What are some of the other cultures that have influenced the cuisine of the Caribbean Islands?

Answer 1

European-influenced items popular in many Caribbean countries include escabeche (fried, marinated fish, seafood, or poultry), asapao (a thick rice soup with chicken, pork, or seafood, often garnished with Parmesan cheese in Puerto Rico and slices of avocado or fried plantains in the Dominican Republic), morcillas (a type of blood sausage), flaky pastry turnovers with meat, poultry, seafood, or fruit fillings, and fried corn cakes (known as surrulitos in Puerto Rico). Foods from Africa found throughout the region include callaloo (a dish of taro or malanga greens cooked with okra), dried salt cod fritters (called bacalaitas in Puerto Rico, these cakes have a different name on nearly every island, from arcat de marue to "stamp and go"), foofoo (okra and plantain), and coocoo (cornmeal-okra bread). Dishes from India and Asia are also common on many islands, although they are better known in the areas where cheap labor was most needed: the islands dominated by the French, British, and Dutch (few Asians immigrated to Puerto Rico, Cuba, or the Dominican Republic). Curried dishes, called kerry on the Dutch-influenced islands and colombo on the French-influenced islands, and variations of pilaf are considered Caribbean foods. Chinese cuisine is also popular and Chinese-owned restaurants are omnipresent.