How to Cook Haitian Food
Learning how to cook Haitian food is a great way to try out different cultural cuisine. Haitian foods get their ingredients from many different historical influences. To properly try Haitian cooking, sample the different regional favorites and styles. Slow cook these dishes to get the savory aroma and subtle blending of ordinary ingredients. Serve your main course with some sweet fresh fruit or a delectable sweetened desert. Sugarcane is plentiful on the island of Haiti.
- Learn Haitian culture and traditions as you learn about their unique cuisine. The food has been influenced by a variety of different cultures. Most Haitians make use of what is readily available in their native country.
- Know that garlic, onions and peppers can form the basis of many dishes. Haitians are fond of pepper.
- Find some authentic recipes and try them out. Search for recipes online or in cookbooks.
- Slow cook your meals to get that distinctive blending of flavors that Haitian cooking is known for.
- Use rice and beans in your dishes, as they are a staple to many Haitian’s diet. There is a recipe called Djon Djon that is very popular. This recipe calls for dried mushrooms, which are used to make a broth. The mushrooms themselves are generally not used unless it is for the topping layer. It is best to buy these mushrooms fresh as others may contain artificial unhealthy ingredients.
- Use plenty of yams, plantains, beans, okras and sugar deserts. These staples are native to the country and have evolved into different types of dishes. Different types of rice are also utilized.
- Cook your dished the Haitian way by frying or slow cooking for longer periods. Add your ingredients as needed since many meals are made for many people.
- Try out some different styles of Haitian cooking. There are variations depending on the region and the affluence of the people.
- Experiment with different types of culture influenced foods to get a great sampling of Haitian cuisine.