Jamaican Cuisine

‘Weh Yuh Ah Seh’

We cannot start talking about Jamaican cuisine without a warm island greeting first: 'Weh Yuh Ah Seh?'

The literal translation of this Jamaican saying is, “What are you saying?”. The English translation of the phrase is “How are you doing?” The appropriate response is, “Mi irie”, often used to mean "everything is alright and fine."

If you follow me, you know this summer I embarked on a new culinary journey. Once a month I randomly select a country, learn about it and then cook a few of that nation's most common recipes. The hitch is that I have to prepare an appetizer, main dish, side dish and a dessert.

This week, I chose Jamaica. Though I visited a few years ago as a cruise ship tourist, it's never enough time to absorb the culture, especially one as rich as Jamaica's.

Prior to beginning my culinary journey, I was only familiar with the reggae music of Bob Marley and "jerk chicken." As a result, my expectations weren't soaring. After all, how sophisticated could the cuisine be, of an island consisting of 2.9 million people? I was in for a surprise!

Jamaican Cuisine

"Jamaican cuisine includes a mixture of cooking techniques, flavors and spices influenced by Amerindian, African, Irish, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Indian, Chinese and Middle Eastern people who have inhabited the island." (Wikipedia)

African influenced cuisine includes Rice and Peas and Jerk chicken from West Africa and the Ackee fruit. Chinese and East Indian influences can also be found in Jamaican cuisine like Roti and Curry Goat. The Spanish were the first European to arrive on the island. They contributed dishes such as the vinegary escovitch fish (Spanish escabeche) contributed by Spanish Jews.

The History of Jews in Jamaica

Many Jews started fleeing Spain in 1309 because of the Inquisition. Jews from Spain and Portugal started migrated to Jamaica in 1378. By 1611, the Island of Jamaica had reached an estimated population of 1,500 people. An estimated 75 of those people were described as "foreigners," which may have included some Portuguese Jews. When the English captured Jamaica from Spain in 1655, the Jews who were living as conversos began to practice Judaism openly. Still, many Jews faced persecution from English merchants.

Ya Mon!

As I started preparing these dishes, I realized that they all embraced a unique balance between sweet and sour (vinegar and sugar) and sophisticated balance of aromatic, savory and sweet spices. It is somewhat similar to Morocco's Ras El Hanout blend, in which they combine savory with sweet spices. For instance, allspice is often combined with garlic, chili and ginger.

Additionally, many of the main and side dish recipes include onions or scallions, garlic and a bonnet pepper. I love spicy food, but when following some of the recipes, the amount of allspice and hot pepper used was concerning. However, like magic, the starch from the rice or the chicken broth mellowed and blended everything so perfectly well together.

In short, every dish I created was a joy for the palate. The flavors were rich, tangy, savory, and contained just the right amount of heat. It was like enjoying a perfectly orchestrated experience for all the senses.

Jamaican Fun Facts

Here are some Jamaican fun facts.

Did you know that Jamaica:

• Claims the top three fastest men in the world
• Produces the most music per capita
• Has the most churches per square mile
• Has the most rum bars per square mile
• Is the top consumer of cranberry per capita
• Has a bobsled team
• Is where the James Bond series was written

(source: Wander Wisdom)

Jamaican Recipes

Check out the Kosher Cowboy's recipes by clicking on the links below:

Jerk Chicken

Callaloo

Plantains

Cabbage Slaw

Rice and Peas

Escovitch Fish

Gizzada Coconut Tart

Jamaican Coco Bread

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