Haiti’s cuisine is filled with vibrant spices and exquisite tastes, offering something different to food enthusiasts looking for an experience beyond their customary cuisines.
Griyo is a dish of pork shoulder seasoned with citrus. After being deep-fried and served alongside rice, beans, and pikliz, meat and seafood enthusiasts should not miss this must-try dish!
Banana Peze
Haitian Fried Plantains (banana meze) can be easily made in an air fryer and enjoyed as healthy appetizers. It is a tasty alternative to chips and significantly more beneficial than deep frying in oil. This recipe uses natural oils and spices for maximum flavor!
Haitians enjoy a diverse cuisine that draws upon cultural influences from Taino natives, Africans, and French influences. Although Haitian cuisine owes much to Latin Caribbean cuisines, Haitian dishes remain distinct in flavor, one prominent element being pikliz – an array of spicy food garnishes served at meals in Haiti.
Haitians take great pride in creating delicious banana see, or double-fried green plantains, that offer an incredible depth of flavor. Not only are these mouthwatering morsels tasty, but they are also packed with fiber and potassium and help lower blood pressure and the risk of diabetes.
Diri Ak Pwa
Haitian cuisine is bold and spicy, blending influences from West African and French cooking styles. While often lumped into Caribbean cuisine, Haitian dishes retain their distinct identity. Haitian food can also be very healthy! You’ll find many delectable fried dishes such as griot and tassot – two tasty pork or cod bites featuring crispy batter.
Rice and beans are staples in Haitian cuisine but rarely consumed alone. Haiti’s version of red beans and rice, known as sauce pois, often features additional components like goat meat, beef, or fried plantains for topping.
Poule en sauce, commonly known as Haitian chicken stew, is an aromatic and flavorful meal typically enjoyed on Sunday evenings or special occasions; however, anyone can enjoy it any time! Served alongside salad or fried plantains. Another incredible Haitian stew, lalo, contains okra and mushrooms in an exquisite soup for maximum satiation and enjoyment.
Lalo
Lalo, a traditional Haitian vegetable stew, is an easy and satiating recipe with peppers, spinach, and beef as its core components. Served over white rice as part of dinner service in the Caribbean region, Lalo makes for an easy dinner choice that requires only minimal ingredients to prepare – perfect for anyone wanting an affordable home-cooked meal!
This dish is popular among Caribbean homes, often served with beef or blue crab. It is tasty and filling, but its nutritional profile includes calcium, iron, and protein, and it is packed full of folic acid and riboflavin!
Jute leaves, commonly called lalo in Haitian Creole, are extremely versatile in various cuisines worldwide. Rich in vitamins and minerals, these versatile leaves can be found at specialty stores in fresh, frozen, or dried form for use as ingredients in soups, stews, or simply as side dishes or on their own. In Haiti, they’re frequently served alongside beef or blue crab meat as part of an impressive culinary feast!
Soup Joumou
Soup joumou, an indulgent beef and vegetable Haitian soup, is enjoyed on January 1 to mark the Haitian Revolution that ended in 1804. This meal symbolizes freedom and shows those oppressed that their situation can change with courage.
Louis contends that during the 17th and 18th centuries, African slaves in Saint-Domingue cultivated squash to make soup joumou, yet their French plantation owners prohibited them from partaking in this delicacy. By doing this, Louis asserts, the French used joumou prohibition to affirm their superiority over Black people while simultaneously exercising colonial power.
Today, this dish symbolizes Haitian independence and its struggle for its future. Raphael stressed the importance of remembering Haitians haven’t had it easy in recent years and to ensure their legacy is acknowledged. For Fleurimond and her family, making soup joumou on Haiti’s independence day (which corresponds with New Year’s Eve) is an integral part of celebrations; traditionally served with Haitian bread called gro neg, its preparation is the cornerstone of many family celebrations.
Dous Makos
Dous Makos is a traditional Haitian dessert characterized by “sweet cream.” This treat embodies Haiti’s rich cultural legacy, and its creator, Belgian immigrant Fernand Macos, is symbolic of how many different influences have helped forge Haitian society into something unique and vibrant.
This dessert is typically created using milk, sugar, and flavorings, then formed into a rectangular shape before being manually cut into smaller pieces for service at special events or given as gifts to someone special.
This dish is also an ideal way to get acquainted with Haitian cuisine, which draws its inspiration from West African traditions while drawing influence from European cuisines. This blend makes Haitian food particularly special and appealing to non-natives alike, including rice, beans, and fried plantains as the staple foods; other popular dishes are Poule en Sauce chicken stew and Soup Joumou vegetable soup with chayote squash, green beans cabbage, and eggplant as main components that are typically spiced up with black pepper, garlic, and thyme for additional flavors!
