Traditional Easter flavours in Punta Cana

Easter is approaching and so are the holidays! New adventures, fun and also a typical culinary offer for this time of the year.

And this is also the case in the Dominican Republic: a beautiful Caribbean country with strong Catholic roots, which keep the religious and culinary tradition alive.

Sweet, savoury… Today we want to review the 4 most typical dishes that Dominicans enjoy during the Easter season and which reflect the rich Quisquella cuisine.

1. Habichuelas con dulce

The habichuela or red bean usually is an ingredient in stews, rice dishes or soups.

However, it is the quintessential Dominican Easter dessert.

It is one of the most traditional desserts this time of the year, and at the same time, the one that surprises tourists the most.

To cook it you will need the following:

• Red kidney beans
• Coconut milk
• Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Vanilla
• Raisins

Before enjoying this dish, you must mix the ingredients in a large pot, cooking everything over low heat until it boils. And finally add the vanilla and some raisins for the perfect finishing touch… and there you are!

2. Dominican-style stewed cod

Cod is a very typical food during the Dominican Easter festivities. It is so popular that it has spread to the rest of the Latin American and Caribbean countries.

It dates back to the 19th century, since it was brought by merchant ships on the route between Europe and America, and it was a cheap and long-lasting food .

There are many ways to prepare stewed cod, but it is usually cooked in the traditional pot, where it is shredded and mixed with the following combination of typical ingredients:

• Onion
• Pepper
• Garlic
• Tomato
• Typical local spices
• And finally you can add your choice of boiled potato or sweet potato.

Once we have all the ingredients, we must soak the cod in water for about 12 hours, changing the water every 4 hours.

Then we heat the olive oil in a pan, and add the onion, garlic, pepper and tomato paste. Finally, we will add the previously shredded cod, together with water and other spices to taste.

After about 25 minutes over low heat, the cod will be ready, bon appetit!

3. Rice with coconut

Very popular dish during the Catholic holidays in the Dominican Republic and easy to prepare. It is a very versatile side dish for other more mains such as meat, fish and shellfish.

To cook it you will need:

• Rice
• Coconut milk
• Spices
• Onion
• Garlic
• Vegetable oil
• Salt to taste

First you must wash the rice with cold water, and later, in a pot, add this in addition to the coconut milk, water, salt and oil, all well mixed.

We cook it over high heat for about 20 minutes, turn it off and let the food rest for another 5 minutes. Then serve it hot and enjoy!

4. Potato salad

As a curiosity: it is not a typical dish of the country, but it has become so popular that nowadays there is plenty of potato salad in any Dominican celebration.

To make it you need:

• Boiled potatoes
• Carrots
• Onion
• Celery
• Mayonnaise
• Lemon juice.

Obviously, there are many variants depending on the tastes of the diners, who can add or remove ingredients such as olives, for example. And it is also a very versatile side dish.

We can prepare it in the following way: we boil the potatoes and the eggs at the same time, in different pots.

Then, in a large container, we mix both ingredients, along with the rest. Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste and leave it in the fridge for an hour before serving. And enjoy!

Click the following link if you want to know more about the Dominican Republic gastronomy.

Or click on this other one and we will reveal different plans to do in the Caribbean during Easter.

And also, do not forget that you can try some of these delicious dishes in the buffets of our Princess Punta Cana hotels during your holidays.

Have you already tried any of these wonderful flavours? We read you!

Categories: Caribbean, Be inspired, Punta Cana