Barbadian cuisine facts for kids

Barbadian cuisine, also known as Bajan cuisine, is the delicious food of the island of Barbados! It's a cool mix of flavors from many different places. You'll find tastes from Africa, Portugal, India, Ireland, Creole cultures, Native American traditions, and Britain.

A regular Bajan meal often has a main dish of meat or fish. This is usually seasoned with lots of yummy herbs and spices. It comes with warm side dishes and one or more fresh salads. You'll also get tasty sauces to go with your food.

The national dish of Barbados is cou-cou and fried flying fish. This special meal is served with a spicy gravy. Another popular traditional dish is "pudding and souse." This is made with pickled pork and sweet, spiced sweet potatoes. Barbados also offers a huge variety of seafood and other meats.

Main Dishes of Barbados

Barbadian meals are full of flavor and fresh ingredients. Here are some of the main dishes you might enjoy:

• Fried flying fish: This is a very popular fish on the island.
• Fried or grilled fish: You can find fish like kingfish, swordfish, and mahi mahi. A whole roasted red snapper is a special treat!

Illustration of a flying fish

• Brown stew chicken: Chicken cooked in a rich, savory sauce.
• Cou-cou and steamed flying fish: The national dish, with a cornmeal and okra mix called cou-cou.
• Barbecued or stewed lamb or pork chops: Tender meat cooked slowly or grilled.
• Curry beef or mutton: Meat cooked in a flavorful curry sauce.
• Rotisserie chicken/pan chicken: Chicken roasted until it's juicy and tender.
• Baked or fried chicken: Classic chicken dishes.
• Grilled or fried prawns: Tasty shrimp cooked in different ways.
• Grilled turkey wings: A delicious grilled option.
• Saltfish in a spicy tomato sauce: Dried cod fish rehydrated and cooked in a zesty sauce.
• Pepperpot: A rich, dark stew, often with different meats.
• Sweet potato pie: A sweet and savory pie made with sweet potatoes.
• Chicken curry: Chicken cooked in a delicious curry sauce.
• Pickled chicken feet: A unique and traditional snack.
• Barbequed pig tails: Grilled until crispy and flavorful.

Warm Side Dishes

These are the yummy sides that go with your main meal:

• Rice and peas: Rice cooked with split peas and often served with gravy.
• Macaroni pie: A baked dish similar to macaroni and cheese, but often firmer.
• Cou-cou: A soft, smooth dish made from cornmeal and okra.
• Sweet potato: Can be grilled, mashed, or made into fries.
• English potato: Also grilled, mashed, or made into fries.
• Fried plantain: Sweet bananas fried until golden.
• Breadfruit: A starchy fruit that can be grilled or fried.
• Chow mein: A noodle dish, showing the mix of cultures.
• Steamed mixed vegetables: Like broccoli, pumpkin, cabbage, and onion.
• Buttered cassava or yam: Starchy root vegetables, often boiled and buttered.

Fresh Salads

Salads add a fresh touch to any Bajan meal:

• Garden salad: A mix of fresh greens and vegetables.
• Pasta salad: Pasta mixed with vegetables and dressing.
• Potato salad: Cooked potatoes mixed with a creamy dressing.
• Coleslaw: Shredded cabbage and carrots in a creamy dressing.
• Plain sweetcorn, beetroot, or pineapple: Simple, fresh vegetable or fruit sides.

Tasty Sauces

Sauces are a key part of Bajan cuisine, adding flavor and spice:

• Bajan pepper sauce: A very popular and spicy hot sauce.
• Ketchup: A common tomato-based sauce.
• Tartar sauce: Often served with fish dishes.

Quick Bites and Snacks

If you're looking for a lighter meal or a snack, Barbados has many options:

• Bakes: Small, fried dough pieces.
• Cassava pone: A sweet and savory cake made from cassava.
• Conkies: A sweet steamed pudding wrapped in banana leaves.
• Cutters: Fried flying fish served in a bap (a type of bread roll).
• Fishcake: Small, fried cakes made with fish.
• Pumpkin soup: A warm and comforting soup made from pumpkin.
• Samosas: Fried pastries, sometimes filled with conch (a type of seafood).
• Turnovers: Baked pastries with sweet or savory fillings.
• Wrap roti: A flatbread wrapped around fillings like beef, chicken, or saltfish, often with potatoes and spices.

Goat roti

Refreshing Drinks

Barbados offers many delicious drinks to quench your thirst:

• Rum and rum punch: Rum is a very famous drink from Barbados.
• Banks beer: A popular local beer.

Banks beer brewery

• Hibiscus tea: A refreshing tea made from hibiscus flowers.
• Mauby: A traditional drink made from tree bark, with a unique bitter-sweet taste.
• Fruit juice: Fresh juices from local fruits.
• Tamarind drink: A sweet and tangy drink made from tamarind fruit.
• Soursop drink: A creamy and sweet drink from the soursop fruit.
• Golden apple drink: Made from the golden apple fruit.
• Sorrel drink: A festive red drink, especially popular around holidays.
• Coconut water: Refreshing water straight from coconuts.
• Ginger beer: A spicy and sweet non-alcoholic drink.

Food from Other Countries in Barbados

While Bajan cuisine is amazing, you can also find foods from other parts of the world in Barbados. You might see American favorites like hot dogs and burgers. British fish and chips are also common. In the main towns, you can enjoy Chinese, Indian, and Thai dishes. There are also some Mexican and Brazilian restaurants, especially on the South Coast. If you're looking for something fancy, some large resorts have sushi restaurants.