Nutrition and Diversity: Exploring The Jamaican Cuisine

The Jamaican cuisine is one of the most diverse and exciting cuisines in the Caribbean. Jamaica’s varied ethnic heritage has resulted in a cuisine featuring a combination of African, Indian, Spanish and British influences. Whether you’re looking to try something completely different, or to explore ingredients and flavors you may already be familiar with, Jamaican cuisine provides something unique.

One of the most popular Jamaican dishes is jerk chicken. This marinated chicken dish features a combination of mild and spicy flavors, including allspice, ginger, cinnamon and pimento. Jerk chicken is traditionally served with a variety of other Jamaican sides and sauces such as festival, rice and bammy. Other meat kind that can be jerked are; shrimp, fish, and pork.

Jamaican dishes are typically spicier than other Caribbean flavors due to the use of chilies and seasoning. Curry dishes such as curry goat, curry chicken and curry shrimp are very popular in Jamaica and are enjoyed throughout the country. These dishes are usually served with a traditional popular staple with protein known as “rice and peas”.

Rice and peas is a classic Jamaican side dish, which is made from rice cooked with coconut milk, red kidney beans and various spices such as allspice, thyme and scallion. This delicious dish is often served with jerk chicken, and almost any meat kind, as well as other traditional Jamaican entrees.

Ackee and saltfish is another dish that is popular in Jamaica. Ackee is a tropical fruit that is incredibly popular in Jamaica, and when cooked with salty fish, results in an incredibly tasty dish.

Jamaica is also renowned for its delicious soups and stews. Oxtail is a favorite, which is cooked with, onions, garlic and allspice and served with a side dish. Other common Jamaican soups and stews include mannish water, which is a hearty mutton broth, red peas soup, and pumpkin soup cooked with a variety of meat such as beef, chicken feet, and cow skin.

All around Jamaica, people enjoy a sweet and spicy dish called jerk pork. This is made from pork that has been marinated in a combination of scallions, garlic and different types of peppers. The pork is then traditionally cooked over a wood fire, giving it an incredible smoky flavor.

No exploration of Jamaican cuisine is complete without trying a classic Jamaican patty. This savory pastry is filled with a variety of classic Jamaican fillings such as brown stewed minced beef, curried chicken, curried shrimp/lobster, soy, ackee and callaloo.

Jamaica has a wide variety of delicious local dishes that explore the African, Indian, Spanish and British influences that make up this unique Caribbean flavor. From jerk chicken to curry dishes, rice and peas, oxtail stews and patties, Jamaican cuisine offers something unique to explore and enjoy. So if you’re looking to take a culinary adventure, you are not far from the first restaurant you come across in Jamaica.