If you take a trip through the Caribbean you would likely get to nibble some ‘Soul food’ preparations. Now let me unravel the mystery behind the Caribbean recipes containing soul food. The three ancient tribes Taino, Carib along with Arawak that belongs to India, when visited the Caribbean region had brought some of their native ingredients and mixed them with the local foodstuffs. These healthy foodstuffs became the every day diet of Caribbean natives and they named them ‘soul foods’. Delicacies made up of these vegetables and fruits give travelers a true essence of Caribbean recipes.
However, meat and fish dishes had been also incorporated by the Taino tribe in the meal containing soul foods. They use to cook meats in large vessels made up of clay. The blend of spices and herbs with the meats offer a divine dining experience. The most ditinguished and known Island of Caribbean is Jamaiica that is loaded with exclusive range of spices and herbs used in Caribbean cooking.
Subsequent to Tainos, came the Arawaks who introduced one of the most popular method of cooking meats and vegetables. They used wood to cook meat and other dishes on low fire. The meats were used to place directly on the wood so that meat can absorb the murky flavor of the wood. Caribbean food lovers immensly like this flavor and relish Craibbean recipes cooked with this method. The flavor and aroma directly reaches to the soul. This process of cooking food on wood was called as ‘barbacoa’ and this is the term that gave birth to ‘barbeque’.
One of the most entertaining and alluring characteristic of Caribbean recipes is the range of products and herb and spices. Caribbean is a mixture of religions and different customs, consequently all of them has their individual styles of cooking that can be modified according to individual taste. The most convincing tribe was the Carib who are recognized for introducing the flavoring agents and peppers to the Caribbean land. The ‘soul food’ contributed by them is still representing the superb Caribbean recipes. Soul recipes mainly contain Okra, yam, plantain, salted cod, banana, mangoes and sweet potato to name a few.
Most of the Caribbean soul food recipes are derived from Indian food culture, but Chinese and Spaniards are also credited for their contribution to the Caribbean recipes that still rules the Caribbean menu.
For further information on Tasty Caribbean recipes please look at Caribbean Recipe. You may also take a look at some awesome Breakfast recipes by clicking Breakfast Recipe.