Guyanese Cuisine

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Overview of Guyanese Cuisine History
Guyana or the Co-operative republic of Guyana is a state in the Northern part of South America. The geography varies from region to region and it includes various bodies of water, agricultural areas and plateaus. Due to the climatic characteristics and geographical location, the most common plantations in Guyana are rice and sugar cane. Rice is also the staple of the Guyanese cuisine and it is eaten every day, combined with beans or meat and poultry, it is among the most frequently eaten dishes. Basically, Guyanese people have 3 meals per day. Breakfast usually includes a traditional bread (which is home made) and animal products, like cheese, milk, eggs or butter. The dinner is a complex meal, which sometimes includes meat, along with rice as roti, cassava, bread or yams. Fish is also a common dish and is mainly served at dinner in a curried style, as Guyanese food is sometimes spicy (curry and hot pepper are frequently used). Guyana is a warm and beautiful country.

Cuisines of Guyana


There are many influences on Guyanese cuisine, due to the country’s location and historical background. The most important cooking styles have been adopted from the East Indian, Caribbean, African and Chinese cuisines, but there are also many European influences, as Guyana is basically a harmonious blend of these all. Most of these cuisines are based on seafood and fish dishes which include the traditional stew called Pepper Pot, which contains cassava juice, meat, hot pepper and various seasonings. The Guyanese cuisine also includes many curries and this characteristic belongs to the Indian people, which have roti and various spices. In the region of Danemara, there are many sweet local delicacies, as this region is famous for the sugar that it produces and as well, for the traditional rum. In the capital, Georgetown, the variety of available foods is wide, as all Guyana’s influences from various countries can be found in this city.

Preparation Methods for Guyanese Cooking
Guyanese cuisine uses elements borrowed from the various cooking traditions of her neighbors and developed through her own traditional dishes. While there are no specific or unique preparation methods for Guyanese cooking, we should point out that attention to detail is important in the Guyanese cuisine. Using the right amount of spices for example is essential – either for spicing up the taste or for coloring the dish. The diversity of vegetables and grains found in Guyana is also noticed in the delicious dishes belonging to their cuisine. The visual attractiveness of the dish is also important, and a balance between colors and proportion is key. Each traditional dish has a special cooking method, which is more or less general in all of Guyana’s regions. Meat is one of the main elements of most Guyanese dishes and cured and smoked hams are often parts of delicious dishes.

Special Equipment for Guyanese Cooking
Ranging from cake pans, can openers, colanders, egg rings, poachers and holders, food dishers & portioners, food pans & food containers to other kitchen utensils, such as food scales, food scoops and fryer baskets & accessories, the Guyanese cuisine needs a diverse cooking equipment set in order to produce the most sophisticated Guyanese dishes. You should consider insulated food carriers if you are transporting the food and a full set of kitchen linens and uniforms if you wish to look like a pro. Here are a few other items that will come handy while cooking Guyanese food: juicers, kitchen knives, kitchen slicers, kitchen thermometers, measuring cups & measuring spoons, miscellaneous utensils, mixing bowls and skimmers & strainers. Essential utensils like serving spoons, spatulas, forks, turners, scrapers and tongs should also be part of your cooking "arsenal".

Guyanese Food Traditions and Festivals
Due to the fact that there are more distinctive religions in Guyana, there are some dishes which are excluded on religious bases: the Muslims do not eat pork and the Hindus don’t eat beef. The ethnic diversity also leads to a number of festivals and celebrations during the year, like: Eid ul Fitr, Eid ul Azah, Youman Nabi, Phagwag, Deepavali, Easter, Christmas or Masharamani. The Masharamani festival is in fact a carnival whose name means “a job well done” and it takes place in February, for the days of the Republic. The most important dishes that are consumed on these occasions are the metagge, curry and roti, garlic pork, dhol-puri and chow mein.

People in Guyanese Food
There are many chefs who creatively use the basic ingredients and cooking method for traditional Guyanese dishes and create original and delicious food variations. Guyanese chefs are passionate about their traditional dishes and they enjoy presenting them to foreigners who have never tasted them before. Whether they are cooking dishes that go back in time for centuries or brand new, modern dishes, Guyanese chefs take pride in what they do, and this is readily noticeable in the unforgettable taste of their cooking.
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