Caribbean Food -Selected Glossary version 1

Names and spellings vary by island.

Ackee and Saltfish: Jamaica's national dish, this classic pairs boiled saltfish--usually cod--with the mild fruit ackee, along with chiles, onions and garlic.

Blaff: Boiled fish, usually snapper, that's marinated in limes, chiles and spices and then boiled with herbs and served with rice. It's named after the sound the fish makes when it's thrown into the pot.

Callaloo: A hearty soup made from the spinach-like greens of the same name, which usually includes okra, pork, crab and hot chiles.

Channa: Crunchy, spicy chick peas that make an excellent snack.

Chicaharron de Cerdo: Roasted pork with cracklings, indigenous to the Dominican Republic.

Jerk: A popular Jamaican seasoning which consists of about 20 ingredients, such as chiles, onions, garlic, thyme, allspice, ginger and cinnamon. The seasoning is rubbed on meats such as chicken or pork.

Mofongo: A classic Puerto Rican dish of mashed plantains, fried pork rinds and garlic.

Pain de Kassav: Thin, crisp bread made from sweet cassava flour.

Pepperpot: A soup which varies greatly depending on where you are in the Caribbean. It's sometimes a thick vegetable soup, a stew made with bitter cassava juice or a soup made from callaloo greens.

Roti: An Indian crepe-like bread filled with meat and vegetables or served with curry.

Stamp and Go: The Jamaican name for spicy codfish fritters.

In the pantry:

Callaloo: Leafy greens used to make the popular Caribbean soup of the same name. Callaloo is also served as a side dish. Substitute fresh spinach for a similar texture and flavor.

Cassava: Also known as yuca, cassava is a starchy root that's either sweet or bitter (which is poisonous until cooked). Cassava flour--grated cassava root--is used to make the crisp bread of the same name, which is found throughout the Caribbean.

Chilli Peppers: Hot peppers flavor nearly every Caribbean dish, with scorching Scotch Bonnet chillies the most common variety. Caribbean cooks always use fresh chillies. If you can't find Scotch Bonnet chiles, choose the hottest and most flavorful one available in your market. Habanero chillies are closely related to Scotch Bonnets and make an acceptable substitution.

Conch: A staple of Bahamian cuisine, this large mollusk is prepared in a variety of ways, such as chopped in a salad or fried into fritters. Conch should be tenderized before cooking because of its tough texture. Check specialty fish stores or Chinese markets for fresh conch. It's also available canned or frozen.

Fruits: Bananas, plantains, passion fruit, limes, mangoes, papayas, guavas, breadfruit and coconuts are just some of the fruits that flourish in the Caribbean. They're used in everything from sauces and juices to desserts and side dishes. Some, like the plantain and breadfruit, are prepared much like vegetables--roasted, baked or boiled. You can find most of these in your specialty produce store or Asian markets; harder-to-find items, such as breadfruit, are available canned. More unusual fruits include the soursop, which has creamy, sweet flesh; the jackfruit, which is related to the durian and is never eaten raw; and ackee, which bursts open when ripe and is cooked in Jamaica's national dish, ackee and saltfish.

Land Crabs: Stuffed with bread crumbs and spices, these small crabs make a popular appetizer. These crabs live on land and have a completely different flavor than sea crabs. If you can't find land crabs, choose the smallest sea crabs you can for a more delicate flavor.

Legumes: Beans and peas are served with rice for a simple dish that's the mainstay of many Caribbean diets. They also appear in soups, stews or on their own as side dishes. Some common bean varieties include kidney, black, red and pink beans. Pigeon peas, also called Congo peas, are most frequently found in Caribbean cuisine.

Okra: This vegetable appears on its own as a side dish and adds body to soups and stews. You can find okra in a specialty produce market.

Rum: Nearly every Caribbean island produces its own rum, which flavors many of the area's punches and cocktails. Each island's rum is unique, so experiment with different brands to find the ones you like best.

Saltfish: Dried, salted fish--usually cod--which must be soaked in water before cooking. You'll find it in Caribbean, Asian and Italian markets. Consumers might note that Cod is an overfished species.

Spices and Herbs: Due to the islands' diverse ethnic influences, numerous spices and herbs season Caribbean cuisine, including ginger, thyme, cilantro, vanilla, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg and saffron. Then there's curry, whose mix of spices varies from island to island. Jerk seasoning also varies but usually includes allspice, ginger, thyme and cinnamon, along with garlic, chiles and onions.

By Maggie Shi, FoodTV.com

Glossary version 2