Panamanian cuisine
The Panamanian cuisine is the cuisine of the Central American country Panama . Historically, it is a fusion cuisine with numerous influences.
Influences
The main factors for the development of today's Panamanian cuisine are largely the same as in other countries in Central America and the Caribbean: the cuisine of the pre-Columbian , indigenous population, the cuisine of the European colonial masters who dominated from the late 15th century, the cuisine of those imported from Central Africa Slaves and the kitchens of immigrants who immigrated in significant numbers from the late 19th century onwards. Panama-specific influences result from the major construction projects of the 19th and 20th centuries: One factor is first of all the large number of Afro-Caribbean (and thus partly French-influenced) workers who from 1850 onwards for the construction of the Panamanian railway and later the Panama Canal were recruited. Furthermore, the US presence on the Panama Canal between 1903 and 1999 had a massive impact on Panamanian cuisine.
Indigenous peoples
The Guaymí and Kuna ethnic groups , who immigrated from the west to what is now Panama in pre-Columbian times, still make up 8% of the Panamanian population. The indigenous inhabitants live in partly remote areas and have kept their traditional cuisine for centuries. A culinary exchange has only taken place since the end of the 20th century. On the positive side, western Panama is interested in indigenous methods of preparation; on the negative side, the indigenous peoples are forced to adjust their eating habits, as intensive forest clearing means that they have less game available and have to switch to agriculture. The cuisine of the indigenous groups is very low in salt. Their greatest contribution to Panamanian cuisine today is the use of corn.
Europeans
The Spanish colonial rulers, who first set foot in what is now Panama in 1501 and ruled it until 1821, still exert the greatest influence on Panamanian cuisine today. Not only do recipes and methods of preparation go back to them, but they also introduced many previously unknown foods and animals for the first time. The use of cauliflower, blackberries, barley, oats, leeks, rye and wheat, the consumption of wine, the keeping of ducks, rabbits, domestic chickens, pigs, turkeys and goats as well as the production of bread and cheese go back to the Spaniards.
slaves
As in all of Central America and the Caribbean, the economy of colonial Panama was based from the start on the exploitation of slaves from West and South West Africa. Where there was enough space available (e.g. on plantations), self-sufficiency for the slaves was the cheapest way of feeding their owners. The slaves introduced methods of preparation and recipes from their homeland, and with the slaves some foods came to Panama that have become an indispensable part of today's cuisine: Akee , dates, figs, coffee, olives, palm oil, tamarind and yams . The recipes often had to be adapted to local conditions, i.e. the food on offer in Panama.
Afro-caribs
With the Afro-Caribs who immigrated in large numbers from the middle of the 19th century, specifically after the abolition of slavery in 1851 in search of work in railway construction, new recipes and ingredients came to Panama again. The Afro-Caribs did not form a heterogeneous group, but were shaped by their West African origins on the one hand and the cultures of the colonial powers of their respective home islands on the other. Many of these islands were colonies of the French and English, and some of the Dutch. Dishes of today's Panamanian cuisine, which go back to the Afro-Caribs, are bacalaos (fish balls), cou cou (a solid porridge made from cornmeal and okra ), fufu (a soup with seafood, not to be confused with fufu ), gallo pinto , grilled chicken, patí and stockfish with potatoes.
Chinese
Chinese immigrated in large numbers to Panama as workers for the construction of the Panama Canal and quickly made up the second largest immigrant group after the Afro-Caribs. Some ingredients of their domestic cuisine, which were previously known but not used in Panama, found their way into today's Panamanian cuisine, such as ginger, garlic, coriander, quince, rice, soybeans and cinnamon.
United States
Due to the strong military and civilian presence of the USA between 1903 and 1999, the urban area ( Panama City , for example, directly borders the Panama Canal) was strongly influenced by the American diet. Fast food restaurants, ready meals , the American breakfast with pancakes, breakfast bacon and cereals , soft drinks and supermarkets were introduced into Panama by Americans. The Christmas dinner is based on the US model. The adoption of American customs and traditions continues, as Panama is a popular emigration country for western retirees due to its high standard of living and this group of new citizens consists of around 90% Americans.
Food and ingredients
Central components of Panamanian cuisine are meat (especially beef, chicken and pork) and the staple foods corn, rice and wheat (in the form of flour). Other foods that are very frequently used are cassava , plantains and, due to its location between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, fish (especially redfish ) and seafood. Fruit is grown across the country; Pineapple, mango, passion fruit, melon and papaya are common.
For some indigenous groups, hunting still contributes significantly to the diet; their kitchen is designed to use all available natural resources. Freshwater fish such as Brycon rubricauda or guacuco are used, but also sea turtles, although killing them is prohibited.
Food culture
The urban population eats three meals a day, with breakfast and dinner on average being hearty and lunch being light. Lunch can be skipped in rural areas and stews and offal generally play a greater role than in the city. Breakfast in Panama often has fried or meat components. Lunch and dinner differ from each other more in the amount than in the content. Meat is grilled, fried or deep-fried (also breaded) or steamed for the vast majority of dishes. The preparation method "a la criolla" means serving with a tomato and onion sauce. Tamales are traditionally eaten at Christmas and fish on Good Friday.
dishes
breakfast
Common components of breakfast are eggs (usually scrambled eggs with other ingredients), sausages or fried meat, fruit and toast. Arepas are eaten for breakfast, but also with all other meals. Gallo Pinto consists of rice, beans and other ingredients, often pork, in private households often made from leftovers from the day before. The simple dish is common in several Central American states. Hojaldras are warm pastries that are eaten sprinkled with sugar and are vaguely reminiscent of the donuts that are widespread in German-speaking countries . Dishes with the same name are common in Mexico and Colombia, but their composition is significantly different. Tortillas are eaten filled with cheese, scrambled eggs, fried vegetables or meat. The most popular breakfast drink in Panama is coffee.
