National cuisine of Suriname for gourmets

The small South American country Suriname is home to a huge number of representatives of different nations. The local population's color mixed with the colors of Africa, India, China, and Europe results in a unique, rich, authentic cultural palette. This is reflected in Surinamese cuisine full of delicious discoveries. Surinamese like salted meat and dried fish; they eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, dishes are based on potatoes and rice. Often on Surinamese tables, you can see rice with red beans, lentil stew, chicken with malanga, or "pom", traditionally served on holidays, "Baka Banat" of plantain and peanut sauce.

Meat Surinamese dishes often contain chicken or lamb. Sea salt, cayenne pepper, and coriander are added to chicken curry with coconut milk and yogurt, spicy chicken masala is eaten with rice and pumpkin, and cod nuggets are served with tomatoes and plantain. One of the most popular soups is “Griti Bana Supu” containing shredded plantain. Cassava beef bone soup is thick and hearty, usually sprinkled with bacon. "Bravoe" soup is made from okra, vegetables, and shrimps. Peanut soup is quite unusual. In "Moksi alesi", beef, pork and chicken meat are mixed with vegetables and rice, sometimes fish is used instead of meat.

Thanks to its tropical climate, Suriname is rich in fruits and vegetables. One of the favorite vegetable dishes in the country is a vegetable salad with coriander made from cabbage, beans, cucumbers and boiled eggs in a thick coconut-yogurt dressing. Traditional drinks are apple, pineapple, ginger juices, and cocktails, which are usually drunk at breakfast time, as well as coconut milk, kiwi and soursop juices, tea and coffee. As for alcoholic beverages, locals prefer South American wines, local rum, and popular international brands of beer. To prepare "mauby" drink, a tree bark tincture is made with sugar and filtered. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Surinamese people are very fond of sweets, so they add sugar to juices, sometimes even to meat dishes. Many desserts contain coconut juice or pulp. A traditional dessert in Suriname is a cake of coconut and cassava. Gelatin cake with Ponche Cream liqueur is prepared with condensed milk and fruit cocktail. A dessert with mango and passion fruit contains almond syrup, cow and coconut milk, agar-agar, sugar, and saffron. Sweet "lapis" is made from cornstarch and coconut milk with added sugar, salt, and lemongrass.

Inviting guests for dinner is a common practice in Suriname. Guests dress neatly and beautifully and bring a cake, a bottle of wine or a chocolate set as a gift. Usually, guests arrive not on time but 10-15 minutes later. The host offers the guest a place at the table and, if there are several guests, waits for everyone to sit down to raise a glass and give a toast. Guests also drink and then cover their knees with napkins before eating. Absolutely all food except bread is eaten using cutlery. Hands should always be visible, elbows shouldn't be placed on the table.

Suriname cuisine can be enjoyed in a pleasant atmosphere in one of the country's many cafes and restaurants. "Tori Oso" Restaurant in Paramaribo offers local and Italian cuisine, low prices, and excellent service. In the restaurant's relaxed atmosphere, it is good to eat a shrimp salad and wash it down with beer. Popular "Las Tias" Bar in the capital serves Caribbean and Latin American dishes. It's a great place for those who do not like to eat in silence - the bar becomes quite noisy by the late afternoon. Visitors to the Suriname capital should also explore "Souposo", a restaurant striking with its selection of traditional soups and fresh juices.

In Berg-en-Dale, you will find inexpensive "Kisadee" Restaurant suitable for a hearty lunch. Peanut soup and chicken dishes are in great demand here. "Concorde" Restaurant in Nieuw Nickerie is known for its fast service and wonderful Korean, Indonesian and Surinamese dishes. Those vacationing in Domburg resort are recommended to visit “Breeze Domburg” featuring excellent snacks and drinks, low prices, and an original design: instead of regular tables and chairs, there are long wooden tables and benches creating a casual atmosphere where the fresh river air stimulates the appetite.