Interested In Haitian Food? 3 Special Signature Dishes You Should Try

If a Haitian restaurant has just opened up in your area, you should stop by and give it a try. Haitian food is influenced by three different primary regions: the Caribbean, West Africa, and France. The influence of these three different regions creates a cuisine that is entirely its own. Here are three signature Haitian dishes you should try.

Pate

The first signature Haitian dish you should try is pate. Pate is a type of puff pastry. The outside of the pastry is kind of crispy, like a nice croissant. As you bite into the pastry, the dough on the inside is a little chewier. Pate is a type of stuffed puff pastry. Instead of being stuffed with something sweet, like many puff pastries found in American donut shops, a pate has a savory filling. The type of filling can vary, with some of the most popular fillings including salted cod, smoked herring, and spicy ground beef.  This is a dish you can find at many Haitian restaurants as well as bakeries.

Diri ak djon djon

If you have the opportunity to try some diri ak djon djon, don't pass it up. This is a really special dish that is usually only served on holidays within Haitian families or for very special occasions in restaurants. This dish is more commonly called black mushroom rice when it is translated into English.

The dish is made by taking a special type of dried mushroom, which can be very expensive to obtain in the United States, and soaking it in boiling water, creating a special liquid. This liquid is then used to prepare the rice dish. A special mix of seasonings are added to the rice, and it is common for things such as peas, lima beans, shrimp, and whole cashews to be cooked and added to the mixture as well.

This is a special treat that you shouldn't pass up if you get the opportunity to try it.

Lambi

Haiti is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, which means that seafood is an important part of many Haitian dishes. Lambi is a specific type of queen conch that is found in the Caribbean. The meat inside of the conch is tenderized before it is cooked. The meet may be grilled or fried, and always includes a touch of lime juice.

Lambi is usually served with two specific dishes: fried green plantains as well as some spicy cabbage slaw. This is a dish you can only try if you make a visit to Haiti, although you may be able to find a red snapper or a spiny lobster at a Haitian restaurant that is prepared just like one would prepare lambi back in Haiti.

Haitian food is varied and rich, and the three dishes above are just a spotlight of some of the unique creations that define this type of cuisine. Stop by a Haitian restaurant like Fritai, let them know what types of food you generally like, such as spicy or sweet food, and allow the server to guide you to a new dish to try.

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