Dominican Republic Cuisine - Part 2

If you are looking for a unique exotic location that has food to match, then you would be wise to check out all that the Dominican Republic has to offer. If you are not familiar with the Dominican Republic, it is the country the shares the island of La Hispaniola with Haiti. Haiti occupies the western half of the island while the Dominican Republic resides on the eastern side.

Dishes such as Sancocho, kipes, and empanadas, were featured in the first article of this three-part series. Dishes special to the people of the Dominican Republic will be looked at in the second article. Make sure to check out the first article, too, if you haven't already as you will not want to miss out on any of these savory and spicy dishes.

Mangu

So far we haven't touch on any breakfast fare, but all that is about to change. Mangu can be enjoyed anytime, but it is most often found as a breakfast dish. The name of dish has a funny story behind it. As the story goes, it is a shortening of "Man, this is good". It went from "man good" to what it is now called today: mangu. This simple dish consists of boiled and mashed plantains topped with such things as fried cheese, salami, onions and/or scrambled eggs. This is an easy to make dish that will have you uttering the famous phrase, "Man, this is good" in no time.

Some people are not aware that the banana and the plantain are actually related as a species. It's quite easy to confuse a plantain with a banana. An item that is not as sweet as a banana is the plantain; it has a more subtle taste and lends itself well to cooking. If you have never tried one before, be prepared to be surprised.

Tostones

Here we have the return of the mighty plantain. This is not the same dish as the one mentioned above. Plantains are a very versatile food that, depending on preparation, can make them indistinguishable from another plantain dish. Fried plantains are used in Tostones, which is a twist on mangu, a dish that makes use of boiled plantains. Actually, Tostones are fried several times but are mashed well after each frying. In the Dominican Republic they are commonly served as a side dish. With one taste of them you'll be hooked.

Arroz Habichuelay Carne

The three staples in a Dominican meal are rice beans and meat (arroz, habichuelay and carne). This trio is commonly known as The Flag, as it has come to represent the culture of the country as much as their national symbol does. Now, this may not sound like a particularily special or unique combination, but when these ingredients find their way through a Dominican kitchen, something special happens and you have a meal that is truly all about this country.

So there we have part two completed, in this three part series. Make sure to check out part one if you haven't already, and of course, make sure to read the final three reviews in the final article of this series. Knowing more about the cuisine of a place you are going to visit will definitely make the trip all the more enjoyable.

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