Cultural Dishes of the Garifuna
Like music, the Garifuna closely identify with their food and drink, including fish, chicken, cassava, bananas, plantains, coconut milk, and rice. The national dish of Belize is stew chicken, rice and beans-different from beans and rice. (Rice and beans are mixed, and beans and rice are stewed beans served separately from rice.)
Dangriga, Hopkins, and Seine Bight are all Garifuna villages. Hopkins is considered the culinary destination of Belize. There are many great restaurants, including several traditional Garifuna restaurants that serve the traditional food. Darasa, is the Garifuna version of a tamale. It is made from green bananas and can be made with fish or chicken. Bundiga is seasoned fish with a grated banana and coconut milk-gravy. Hudut is a coconut milk fish soup served over mashed plantains. Hudut is my favorite of the Garifuna dishes, but I must warn you, that a nap is in order after eating this filling dish. Fish cooked in coconut milk is called serre.
Cassava bread is extremely labor intensive and takes two-days to make and is served at most meals. I think it tastes like a potato if it is just peeled and put in a soup or something. But cassava bread tastes more like a cracker. Cassava chips are some of my favorite. I eat them just like you would potato chips and they are nice and salty. I prefer cassava chips to plantain chips.
Other Garifuna breads are bun, powder bun, and coconut or creole bread. Banana bread, cassava pudding, or pumpkin bread are common too. Many times, children or ladies sell them after school and before supper. When we ran Hopkins Inn, we purchased these breads for several women in the village and served these breads and pastries for our continental breakfast.
Where to go for cultural dishes?
Innie’s serves all the local dishes every day and on Monday nights has live drumming. If you are only in town for a few days and want to try a local dish, this is where to go because they are regularly open and serve several of the local dishes daily. They also have “fish tea” -fish cooked in its broth with several vegetables. Prices run about $12US/$24BZ. Belizeans want to “see their fish” and fish is served whole, however, to accommodate tourists they now automatically remove the head. They will serve the fish with the head, just ask ahead of time.
Tina’s serves all the local dishes, but usually only features one of them as her daily special. Best priced food around $6US/$12BZ If you call her in advance though, you may order any of them. Usually has drumming on Friday’s. My favorite is her shrimp creole though.
Tuani Garifuna-Raquel not only makes hudut, bundiga, and other traditional Garifuna dishes, she also makes breads daily and they are ready late afternoon to early evening. Here one can find bread, bun, and Johnny cakes. When we ran Hopkins Inn, we regularly featured Raquel’s breads for the continental breakfast. Menu items around $6US/$12US and breads about .50US/$1BZ. One can also call and place a specific order.
Virge Kitchen. Like Tina, serves all the local dishes, but usually features on of them. Virge usually has it for her daily lunch special. Priced around $6US/$12BZ. Has one of the best whole fry-fish in the village. Amazing conch soup as well. (Tina and Virge are sisters.)
Queen Bean is located on the beach on the north side and serves the local dishes. Usually hudut on weekends. Every day, she has stuffed fry jacks and they are a must-try. (It’s like an omlette inside a New Orleans beignet.) Stuffed fry jack is $5US/$10BZ.
