A delicacy of Caribbean and Creole cuisine, conch fritters are the national dish of sunny Bahamas. It consists of pounded, tenderized conch meat that is fried in batter with tomatoes, onions, celery, bell peppers, and various, often peppery seasonings.
Conch meat is combined with vegetables because it takes a lot of effort to obtain a small amount of meat, and it's a way of making every bit of meat count. Usually tough and sturdy, conch meat greatly benefits from being cooked in tiny, diced pieces.
MOST ICONIC Conch Fritters
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Cracked conch is one of the most popular Bahamian dishes – conch meat is breaded in a batter made with flour, then deep-fried until golden and crispy. The name of this dish refers to a method of tenderizing the tough, chewy meat with a meat mallet or a frying pan.
These golden conch nuggets are typically paired with french fries or peas and rice. When paired with french fries, the dish is usually served on a sweet bread roll with ketchup or hot sauce on the side. It can also be consumed as an appetizer, when it is served with fresh lime juice and goat pepper sauce.
MOST ICONIC Cracked Conch
Peppered shrimps is a popular Jamaican street food item consisting of shrimps with a spicy kick and tons of flavor. They are usually cooked in a skillet with garlic, hot pepper, butter, and thyme, absorbing all of the flavors in the process. In Jamaica, peppered shrimps are often sold to hungry travelers along the roadways by women who have the snacks prepared in little plastic bags.
MOST ICONIC Peppered Shrimps
Bake and shark is a unique Trini street food item that is especially popular at concerts, festivals, and celebrations. It consists of marinated or seasoned pieces of shark meat, sauces, chutneys, and vegetables in a flatbread known as bake.
The dish is often associated with Maracas beach which is filled with numerous bake and shark street stalls.
MOST ICONIC Bake and Shark
Crack Conch with peas and rice is the national dish of the Bahamas. Conch is a large sea snail that has been traditionally eaten in the region since before the arrival of Christopher Columbus. The natives did not only eat the mollusc, but used them to make tools, musical instruments, and ceremonial artifacts.
The conch lies on the bottom of the seabed in big, fluted shells with pink interiors. It may be eaten raw or cooked, but in this particular dish, it is deep-fried. The finished meal looks similar to fried calamari, but it is much tastier, as the locals say.
MOST ICONIC Crack Conch with Peas and Rice
Escovitch fish is a classic Jamaican dish made by seasoning, marinating, and frying fish with a peppery, vinegar-based dressing consisting of bell peppers, carrots, and onions. Fish such as red snapper, mullet, king fish, or any other firm-bodied fish can be used in the preparation of this dish.
It is traditionally prepared during the Easter festivities, and many believe that the dish tastes even better the next day.
MOST ICONIC Escovitch Fish
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Curried crab and dumplings is a traditional dish originating from Trinidad and Tobago. The crabs are cleaned, soaked in lime water, then drained. They are then seasoned with celery, pimento peppers, onions, garlic, and chives. After the crabs have been marinated, they are placed in a pot with curry powder paste, coconut milk, and hot peppers.
The dumplings are made with a combination of flour, grated cassava, sugar, salt, and water. They are also added to the pot with the crab, simmering until the sauce thickens. Once prepared, curried crab and dumplings are served in the same bowl with lots of sauce.
MOST ICONIC Curried Crab and Dumplings
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Conch ceviche is a Bahamian twist on the classic ceviche, made with conch meat as the key ingredient. It typically consists of conch meat, tomatoes, red onion, scotch bonnet peppers for heat, and diced mango for a small touch of sweetness.
This ceviche variety is typically dressed with freshly squeezed sour orange and key lime juice. After the dish has been seasoned with salt and pepper and tossed, it should be served immediately.
MOST ICONIC Conch Ceviche
Ackee and saltfish is the national dish of Jamaica consisting of an unusual fruit of West African origin and any sort of dried and salted fish, usually cod, mahi mahi, or mackerel. The dish is very popular either as a nourishing Jamaican breakfast or as an appetizer served for lunch or dinner.
Ackee is a tricky ingredient due to its toxicity, so it is not safe to consume it until the vivid yellow meat and characteristical black seeds (three of them) are visible on the interior of the fruit. It was introduced to the island in the 18th century and looks like a smooth, reddish peach.
MOST ICONIC Ackee and Saltfish
Conch salad is one of the most popular Bahamian dishes that is both a flavorful comfort food and a colorful, edible work of art. The key ingredient in the dish is conch, a shellfish that is unfortunately slowly dying out due to its rapid depletion in the Caribbean seas.
Other ingredients include finely chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and a marinade of goat pepper, lime, and orange juice, a mixture that also partly cooks the raw white conch meat. However, there is also a tropical version of the salad with apples, pineapple, and mango added to the regular salad, with a less spicy flavor.
MOST ICONIC Conch Salad
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