Typical Jamaican Food Resulting from a Mixture of Various Cultures

To some people, Jamaica may be just an island, but it is actually a country where the term “melting pot” was invented which applies to its people as well as its food. This island in the Caribbean consists of indigenous people, slaves, colonists and immigrants, including Spain, England, India, China and Africa.

Due to the large number of slaves resulting from the transatlantic slave trade, Jamaica has strong African culinary influences. Typical Jamaican food reflects the history of traditional foods and customs of the country. What is typical food from Bob Marley’s country like? Check the list below.

Chicken Jerk

Chicken jerk is the most traditional Jamaican dish and if you are a foodie, this dish is one dish that you must try. The characteristic of this food is the famous jerk seasoning which is made from a mixture of spices such as cloves, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, thyme, nutmeg and pepper.

Maybe in Indonesia, chicken jerk is like grilled chicken where the chicken is seasoned first. Chicken jerk is sold by street vendors as well as middle class and upscale restaurants. Apart from being delicious, this food can also be a delicious snack after playing on the beach or even better as a companion to typical Jamaican drinks while at the beach.

Ackee and Saltfish

Ackee and saltfish is a Jamaican national dish that combines spices and fruits from the land with ingredients from the sea. This colorful dish is served at any time of the day and is loved by locals for breakfast. Apart from that, this food is also an icon of Jamaican culture and history.

Initially, the ackee fruit, which is almost the same as the lychee, was brought from Ghana to Jamaica in the 18th century. After that, the fruit immediately became a national favorite. To become a spice, this fruit is boiled and then mixed with onions, tomatoes, scotch bonnet chilies, and spices such as paprika and pepper.

Salt cold fish is sautéed and mixed to create the most traditional Jamaican dish. This food is not for everyone. People may like it or may hate it.

Oxtail

Oxtail is known as cow’s tail in Indonesia. This food is usually cooked as a soup, or with different spices. In Jamaica, they use bull’s tail which is seasoned with a mixture of local herbs and spices, then fried and then cooked in a pressure cooker until perfectly cooked.

Oxtail Jamaica is also a dish made from oxtail or beef tail which is similar to oxtail soup in Indonesia. The difference is that this Jamaican-style oxtail soup adds kara snapper beans or pork beans (vicia faba), which are large beans that are rich in protein, which are cooked for a long time to make the meat more tender.

Jamaican Red Bean Soup

We often encounter red bean soup in several countries, even in Indonesia itself. But this typical Jamaican food is different, because it has a unique taste and color. The basic ingredient for this soup is red beans, but uses almost the same spices and ingredients as other soups. Red bean soup is perfect to serve when it’s raining or cold, this soup is very easy to find in all Jamaican restaurants. Some chefs also add turmeric, for a more delicious taste.

Jamaican Patty

The Jamaican patty is one of Jamaica’s staple foods at lunch. This food is filled with ground beef mixed with chili, then covered with coco bread as part of this patty food. Guaranteed this food will suit your taste buds and make you addicted.

The Jamaican patty is different from the American version of the patty which uses a patty in the middle of the bun. The Jamaican Patty has developed with many variations of ingredients and flavors over time, using ingredients such as chicken, cheese, shrimp, lobster and even soy nicolettis steak and pasta.