What the entire world should learn from the Cuban cuisine

 

They say that the best food is the one mom used to cook for us when we were kids, and we totally agree! So let’s talk today about the secrets of the food that we love and brings back lovely memories.

Due to colonisation, the Cuban cuisine is a blend of Spanish and African influences. The Spanish colonisers brought over citrus fruits, along with rice and vegetables, while the African slaves experimented with cassava, maize and okra. Classic Cuban dishes include mojo chicken and black beans and rice, which was named Moors and Christians to represent the culinary symbiosis of the dish.

Eggs can make wonders

Eggs are one of the few ingredients that are easily available in Cuba. After all, everyone has chickens, even in cities – even in Havana. Needless to say, there’s a lot of eggs based food in Cuba, such as the delicious huevos habaneros, a dish made of eggs cooked over a sofrito – a gently fried mixture of tomatoes, garlic, peppers and onions. Or the Picadillo cua cua, the local version of hash and eggs, and it contains plantains and occasionally beef. It is served with rice.

 

Fried sounds good :)

Fried food is a constant feature of Cuban meals. The word vianda in Spanish means food, as in the slightly archaic English usage ‘viands’, but in Cuba it has become the collective term for root vegetables such as potatoes, cassava, squash, sweet potatoes and a wide variety of yams, all of which are normally eaten fried or boiled.

 

Eggs can make wonders

Eggs are one of the few ingredients that are easily available in Cuba. After all, everyone has chickens, even in cities – even in Havana. Needless to say, there’s a lot of eggs based food in Cuba, such as the delicious huevos habaneros, a dish made of eggs cooked over a sofrito – a gently fried mixture of tomatoes, garlic, peppers and onions. Or the Picadillo cua cua, the local version of hash and eggs, and it contains plantains and occasionally beef. It is served with rice.

 

Fried sounds good :)

Fried food is a constant feature of Cuban meals. The word vianda in Spanish means food, as in the slightly archaic English usage ‘viands’, but in Cuba it has become the collective term for root vegetables such as potatoes, cassava, squash, sweet potatoes and a wide variety of yams, all of which are normally eaten fried or boiled.

 

Spices make it perfect

Beyond the ever-popular garlic and onions, other common spices used in Cuban cooking are bay laurel, oregano, coriander, cumin and pepper. Many sauces have a tomato base. Sofrito is one example. Think of it as a flavor roux made without flour. Instead it combines aromatic ingredients like tomatoes, garlic, green bell pepper, chorizo and onion with olive oil over low heat. Sofrito is often used to add depth and complexity to rice and bean dishes, soups and stews.

Beyond the ever-popular garlic and onions, other common spices used in Cuban cooking are bay laurel, oregano, coriander, cumin and pepper. Many sauces have a tomato base. Sofrito is one example. Think of it as a flavor roux made without flour. Instead it combines aromatic ingredients like tomatoes, garlic, green bell pepper, chorizo and onion with olive oil over low heat. Sofrito is often used to add depth and complexity to rice and bean dishes, soups and stews.