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Traditional Bahamian Food:
The Bahamas is a tropical hotspot and one of the best vacation destinations in the world. Christmas in the Bahamas is a time for family, friends, and lots of festive foods; it’s also one of the most popular holidays in the Bahamas, and traditional Bahamian foods play an important role in the festivities. We will introduce you to the most famous Bahamian Christmas recipes and tell you everything you need to know about each one in this blog post.
Let’s dive in.
Grouper Fingers
Grouper fingers are a great way to start a meal. They’re simple to make and delicious, similar to crab cakes but made with fish instead of crab.
You could say that grouper fingers are another name for a fish fillet, which can be served as an appetizer or as part of the main course.
Grouper fingers are a popular holiday recipe in the Bahamas, and they can be served as an appetizer with sweet and spicy tartar sauce.
A grouper fillet, flour, seasonings, and the following ingredients are all you need to make this delightful appetizer.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. grouper fillet cut into fingers
- 2 tbsp. of lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 tbsp. Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp. Seafood seasoning
- 1 tbsp. Parsley Flakes
- Sea Salt to taste
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp. Sugar
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk
Method:
- Before cooking, rinse and dry the fillets with a paper towel. Check the meat with your fingers to ensure that it is bone-free. If you find any, remove them before cutting the fillet into finger pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the grouper fillet with the lime juice.
- Dry seasoning, red pepper flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, seafood seasoning, parsley flakes, and sea salt should all be mixed.
- Set aside for 30 minutes after adding the buttermilk.
- While the groupers soak in the butter, season flour in a separate bowl with the same seasonings. To combine, use a whisk or fork.
- After 30 minutes, remove a piece of fish from the buttermilk and place it in the flour, coating completely. Place the grouper on a plate to rest, and repeat the process until all pieces are covered with flour.
- When the oil has reached temperature, carefully add the grouper, one piece at a time, and return the oil to 375 degrees F.
- Cook the grouper for two to three minutes on the first side, or until the crust is golden brown and crispy. Flip the pieces over carefully and cook for one to two minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and crispy on both sides.
- You can bake them or use an air fryer if you don’t want to fry them in oil.
- Serve with tartar sauce.
Conch fritters
Conch fritters are another popular Traditional Bahamian Food. Conch fritters are a popular seafood dish in the Caribbean, particularly in the Bahamas.
These golden conch nuggets are typically served as an appetizer, snack, or side dish and are made with conch meat that has been chopped into small pieces before cooking, as well as bell peppers, onions, celery, and seasonings.
Deep-fried until golden brown, then served with ketchup, mayonnaise, lemon juice, seasonings, and hot pepper sauce as a dipping sauce.
Our blog post Conch Fritters contains all of the necessary information as well as the recipe.
Bahamian Crab Salad
Bahamian Crab Salad is a unique dish found only in a few places around the world. It can be found in traditional Bahamian foods as well as in other Caribbean countries and parts of Florida and Cuba. Bahamian crab salad combines crab meat, celery, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and mayonnaise.
Bahamian Crab Salad ingredients can be found in any grocery store or market that sells seafood.
Ingredients:
- Crab meat washed and shredded.
- Season with salt to taste
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp parsley
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- Lemon juice (chopped)
- ½ medium onion (chopped)
- ½ bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 celery (chopped)
- 1 tomato (chopped)
Method
- Combine the shredded crab meat and lemon juice in a mixing bowl.
- Cut the onion, bell pepper, celery, and tomato into small pieces.
- Season with salt, red pepper flakes, and parsley.
- Mix in the mayonnaise.
Pineapple Glazed Ham
Traditional Bahamian foods are known for their tropical flavors; for example, pineapple glazed ham is a flavorful Traditional Bahamian Food holiday recipe that is served on Christmas Eve. The meat is usually bone-in smoked and cooked ham that has been glazed with pineapple juice and seasoned with salt, cloves, and other seasonings.
This tasty dish goes well with black-eyed peas and rice, traditional Bahamian vegetables, or almost any other side dish.
Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this festive main course:
- 10 lbs. bone-in smoked ham.
- 1 lemon juice
- cloves as much as you want.
- 2 cans pineapple juice (6 oz.)
- 1 cup brown sugar.
- 2 tbsp. mustard.
- 1 can pineapple slices.
- 1 can of cherries.
- 1 cup brown sugar.
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
Method
- Rinse the ham with lemon juice and scrub it thoroughly before rinsing it with water.
- Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife.
- Put as many cloves as you want inside the diamond pattern.
- Place the ham in a baking pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour.
- Cook the pineapple juice, brown sugar, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves in a saucepan for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture is boiling and slightly thickened.
- Remove the ham from the oven and rub or brush it with the mixture.
- Using toothpicks, secure the pineapple slices and cherries on top of the ham.
- Cook for an additional 60-90 minutes, or until the meat begins to pull away from the bone, at 350°F.
- Reduce the heat to 350°F and cook for an additional 60-90 minutes, or until the meat begins to pull away from the bone.
- Allow the ham to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Remove the cloves and thinly slice the ham before serving with your favorite side dish.
Where can you get Traditional Bahamian Food in the Bahamas?
Here are a few restaurants in the Bahamas where you can try all of the delightful Traditional Bahamian Food:
Fish Fry’s
If you’re in the Bahamas and want to try the delicious grouper fingers dish, this restaurant is a must-visit; it’s located at West Bay Street, Nassau N3037 New Providence Island.
The Poop Deck
The Poop Deck located at Easy Bay Street, Nassau, New Providence Island, 3.5 miles from Blue Lagoon Island, serves the Conch Fitters dish with an incredible sea view.
Oh Andros
Oh Andros is known for its delicious seafood dishes and crab salad, so if you’re into Traditional Bahamian Food and want to try the crab salad, look no further. It’s on Arawak Cay in Nassau, New Providence Island.
The Bahamas is well-known for its delightful Traditional Bahamian Food, with many options for everyone. Make sure to try them out while enjoying the incredible sea life.
If you are interested in visiting the Bahamas to try all of Traditional Bahamian Food, go to Cheapoair for the cheapest flights and Hotels.com for the cheapest hotels, and make sure to check the most recent Covid-19 updates before you go.
Also, stop by our IC Caribbean shop to pick up some cool and unique souvenirs for your trip.
While you’re looking at flights and hotels, listen to our most recent podcast episode about the beauty of Jamaica.
Have a wonderful vacation and stay safe!
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