Why does Caribbean food have Indian influence?

After the abolishment, they still needed this workforce, so they brought a workforce from India under a system called indentureship. These individuals brought their culture and food to the Caribbean, adding another layer to the Caribbean Creole cuisine we know today.

Why is curry popular in the Caribbean?

According to Sen’s book, 1.5 million Indians migrated to other parts of the British Empire between 1834 and 1917, including 114,000 to Trinidad and Tobago and 36,000 to Jamaica. The mass migration resulted in an influx of new cooking techniques, ingredients and dishes, including curry.

Which type of food did the Indians take to the Caribbean?

Their daily diet consists of vegetables and fruits such as papaya, yams, guavas, and cassava. The Taino began the process of preparing meat and fish in large clay pots. The Carib Indians introduced spices and lemon juice to their meat and fish recipes. In general, the favorite Caribbean dish is seasoned jerk chicken.

Is Jamaican food similar to African food?

Jamaican cuisine includes a mixture of cooking techniques, flavours and spices influenced by Amerindian, African, Irish, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Indian, Chinese and Middle Eastern people who have inhabited the island.

Is Caribbean food good for you?

Many staple foods in the Caribbean and African diet are good for health. From leafy green vegetables to fresh mango, to beans, there are lots of nutrient rich choices. However traditional foods which are fried or have high levels of salt and fat should be limited.

Is curry Jamaican or Indian?

Jamaica. Although people of Indian origin constitute only 3 per cent of Jamaica’s population, traditional Indian foods such as “curry goat”, roti and callaloo are now seen as “Jamaican”. (Jamaicans sometimes name their food for the cooking technique: curry goat, stew chicken, jerk pork, steam fish and so on.)

Did Indians bring curry to Jamaica?

Indians introduced spices like curry powder and turmeric as well as traditional Indian food like curry goat, curried potato, eggplant, bitter gourd okra, roti, and callaloo, which has become a part of the Jamaican cuisine.

Why is Mexican food so similar to Indian food?

Similar climates (mostly hot and either desert or tropical) result in the same or similar foods growing well and hence dishes based on similar ingredients. Mexico uses corn in ways that India uses wheat (tortillas vs chapatis, both made the same way but with different grains).

What is unique about Caribbean food?

The Caribbean food has a distinct flavor and rich history. This blend creates flavors as vibrant as the colors of the islands themselves. A peculiar seasoning tradition used in the region is based on green herbs and oil-based marinades called Mojo.

How spicy is Caribbean food?

Caribbean cooking is a melting pot of influences from every culture that has visited the islands. Caribbean food isn’t ALL spicy. They do like their seasonings and jerk is very popular, but there are plenty of sweets and savory dishes without spice, too.

What is Caribbean cuisine?

The Caribbean encompasses many countries and a mixture of cultures. But when it comes to popular food in this region, what exactly is Caribbean cuisine? Essentially, Caribbean cuisine is a mixture of foods from many cultures. It includes ingredients and flavors from many parts of the world.

What makes West Indian food so special?

Over time, these disparate culinary forms adapted to fruits, herbs, spices, fish, and meats readily available throughout the West Indies. They further melded with pre-existing Taino Indian and Afro-Caribbean cooking techniques yielding distinctively rich and flavorable dishes.

What is the national dish of the Caribbean?

Caribbean National Dishes Anguilla Pigeon Peas and Rice Antigua and Barbuda Fungee and Pepperpot Aruba Keshi Yena The Bahamas Cracked Conch with Peas and Rice Barbados Cou-Cou and Flying Fish

What to eat in the West Indies?

Keshi Yena is a stuffed cheese casserole loaded with spicy meat (usually chicken). Raisins, prunes, and/or olives are also sometimes added. Just as France holds elite status in the world of gastronomy, so too do the French Caribbean islands stand as the most celebrated culinary destinations in the West Indies.