Soups and stews
Mondongo a la Culona is a vegetable stew with tripe , pork feet and pork tails . Sancocho is a stew-like soup made from chicken, cassava and coriander that is common throughout Spanish-speaking Central America and is a national dish in Panama.
Main courses
Arroz con Pollo (Chicken with Rice) is a popular dish in warmer countries around the world; In the Panamanian version, small pieces of chicken are mixed with rice and vegetables. Bistek Picado is a dish made of beef strips, onions, bell peppers and garlic, slightly reminiscent of the fajita of Tex-Mex cuisine , which is cooked in a spicy sauce made from soy sauce and tomatoes, among other things. Ropa vieja is a popular dish made from slowly braised beef with vegetables. Tamales are corn bags filled with mostly meat-based filling, which are wrapped in banana leaves and cooked. Fish, shrimp and lobster in various ways are often on the menu. A popular food fish is the corvina ( Cilus gilberti ), a umber fish . Squid in coconut milk sauce is a specialty of the Province of Colón .
Side dishes and sauces
Rice (often cooked in coconut milk) and beans are standard side dishes on main dishes; Cassava, pumpkin, plantains and mashed potatoes are also commonly used. The most common method of preparation of rice is the mixing with pigeon peas ( Guandu ). The fish salad ceviche , which comes from Peru , is prepared in Panama with redfish and served as a starter with meals or sold as a snack on the street or at beach bars. Patacones are fried slices of unripe plantain , which are served with many dishes and are a common side dish in Colombia. Long, fried strips of ripe plantain are called Platano Maduro and have a slightly sweet taste. A very common side dish are tortillas, flatbreads made from cornmeal, which are eaten with all meals.
Snack foods
At mobile stalls, there are often fried foods such as fried plantains, fried cassava or fried tortillas. Bacalaos are balls made from the named stockfish, potatoes and various herbs and spices. Empanadas , filled and fried dumplings, are popular throughout Central and South America. The Carimañolas, endemic to Panama and Colombia, represent a variant, deep-fried bags made of cassava dough with a filling of meat and cheese, occasionally supplemented with eggs. Patí are dumplings with a spicy beef filling. Pollo al Ajillo, grilled chicken marinated in garlic, is a street food common across the country .
Desserts
Flan is not only common in Panama, but throughout Latin America, Spain, and Portugal. Popular as dessert as well as breakfast is rice pudding . Raspados, cups with ice flakes scraped from large blocks of ice and poured over with syrup, are sold at mobile stalls. A cake common in Spanish-speaking Central America and Peru is Pastel Tres Leches , which is made with three types of milk.
beverages
The two largest breweries in the country are Cervecería Nacional , which belongs to Anheuser-Busch InBev, and Cervecería Barú, which belongs to Heineken . The most popular beers are Atlas and Balboa (Nacional) and Panama (Barú), all lagers . Balboa is the oldest Panamanian beer brand, it has been brewed since 1910. A non-commercial, beer-like drink is chicha , which is widely used by indigenous groups. The most popular spirit is rum, which is produced in the country and also exported. A spirit similar to rum is Seco Herrerano, which has been produced since 1936 and is also distilled from sugar cane.
A popular non-alcoholic drink are milkshakes , which are made from fruit, milk and a little sugar.
gallery
Carimañolas
Empanadas
Pastel Tres Leches
Sancocho
literature
- Nilsa Lasso-von Lang, Jiwanda Gale-Rogers: Flavors of Panama . PublishAmerica, Baltimore 2012, ISBN 978-1-4560-7981-9 .
Individual evidence
- ^ Lasso-von Lang, Gale-Rogers, p. 9
- ↑ NativePlanet.org: The Embera and Waounan: Indigenous People of Panama and Colombia. Retrieved March 6, 2018 .
- ^ Lasso-von Lang, Gale-Rogers, p. 12
- ^ Lasso-von Lang, Gale-Rogers, p. 14
- ^ Lasso-von Lang, Gale-Rogers, p. 16
- ^ Lasso-von Lang, Gale-Rogers, p. 13
- ↑ TravelPanama.eu: Eating in Panama. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on November 4, 2017 ; Retrieved November 19, 2017 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Lasso-von Lang, Gale-Rogers, p. 9
- ^ Lasso-von Lang, Gale-Rogers, p. 20
- ↑ PanamaInfo.com: The Panamanian Food Experience. Retrieved November 24, 2017 .
- ↑ LivingInPanama.com: Panamanian Sancocho - A Delicious Chicken Soup. Retrieved November 19, 2017 .
- ↑ VenetoPanama.com: Panama food. Retrieved November 26, 2017 .
- ↑ AllesRum.de: Seco Herrerano. Retrieved November 21, 2017 .
