Similarity Between Dominican & African Foods

Dominican and African cuisines share many of the same ingredients.

Beginning in the early 1500's Dominican cooking was heavily influenced by the cooking of the African people. Today Dominican cuisine shares many of the same ingredients as African cuisine including beans, rice, the use of spices such as onion, garlic and parsley as well as the use of salt in most dishes. Does this Spark an idea?

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Plantains and Bananas
- Plantains and bananas are used frequently in both Dominican and African cooking.
  
  Plantains and bananas as well as banana leaves are used frequently in both Dominican and African cooking. Traditional Dominican dishes include mangu', tostones and mofongo. African dishes which incorporate plantains or bananas include Fufu, and Kelewele as well as many others. Fried plantains and fried bananas are a staple in both types of cuisine.
Tripe or Mondongo
- Tripe is used in both Dominican and African cuisine.
  
  The use of various animals parts such as pig or cow ears, feet or heads is common both in Dominican cooking and African cooking. Regional variations of tripe are commonly served throughout Africa. Dominican cooks may serve any number of variations of mondongo or tripe stew.
Oil
- Deep foods in oil is common in both Africa and the Dominican Republic.
  
  The use of oil occurs often in both African and Dominican cuisine. It is used in most bean and rice dishes as well as in meat, fish and poultry dishes. Deep frying is a shared cooking technique. Meats, cheeses and vegetables are deep fried throughout the Dominican Republic. In African cuisine deep fried sweet potatoes, yams and plantains are commonly served.
Yucca or Cassava
- Yucca is known as cassava to both African and Dominican cooks.
  
  Yucca (called cassava in both Africa and the Dominican Republic) is used frequently in both Dominican and African cooking. This root vegetable is a staple in both regions and is often served in main dishes, side dishes, soups and stews.

Photo Credit food. image by L. Shat from Fotolia.com bananas on banana tree image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com soup tripe image by Tomasz Wojnarowicz from Fotolia.com Chips during frying image by Elzbieta Sekowska from Fotolia.com kleine Yucca-Pflanze image by Carasophie from Fotolia.com

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