, but all are good in their own way, which is the point of cuisine. Without further ado, let’s begin with this one!
1. Ackee and Saltfish
This dish is probably the most famous Jamaican food out there. It is officially considered the national fish of this country. So, it makes sense that it is the first choice on this list, especially considering its simplicity and how it connects to the country of Jamaica as a whole.
Ackee and saltfish are made from ackee, Jamaica's national fruit, and salted codfish, which was introduced to Jamaica for enslaved people. The dish is prepared by sautéing the salt cod with boiled onions, tomatoes, ackee, and bonnet peppers, and later, it is seasoned with spices like paprika. This food is usually served as a breakfast alongside bacon, dumplings, or green bananas or eaten with rice, peas, or white rice.
As a fun fact, this is Usain Bolt’s favorite breakfast, per the legendary Jamaican athlete’s own words. So, that is another element special detail involving this dish for those who are hesitant to give it a chance.
2. Fish tea
At first glance, this doesn’t sound so good, but don’t worry—this is not a tea but a soup. Fish tea is a spicy soup from Jamaica that is similar to a fish bouillon. This soup is made of cassava, ground yam, potatoes, green bananas, and pumpkins, which are cooked until they are very soft. Later, 15 pounds of fish are added, and it is flavored with coconut milk and seasoned with ingredients like scallion, butter, black pepper, and salt. Some people also add carrots or chayote for more flavor. Some believe that this dish acts as an aphrodisiac.
3. Mannish water
According to legends, mannish water is another Jamaican dish that is also considered an aphrodisiac. Mannish water is a goat soup made from various goat parts. The Jamaicans make this soup by taking the pieces of the goat and tripes and seasoning them with local spices and herbs like fresh thyme, allspice berries, adobo, and taro root. It is cooked alongside yams, dumplings, bananas, and potatoes.
Mannish water is a very popular Jamaican food and is believed to have inspired the title of the 1973 Rolling Stones album “Goats Head Soup,” which was partially recorded in Kingston, Jamaica. So, in a way, it also has somewhat of a connection to rock and roll royalty, which is always a nice detail.
4. Bulla cake
This next Jamaican food is traditionally popular for kids and schoolchildren, and yeah, they deserve to have an entry in this list. The bulla cake, or just bulla, is a cake made with molasses, a viscous product obtained from sugarcane. It is spiced with nutmeg and ginger and is often eaten with cheese, avocado, and butter.
The bullas are small, round, relatively easy to make, and cheap. This dish is a very traditional Jamaican food and is often seen as a symbol of Jamaica's development. It can be argued that it is one of the most unique and delicious dishes in the country while also having a strong connection to Jamaicans' constant growth and heritage.
5. Stew peas
Coconut milk is already a very peculiar drink to taste, but the Jamaicans have managed to raise the quality standard with this one. That’s why it deserves a place on this list.
The stew peas are a stew made of coconut milk and beans that can be pigeon peas or kidney peas, and salted meals like pork or beef as the primary ingredients. Scallions, pigtail, onion, and garlic can be used as additional ingredients. The stew peas are often prepared by using flour dumplings by the Jamaican, and these dumplings are known as “spinners” there, and this dish is considered a staple dish in Jamaican restaurants and homes.
6. Bammy
At first glance, it would be very normal to confuse them with an empanada, but to be honest, this is the Jamaican version of the empanada. The Bammy is a traditional cassava flatbread that has been eaten since the Arawaks, who were Jamaica’s original inhabitants. The bammy is made from cassava with salt added to taste and is served as a snack or consumed as a meal, and just like the empanada, you can eat them with any filling you want. One curious thing is that in the 90s, the United Nations established a program to revive bammy production.
7. Toto
Coconut is one of the most used ingredients in Jamaican cuisine, and this next food is made of coconut, too. The Toto, or Tuoto or Toe-toe bulla, is a small coconut cake traditionally served at most family reunions. It is prepared with shredded coconut, flour, powder, brown sugar, coconut milk, and baking soda.
It is also worth pointing out that this cake got its origin from the slave trade. When the slaves were hungry, they combined coconut, molasses, and flour, which resulted in this cake. So this delicacy dates from the 19th century, but many claim that it is even older than this.
And for those rock aficionados out there, no information suggests that the legendary Toto was named that way because of this food. It is, as far as people know, a happy coincidence.
8. Run down
This next dish comes from Jamaica, but it was exported to Latin America, and because of that, many people also say that it was created in Tobago. That, in and of itself, is an entire cultural debate among these two countries, much like the origins of the arepa in Colombia and Venezuela.
The run down, or fling mi for, is a stew dish consisting of a coconut milk soup with different types of seafood, including fish, crabs, or lobsters, with plantain, onion, tomato, and seasonings. This dish is traditionally served with breadfruit or dumplings alongside it, and thanks to the exportation in the early 9th century, this Jamaican food is served in Caribbean countries like Colombia, Honduras, Venezuela, Costa Rica, and Panamá.
9. Stamp and go
This next dish has been very popular for travelers throughout history and is often considered one of the “true” original fast foods created in Jamaica. The Stamp and Go is part of the Jamaican breakfast. This dish is essentially a fish fritter made with salt fish and is usually served with tangy dips and hot sauces.
This dish's unusual and weird name comes from the 18th century; the words “Stamp and Go” were used by offices when they wanted something to be done faster than usual. This is the Jamaican food with the most unique name on this list, to be fair.
10. Red peas soup
The last dish on this list is a soup. A soup perfect for chilly evenings that will make you feel warm and comfortable. The red peas soup is a soup made of, of course, red beans, thyme, aromatics like green onions and garlic, coconut milk (they do love coconuts), pimento berries, and vegetable bouillon cubes, and is usually eaten with yam and dumplings.
This soup is very easy to prepare and very nutritious. It is said that the red pea soup will warm your soul and give you a satisfying feeling. Therefore, it is a very good combination of being delicious and good for people’s health, which is always good.
Finding Jamaican Food Near Me
Are you eager to try all these dishes but not sure where to start? Finding Jamaican food near me is easier than most people think. Check out local markets and restaurants specializing in cuisine from this part of the world, or use food apps to discover hidden gems. And remember, the best way to enjoy Jamaican cuisine is with your loved ones and having a good time.
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