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The following is a list of commonly used spices, fruits and
roots found in the Dominican Republic
Auyama - Auyama
is a Cooking pumpkin.
Bread Fruit
- The breadfruit was brought from the South Pacific Islands
to the West Indies by Captain.Bligh in HMS "Bounty"
by order of Captain.James Cook. Its fruit is round and full
of seeds which are boiled and consumed.
Cassava - Cassava
is a root which is also called Manioc or Yuca. This plant
is native to the West Indies and was used by the Taino Indians
for much of their cooking in the pre-columbian era.
Chayote - Also
native to the West Indies it is commonly called Tayota. It
is green and pear shaped This low-calorie vegetable is usually
used in salads as well as in side dishes. It can be boiled
or baked
Coconut - It
is a tropical tree of the Palm family. The fruit requires
about one year to ripen and has an inner, hard-shell nut.
When green, the nut contains abundant, edible, soft meat and
liquid. As it ripens, the meat becomes thicker and harder,
and the coconut water dries out.
Coffee - There
are about 25 species of the coffee plant grown in the Tropics.
The Dominican Republic is famous for is coffee.
Coriander -
Also called Cilantro, it is widely cultivated and consumed
in Latin-American countries. The leaves and seeds have an
aromatic taste used to flavor soups, vegetables and meats.
The most common coriander is called "Recaito" and
looks like parsley. In the Dominican Republic another type
of coriander is grown which has wider leaves, and a stronger
flavor and aroma this is called "Cilantros Hancha".
Goat - Goat
meat is edible and more delicate in flavor than lamb. It is
widely consumed in the Dominican Republic.
Green Pigeon Pea
- The pods are generally picked before the seeds are fully
mature and are still green and tender. The ripened seeds are
also edible, but they take longer to cook.
Guanabana -
Is a fruit of the Guanabano tree which is a variety of the
sugar apple tree native to the West Indies. Its green skin
has small blunt thorns and its pulp is white with black seeds.
This fruit, when fully ripe, has a delicate, sweet, pleasing
flavor. It is used to make drinks and preserves.
Guava - Commonly
known as Guyaba in the Dominican Republic. They have a pink
pulp full of seeds. Guavas are used to make jams, jellies,
preserves and drinks. They are full of vitamin A,B and C.
Heart of Palm
- In order to eat this food, which is regarded as a delicacy
an entire tree must be chopped down. Please do not promote
de-forestation by ordering this item off any menus. It is
however wonderful in taste and if you have a chance to eat
it with a local family who have just finished building their
home and therefore have already cut the tree down, do take
advantage of that.
Longaniza -
It is a local-made, long, spicy pork sausage that can be boiled
or fried. It is often added to Sancocho.
Mamey - It
is round tropical fruit with a hard brown skin and a bright
orange meat from which a delicious preserve is made.
Mango - Native
to the tropical world, the mango tree is a member of the Cashew
family. There are several types of mangoes and their fruits
vary in shape, size and taste. Some fruits are as small as
plums; others may weigh up to 5 pounds. Their color also varies
from green to yellow, orange or red. They are rich in vitamins
A,C and D.
Ñame
- Ñame which was brought over from West Africa is one
of the main species of yam and is different from the American
sweet potato.Ñame is not sweet and can weigh up to
50 pounds. It has dark-brown, rough skin and a white, moist
flesh. It can be boiled, mashed, baked or fried and it is
often added to soups. It has a bit of a sweet taste and is
fantastic.
Okra - It is
widely cultivated in the Tropics. Its hearty flavor makes
okra an excellent ingredient added to stews, soups or sauteed
fish.
Papaya - Commonly
called Lechosa in the Dominican Republic. It is cultivated
in all of the tropical areas. There are some varieties of
this slightly sweet fruit, which can weigh as much as 25 pounds.
When fully ripe, it has a green to yellow skin, a yellow,
orange or salmon colored flesh, and a central cavity full
of small, black seeds. It is used in fruit salads, drinks
and preserves.
Passion-Fruit
- Commonly known as Chinola in the Dominican Republic, it
is normally about the size of a plum. When ripe, the outer
skin is yellow and hard. The inside contains a bright orange
pulp full of black seeds. It is used to make drink and jams.
It is an excellent source of vitamin A and C.
Pineapple (Piña)
- Native to the Caribbean the pineapple belongs to the Bromeliaceae
family and are called Piñas.in the Dominican Republic.
They grow from a plant from the ground and are widely consumed.
Plantain (Platino)
- Plantain is a plant from the Banana family but taller and
with wider leaves. Its fruit is also bigger and harder than
the regular banana. The plantain is not edible raw. While
still green, it can be boiled, baked or fried. Its peel has
to be removed using a sharp being careful not to cut the flesh.
The ripe plantain turns yellow with dark spots and it can
become very sweet depending on the degree of ripeness. Its
peel is soft and easy to remove. As with the green plantain,
it can be boiled, baked or fried. The platino leaves are not
edible but are used to wrap vegetable patties.
Pumpkin - Pumpkin
is also called Squash. The American pumpkins are yellow to
orange and can weigh up to 100 pounds or more. The Caribbean
squash, also called Calabaza or Auyama, is oblong with dark
orange flesh and an orange or green skin It can grow quite
large but not as large as the American ones. The rind is removed
and the pulp is boiled, mashed and added to soups.
Sapote - Sapote
is also called Zapote or Marmalade Tree. Native to the Caribbean.
This fruit is oval shaped and about eight inches long and
four inches in diameter. The skin is rough and brown, the
flesh is red and has a sweet delicate flavor.
Sour Orange
- The Caribbean sour orange is smaller and more acidic than
the one grown in the States. Its juice is usually sprinkled
on meats and fish to clean them before the marinating procedure.
It is also used as a substitute for vinegar. It can be added
to soups and stews.
Sugar - Sugar
that is consumed in the Dominican Republic comes from sugar
cane which is a tropical, giant, thick, perennial grass known
for its sweet sap. It is widely used in the process of making
rum and its exportation was the countries largest source of
income before the tourism boom in the 90's.
Sweet potato
- Sweet potato known Batata in the Dominican Republic is native
to the West Indies. The Caribbean sweet potato is a sweeter
variety than the American that may have either brown or purple-red
skin and white or yellow flesh. It can be boiled, baked, fried,
mashed and used to make puddings.
Tamarindo -
The tamarind belongs to the Pea family. It was brought over
from Africa. The fruit is a pod which contains up to 12 large
seeds and a soft, flavorful, brown pulp. The pulp is used
to make drinks, syrups, jams and sauces.
Yautia - It
has a rough brown skin and a starchy white flesh that can
be boiled, baked or fried. It is also called Taro. Similar
to Ñame, kind of a purple-ish color when cooked found
in many Dominican stews.
Yuca - Yuca
is a root which is also called Manioc or Cassava. This plant
is native to the West Indies and was used by the Taino Indians
for much of their cooking in the pre-columbian era.
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