Surinamer Cuisine

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== Suriname – Cooking and Food ==
==Overview of Surinamer Cuisine History==
The Republic of Suriname is in northern South America. It is bordered by Guyana, the North Atlantic Ocean, French Guiana and Brazil. Suriname cuisine is a blending of cultures because immigrants from all parts of the word brought with them their ethnic food customs. Cuisine in Suriname is born out of local traditions borrowing methods and recipes from Dutch, Indian, West African, Indonesian, Chinese, Lebanese and Jewish kitchen. In Suriname the regional dishes include a lot of corn, Pork, beans, and local soft ripened cheeses. Surinamese traditional recipes include meat, fish and vegetables and are prepared in a variety of ways: fried, grilled, roasted, barbecued, and stewed and as a filling for various dishes. Seafood plays a major part of Surinamese cuisine and can be served cooked or uncooked and is very tasty served with potatoes and chili. African influences on Suriname cuisine are obvious through diverse type of dishes such as Bacalhau and Feijao.
== Cuisines of Suriname ==
A favorite dish is pepper pot, a stew made with bitter cassava juice, meat, hot pepper, and seasoning. Other popular foods are roti and curry, garlic Pork, cassava bread, chow mein, and "cook up," a one-pot meal that can include any favorite meats or vegetables. Popular homemade drinks are mauby, made from the bark of a tree, sorrel, made from a leafy vegetable used in salads, and ginger beer. Surinamese people eat three meals and one or two snacks daily. Milk is usually consumed as a drink, but is used in creams and in coffee. Fruits, vegetables, and nuts are eaten in abundance. cassava flour and meal are common in many areas of Suriname. Breakfast is normally a light meal with coffee or tea; bread with butter and jam; and sometimes fruit or fruit juice. Meat and cheese are usually eaten in Suriname. Other important ingredient of Surinamese cuisine is beans which is served with different meats, but is especially with fish. An important ingredient throughout the country, it is also coconut which is used in soups, cocktails, poultry, fish, and shellfish recipes, as well as desserts and sweets.
== Preparation Methods for Surinamer Cooking ==
There are many fried dishes, as frying seems to be the most frequent preparation method of the Surinamese cooking: fried puff squares, fried plantains, fried cheese puffs and various kinds of fried meat. The frying is done in vegetable oil, which is pre-heated in a pot. The traditional Surinamese dough requires mixing the ingredients in wide bowls and then rolling them. Some meals, like the Chicken based soups require marinating the meat. The marinating is done 1 day before making the soup and garlic and salt are added in the water. Some of the Surinamese recipes require sacrificing a lot of time; this is the case of the traditional dessert, which must be mixed for many hours until it gets thick. Surinamese use many herbs and spices, which are usually dried before cooking and chopped. Almost all onions and garlic included in the meals are chopped, as well and tomatoes are peeled and then mashed for sauces.
== Special Equipment for Surinamer Cooking ==
Ranging from cake pans, can openers, colanders, egg rings, poachers and holders, food dishes and portioners, food pans and food containers to other kitchen utensils, such as food scales, food scoops and fryer baskets and accessories, the Surinamese cuisine needs a diverse cooking equipment set in order to produce the most sophisticated Suriname 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 Surinamese food: juicers, kitchen knives, kitchen slicers, and kitchen thermometers, measuring cups and measuring spoons, miscellaneous utensils, mixing bowls and skimmers and strainers. Essential utensils like serving spoons, spatulas, forks, turners, scrapers and tongs should also be part of your cooking "arsenal".
== Surinamer Food Traditions and Festivals ==
Surinamese people have a wide range of festivals, carnivals, national holidays and rituals, which all imply culinary traditions. Due to the fact that there are many religions like Hindus, Christians and Muslims, festivals offer you like tourist a great celebration of savor and taste. Local people prepare special dishes like vatapa, a spicy seafood dish, which is made of boiled vegetables with many types of fresh fish. One of the most important festivals is Independence Day on 25 November, when people eats traditional foods. Other special events are Revolution Day and National Union Day. On this Christmas Surinamese families serve the traditional beans and corn meals, together with Beef dishes on family dinners and feasts.
== People in Surinamer Food ==
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There are many chefs who creatively use the basic ingredients and cooking method for traditional Surinamese dishes and create original and delicious food variations. Suriname chefs are passionate about their traditional dishes and they enjoy presenting them to foreigners who has never tasted them before. Whether they are cooking dishes that go back in time for centuries or brand new, modern dishes, Suriname chefs take pride in what they do, and this is readily noticeable in the unforgettable taste of their cooking.