Panamanian cuisine

Panamanian cuisine is both unique and rich. As a land bridge between two continents, Panama possesses an unusual variety of tropical fruits, vegetables and herbs that are used in native cooking.^{[citation needed]} Panamanian cuisine is a unique mix of African, Spanish, Native American cooking and dishes, reflecting its diverse population. Typical foods are mildly flavored, without the pungency of some of Panama's Latin American and Caribbean neighbors. Common ingredients are maize, rice, wheat flour, plantains, yuca (cassava), beef, chicken, pork and seafood.

Frituras (fritters)and other specialties

Many panamanian dishes are made out of corn. The preparation is different to that of other latin american corn dishes (such as corn tortillas and arepas), given that the kernel is first cooked in water and then ground in order to obtain a dough (as opposed to using corn flour to obtain the dough). Fresh corn is also used in some dishes.

Some of the main specialties are:

• Tortillas: Made out of dry corn and similar to colombian arepas. These can be around ten to twelve inches in diameter (these are always cooked on a griddle), or smaller, around four inches (most of the time these are fried).
• Bollos: corn dough wrapped in corn husk or plantain leaves and boiled. There are two main varieties: fresh corn bollos (bollos de maíz nuevo) and dry corn bollos. The dry corn type is sometimes flavored with butter, corn, or stuffed with beef, which is called bollo "preñado".
• Torrejitas de maíz: a fresh corn fritter.
• Tortilla Changa: Thick tortilla made out of fresh corn.
• Almojábanos: "S" shaped corn fritters.
• Empanadas: which can be made either from flour or corn, and stuffed with meats, cheese, and sometimes sweet fillings, such as fruit marmalade or manjar blanco (dulce de leche).
• Hojaldres/Hojaldras:A type of fry-bread, similar to South American sopaipilla.
• Patacones: twice-fried green plantain disks, known in other countries as "tostones".
• Carimañola: Similar to an empanada, but made from yuca and stuffed with beef.

Main dishes

• Arroz con guandú: Rice with pigeon peas.
• Arroz con bacalao: Rice with cod.
• Arroz con pollo
• Guacho: Stew consisting of rice, beans, and some meat (very commonly pork tail).
• Arroz con mollejas: Rice with gizzards.
• Arroz con tities y coco: Rice with shrimp and coconut milk.
• Arroz verde
• Arroz con puerco y vegetales
• Arroz con chorizo y ajíes dulces
• Sancocho
• Carne Entomatada
• Mondongo a la culona: Stewed beef tripe.
• Salpicón de carne
• Lengua guisada: Stewed beef tongue.
• Bistec picado: Chopped beefsteak.
• Pernil de pueco al horno: Roasted pork leg.
• Chorizo con vegetales
• Chuletas en salsa de piña
• Bistec de hígado: Liver steak.
• Ropa vieja
• Ceviche: commonly made from corvina
• Fried fish
• Ensalada de papas: Potato salad, called ensalada de feria, when beetroot is added.
• Tamales
• Tamal de olla
• Plátano en tentacion: Ripe plantain cooked in a sweet syrup.
• Tasajo- Dried, sometimes smoked meat, usually from pork.

Desserts

• Bocado de la reina
• Cabanga
• Huevitos de leche'
• Manjar
• Cocadas
• Pesada de nance
• Tres leches

Drinks

• Chicha
• Chicheme
• Resbaladera
• Ron ponche
• kahlua
• Fresh fruit juices (licuados or jugos naturales): pineapple, passionfruit, papaya, orange, tree tomato, etc. are prepared by blending fresh fruit and straining; typically heavily sweetened and optionally with condensed milk added

External links

• Panamanian Recipes Wiki