4 Things To Eat In The Dominican Republic?

When Christopher Columbus first discovered “La Hispaniola” he probably looked around at this paradisiac place, the lush vegetation, the clear waters and white sand beaches and thought “Let´s find something to eat” so with that in mind we think most travellers probably think “what are the things to eat in the Dominican Republic?”

A huge part of this lust for life comes from food. A good traveller will always look out for the traditional flavours that embody the country´s culture and singularities, the salt that seasons their spirits and that speak volumes for its people.

Since the caribbean has plenty of land with rich soils and warm weather all year around, we think it is worth to write about the less know but still delicious dominican food, which even if it shares many common ingredients with most of the islands and countries within the region, it also has its unique flavour.

According to our team, these are 4 things to eat while vacationing in this piece of Paradise:

• Mangu: This dish is made out of boiled green plantains and even if its considered as breakfast, it can be eaten for lunch or dinner. as well Its preparation may vary from house to house and even from family members to family members, it consists on a green plantain puree which can be served with salami, onions, cheese and/or scrambled eggs.

• Mofongo: The origins of this dish are still not clear with both Puertoricans and Dominicans claiming it as their invention, it is for certain a delicious amount of fried goods! Mashed yellow plantains are again the vegetal of choice but this time fried pork skin comes into the mix. Some people have added many other things over time, from chicken to shrimps and everything in between. Mofongo is usually served in a mortar, which is very domincan.

• Tostones: Guess what´s the main ingredient? If your first guess was plantains, you are right and you´ve earned +10 dominican food points! Tostones are very common throughout caribbean cooking, they are often made out of green plantains slides, fried for a few seconds, then squeezed and fried again until they are crunchy. Add some salt and you are ready to have some serious fun.

• Sweet Beans: Beans are a common ingredient in caribbean cuisine, from Cuba to Aruba, you will probably find them as the main ingredient on a recipe or as a side dish but it is very rare to be used as a dessert. Again, the origin of this dessert are unkwon or what the “right” recipe is but its usually a mix of red beans, coconut milk, sugar, raisins, sweet potatoes and cinnamon all turned into a pudding or jelly in a way. It is often served with cookies.

So, what have we learned about dominican cooking so far?

1. Plantains are kind of a big deal in the Dominican Republic.

2. Beans can actually be deliciously sweet!

Next time you are vacationing in Punta Cana, La Romana or Puerto Plata don´t be afraid and step out of your confort zone by trying any of these dishes ore ven go further and try all of the typical food and ingredients of this amazing island… we are sure you´ll taste them for life!