Dominican Republic – Food and products

Dominican Republic - Food and products

Dominican Republic - Food and products

Food and products

Cuisine and traditional dishes in the Dominican Republic

Dominican cuisine is a mix of Spanish, African and Indian cuisines.

The basis of most of the main meals are rice, beans, corn, yucca (a plant from the subfamily of agave-like remnants of plame) and fried bananas – platanos. Stewed vegetables are often also consumed. From the meat its mainly poultry, pork and mutton or goat meat.

Since the Dominican Republic is an island state, it is obvious that fish and seafood are an integral part of local cuisine. Fish is served grilled (a la plancha), fried, with the sauce (a la criolla) or prepared in the coconut milk (a la coco).

In the Dominican Republic you can also taste Creole cuisine, which mixes the Spanish and Latin cuisine. The basis for this kitchen is potatoes, tomatoes or corn.

Spices which are most commonly used are chilli, curry, cloves and coriander. The dishes are also seasoned with onions and garlic, limes, coconut milk, manioc and celery.

 

National dish

As the national dish can be considered the dish called “La Bandera Dominicana” – in English: the Dominican flag. The name of this dish stems from the colour of national flags and colour of the dish, which are the same. La Bandera Dominicana is stewed beef with rice and red beans.

The vegetarian version is called “Moro de habichuelas” – a blend of rice with beans. This dish is typical of all Latin American countries.

Flavored batats or bananas wrapped in batter made from flour, eggs and tum are the most common side dishes in the Dominican Republic.

Another popular dish is called “mangú”. It’s a light puree made from green bananas mixed with onion and olive oil. Puree is served with ham and cheese especially for breakfast or dinner.

 

Sweets and fruits

We can also find a wide selection of sweets in the Dominican Republic. The most common desserts are fried bananas, but this time they are spilled with caramel and sprinkled with grated coconut, further more it’s rice pudding, caramel cream flavored with coconut, vanilla and fruit, mango cake, sweet coconut paste or “flan” pudding. The most popular and most typical dessert of the Dominican Republic is Habichuelas Con Dulce – beans prepared with coconut milk, sugar and cinnamon.

And then, of course, you can also find plenty of fruit – pineapples, bananas, melons, mango, papaya, citruses and many others exotic species – passionflower, jagua, limoncillo, and others. Fruits are served fresh, cooked or candied.

Drinks

Dominicans’ national drink is rum, which is drunk in every occasion. White Rum is also the basis of all mixed drinks, whether it’s Piña Colada, Cuba Libre, Coco Loco or Mojito. If you prefer to enjoy the taste of rum itself, then you should definitely order the dark rum. Very popular is also Daiquiri (rum with lemon juice), rum punch and “Mama Juana” ¬– the Dominican specialties prepared from Dominican rum, red wine and honey, with the addition of tree barks and herbs.

From non-alcoholic beverages are consumed excellent 100% fruit juices, nektars, punch, milk or coconut water, fruit milk cocktails.

Another highly consume bevarage is beer. You can find it mainly in bottles. The most famous beer is Presidente, Bohemia or Brahma.

Specialities of Dominican cuisine

asopao – risotto

callaloo – soup of tara leaves with meat or crustaceans

casabe con ajo – bread made of cassava with garlic

cazuela de mariscos – seafood (fresh or stewed with tomatoes, garlic and spices)

cocoyuka – coconut pie with fruit

empanadas, empanadas de catibía – manioc flour bags

fritos maduros / platanitos – fried bananas / fried green bananas

frituras de batata – fried sweet potatoes

chicharrones de pollo – fried chicken

chicken asado / guisado – roasted / stewed goat (or lamb) meat

locrío de cerdo – rice with pork

mofongo – a spicy mixture of meat and bananas

morcilla – dark haggis

pastelitos, pastelones – pouches stuffed with melted meat

pescado con coco – fish in coconut milk

platanitos / tostones – thin / thick fried slices of banana – platanos

pollo al carbon – roast chicken

quips – salty pancakes filled with meat

rosqueticos – fried rings of corn dough

Sancocho de Carnes Network – Soup of seven types of meat (chicken, pork, kid and smoked)

 

Dominican cigars

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