National Dishes in Guyana

 

Pepperpot

Guyana's national dish, pepperpot, honors the indigenous people who settled the country.

It's a slow-cooked meat stew, often made with beef but sometimes with mutton, hog, or chicken. Meat is braised in a sauce prepared from cassava root (yucca) and a few other ingredients, along with peppers, cinnamon, and spices.

Consuming this meal on Christmas morning is a must, and it's best enjoyed with a piece of handmade bread to soak up the rich stew.

Cassava bread

The Amerindians of Guyana introduced dishes like cassava bread to the local population.

Grated cassava is dried into a powder and then used to make a thin, crispy flatbread called "cassava bread." Similar to the flavor of a rice cracker, cassava bread is a popular alternative to traditional bread.

Farine 

Farine is made from cassava root flour and has the consistency of couscous. The taste is bland, similar to rice, and goes well with a delicious curry or spiced vegetables.

It is also an Amerindian dish.

Metemgee

A thick and hearty soup with a variety of flavors inspired by Africa, metemgee is a staple in many African households.

Vegetables and robust starches like plantain, yam, cassava, sweet potato, and others are boiled together to make this delicious cuisine. A coconut milk broth combines the veggies and carbohydrates with the meat.

Cook-up-rice

Cook-up rice, or all-in-one as we call it in Guyana. There are countless permutations possible by switching up the beans, peas, and meat used in the recipe. Some people like to add fried fish on top, while others choose beef, pork, or chicken. Cook-up with pepper sauce on the side definitely gets your taste senses working.

Curry and roti

Meats such as chicken, fish, duck, shrimp, and crab are used in this traditional East Indian dish.

Meat is braised in a blend of curry powder and masala. Slow cooking results in a tender meat and a rich gravy.

A flaky flatbread called roti, rice, or dhal puri are used to sop up the flavorful meat and gravy.

Dhal

Dhal is a "gravy" that is traditionally prepared from split peas and served with rice or roti. You can top it with just about any Guyanese dish you can imagine, from chicken curry to fried fish to ochroes and spinach. Dhal is best eaten with hot paratha roti, which also makes for a very filling and hearty meal.

Coconut Choka 

In this dish, a fire-roasted coconut is ground into a fine texture before being seasoned with a lot of onion, garlic, and hot pepper, then served on a bed of dhal and rice and eaten with your hands.

Baigan choka

One of the most well-known dishes in West Indian cooking is baigan choka. A roasted eggplant is mashed with seasonings and fresh chopped onions to create this dish. For a truly distinctive flavor, try adding roasted tomato and garlic.

Seven Curry

"Seven curry" is a meal traditionally served at Hindu religious ceremonies, reflecting the diversity of Indian cuisine.

Potato, channa, eggplant, eddoes, pumpkin, spinach, and katahar are the seven curries. This mouthwatering dish is served in a giant water lily leaf and consists of curries, rice, dhal, and chutney (a spicy condiment made from cooked green mango and pepper). In most cases, fingers are used instead of a spoon.

Bake and salt fish

The common breakfast meal of fried dough and saltfish is called "bake and saltfish." When fried in oil, the dough rises to create a puffy exterior and a hollow interior that is both crispy and soft.

Black cake

A rum-soaked fruit cake known as "black cake," it is traditionally served at Christmas and other festive occasions.

There is a strong resemblance between this sinful treat and chocolate cake, but do not be fooled. Small pieces of fruit that have been doused in a lot of red wine and dark rum give this dish its deep, rich color.

Chicken Foot

Chicken foot does not include any part of a chicken.Instead, strips of spiced dough are used to create this dish. As a result of the frying process, the flour, curry powder,and cumin-seasoned strips look remarkably like chicken feet.

The liquid-y sour will soften them slightly if you leave them in there for a while, but they are still quite crunchy.

Gun Oil

Corn cooked in fresh coconut milk with salt, pepper, and thyme is called "gun oil," and it's delicious. It is traditionally served with a portion of the "juice," which is thought to provide men with vitality and ensure their fertility.

References

Gossai, S. (2021). Top 25 Foods from Guyana (With Pictures!). [online] Chef’s Pencil. Available at: https://www.chefspencil.com/top-25-foods-from-guyana-with-pictures/#:~:text=Pepperpot%20is%20the%20national%20dish [Accessed 13 Oct. 2022]