(Image by @iamsimplytia via Instagram)

Happy Independence Day to St. Vincent and the Grenadines! On October 27th, 1979, this Caribbean country gained independence from the British. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is made up of 32 islands, which include St. Vincent and the Grenadine islands. In celebration of this Caribbean country’s independence, we are exploring 7 dishes from the country.

Due to the legacy of the TransAtlantic Slave Trade, seventy percent of the population is descended from enslaved Africans, and the country’s culture and demographics reflect a mixture of indigenous Carib, African, and European ancestry. African and Carib descendents are known as Garifuna or Garinagu. Vincentian cuisine is a mixture of the aforementioned cultures and reflects the migration patterns of people from surrounding Caribbean countries.

1. Callaloo soup is a hearty and savory dish made with a leafy vegetable, chicken or beef, okra, potatoes, and spices. Different Caribbean countries have varying recipes. Vincentian callaloo soup is usually a Saturday special.

(Callaloo soup. Image by @leahvincysfinest via Instagram )

2. Madongo dumplings are delicious gluten-free bites made with indigenous arrowroot and tasty ingredients like coconut and nutmeg, and are then fried to perfection. Madongo dumplings, common street food in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, is a unique dish because arrowroot is only grown in St. Vincent.

(Madongo Bakes, Fried Jackfruit, and Fried Plantain. Image by @iamsimplytia via Instagram )

3. Guinness Bottle Chicken Stew is a Saint Vincentian dish that includes seasoned, battered, and fried chicken that is stewed in onions and spices that have been sauteed in oil and Guiness Stout beer.

(Vincentian Stew Chicken, Potato Salad, Salad, Plantain, Rice, and Lentils. Image by @iamsimplytia via Instagram )

4. Buljol is a one-pot salad dish that is made in varying parts of the Caribbean and usually consists of salted fish, tomatoes, onions, and oil.

5. Roasted Breadfruit and Fried Jackfish, the national dish of St. Vincent, includes fried jackfish that has been seasoned with lemon, fried breadfruit, and a sauce made with ketchup, sweet pepper, spices, and garnishes.

(Breadfruit roasting. Image by @stvincentandgrenadines via Instagram )

6. Ducana, the Vincentian dessert made with sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and spices such as nutmeg, is steamed and served in a banana leaf.

(Ducana. Image by @stvincentandgrenadines via Instagram )

7. Banana fritters are common in the country, as bananas grow in abundance on the islands. The fritters are made by frying a mixture of mashed banana, flour, spices, and sugar.

(Banana Fritters. Image by @myvegankitchenlife via Instagram )