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 Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about 

THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FOOD

The Dominican Republic is a nation with a long and varied history.

It was under Spanish colonial rule for hundreds of years and has been part of France, Haiti, and even American control until its independence in 1924.

The multiple intersections of cultures and influences make Domincan cuisine unlike any other. 

Dominican food reflects the variety of cultures that were forced or made their way to Hispaniola. Dominican food reflects indigenous Taino, African, Spanish, and Middle Eastern influences. Each of these different influences has been embraced into the heterogenous Dominican cuisine.

Are you curious about some of the Dominican Republic’s unique and varied dishes and how history has shaped their culture and cuisine?

Spanish Influences on Dominican Cuisine

The Dominican Republic was a Spanish occupied colony from 1492-1821 (with a brief interval of French rule in 1795-1809), and jointly with Haiti until 1844.

The Dominican Independence was only briefly interrupted by the Spanish again from 1861 to 1865, and America from 1916-1924. The long years under Spanish rule have had a powerful impact on the Dominican Republic’s cuisine.The Spanish introduced new animal species, fruits, vegetables, and grains to Hispaniola.

Along with Mediterranean dishes, they also brought middle eastern influences from the 700-year Moorish domination of Iberia. The widespread domestication of Spanish livestock such as pigs and goats became a staple in the Dominican diet. The Spanish revere lunch as the main meal of the day, and this is reflected in the Dominican love of hearty lunch dishes. 

Some Spanish influenced Dominican dishes are: 

• La Bandera or ‘the flag’ is made up of rice, red beans, and meat with a side of salad.
• Sancocho is a Spanish meat stew and a very popular Dominican dish.
• A much loved Dominican dessert is the Arroz con Leche or rice pudding made of rice, milk, sugar, and raisins.
• Crème caramel is another Spanish inspired Dominican sweet treat made from egg yolks, vanilla evaporated milk, and condensed milk.
• Quesillo is a coconut flan that is a traditional Dominican dish.

Middle Eastern Influences on Dominican Cuisine

The Spanish brought the strong influence of Middle Eastern cuisine from their history of the 700-year Moorish invasion. Along with the Moorish influence, many Arabs also migrated to the Dominican Republic. They found work as agricultural laborers and merchants in the 1900s. 

The Arabic influences on Dominican cuisine include:

• Arroz con almendras y pasas is a Lebanese based dish of savory rice flavored with almonds and raisins. The Dominicans often eat this dish around Christmas time.
• Arroz con Fideos which is a middle eastern dish of rice and toasted noodles.
• Kipes or Quipes are the Dominican version of Lebanese ‘kibbeh,’ a deep-fried bulgur roll dish usually with a meat filling. The Dominican version substitutes the less popular lamb meat with beef and does not use the mint and spices in the traditional middle eastern equivalent.

Taino Influences on Dominican Cuisine

The Taino are the indigenous peoples of the modern-day Dominican Republic. Before Columbus discovered Hispaniola (La Isla Española), the peaceful Tainos named their land ‘Ayiti’ (‘land of high mountains’), which later evolved in Haiti.

In 1492 Columbus found a fertile land with friendly inhabitants who bore no arms. It would be a fateful meeting for the indigenous Taino, with greed for gold and a disregard for the indigenous culture. Enslavement and maltreatment decimated the Taino population, followed by a smallpox epidemic in 1518-1519, which is said to have killed almost 90% of the Taino population.

Although the Spanish declared the native Taino extinct, some escaped to form communities inland with other escaped slaves or intermarried with the Spanish population (historical census records show that 40% of the Spanish men in Santo Domingo were married to Taino wives.) 

Many studies have shown that the Taino genetics lives on in the Caribbean, and their diaspora (Puerto Ricans have been found to have 10-20% indigenous Taino DNA). Modern-day Dominicans also show Taino ancestry in their DNA.Taino culture is evident in modern western society today with the word barbeque taken from the Arawak barabicu as well as hammock, tobacco, and hurricane.

Taíno foods were not rich in meat because there were few indigenous mammals pre-colonization.Pre-contact food was mainly seafood, small animals, waterfowl, mollusks and iguanas, and vegetable staples such as cassava, batata, corn, beans, guanabana, jagua, guayaba, and mamey. 

Taino inspired Dominican dishes include:

• Casabe is thin unleavened cassava or yuca flatbread that has been part of the Dominican diet for over 500 years and still eaten in the Dominican Republic to this day. 
• Guanimes are similar to tamales and are made from cornmeal or cornflour made into masa and wrapped into a banana leaf or corn husk.

African Influences

Although the European and Taíno influences are often cited regarding Dominican culture and cuisine, African influences are often overlooked.

When the Spanish had all but eliminated the local Taíno population, they looked towards Africa to replenish their large plantations’ labor force. African influence is an integral part of the colorful Dominican heterogeneity, and remains an essential part of the nation’s culture and is reflected strongly in their cuisine.

The first record of sanction for African slaves brought to the Dominican Republic was issued in 1501, and by 1503, slaves were set to work on the plantations and mining gold.They were also involved in constructing the many beautiful colonial buildings still found in the Dominican republic as heritage sites.

In a DNA study tracing African roots in the diaspora, the Dominican Republic showed a diverse variety of African genetic links:

• Senegal 20%
• Benin/Togo 18%
• Nigeria 17%
• Mali 17%
• Ivory Coast/Ghana 11%
• Central Congo 10%
• South East Bantu 8%

Slaves were not the only African component of the Dominican Republic’s history as over 6000 free African heritage slaves left Baltimore, New York, Boston, and Philadelphia seeking a new life in Haiti.

Their mark on Dominican culture is most strongly seen in the Samaná region.

Another wave of African descendants immigrated to the area in the mid to late 1860s.

African Influences on Dominican Cuisine

The African roots in Dominican culture are still alive in their language, syntax, music, and food. One of the most famous Dominican dishes is ‘mangú,’ which has its origins in Ghanian ‘fufu.’Historians have also traced Dominican love for ‘concon’ from the Nigerian word ‘konkon’ for oily. 

The most famous African influenced Dominican dishes are:

• Hoja is similar to the West African ‘kenkey.’
• Chenchen and ñame, which is a type of yam that gets its name from ‘nyami’ which means ‘eat’ in the Fula language.
• ‘Los Tres Golpes’ is a traditional breakfast dish consisting of mangú, which is said to hail from West Africa.  
• Mangú is a paste made from boiled and mashed green plantain and is linked to the West African word mangusi, which means mash. Dominicans top the mash with a delicious combination of avo, eggs, cheese, and salami.
• The use of cinnamon, sweet clove, and allspice is also said to stem from West African influence.

Chinese Influence on Dominican Cuisine

Early Chinese immigrants arrived in the Caribbean after the slave trade had been abolished in the mid 18th century.Plantation owners looked to China for alternative labor, and many Chinese were brought over as indentured laborers.

Following the laborers, the Dominican Republic’s American occupation brought an influx of Chinese entrepreneurs to take advantage of the economic expansion. The Chinese brought their food traditions and cooking techniques with them, some of which are part of the Dominican culture. Such a dish is:

• Chofan (Dominican Chow fan) is a Dominican conversion of Chinese fried rice, commonly using pork and peas as additions to the fried rice.

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking