Cuisine of the Mariana Islands

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Kelaguen, raw meats, green onions, donni’ peppers cooked with citrus and served with titiyas
Tinaktak, finely ground meat cooked in coconut milk with vegetables
Estufao, a stewed meat dish similar to Kåddun pika
Apigigi’, roasted coconut in a banana leaf

The cuisine of the Mariana Islands is largely made up of meat dishes, including pork, poultry, and meat from other land mammals. Some popular land animals consumed include Mariana fruit bat (fanihi in Chamorro).[1] Guam and the Northern Marianas split in 1899, when Spain transferred Guam to the United States but the northern Islands to Germany (later occupied by Japan), and so there are many similarities, especially the Chamorro food culture.

Like in many other archipelagos, the islands' surrounding waters make seafood another popular option. Some seafoods include sea cucumbers, and various fish. It is said that the Mariana Island's cuisine is heavily influenced by its neighbors Papuan, Hawaiian, and American cuisines. The Mariana's cuisine is very international, with many dishes, such as Korean kimchi, Filipino pancit[2] and Spanish empanadas being enjoyed on the islands.[3]

Some of the most well known local specialties are kelaguen, a Chamorro dish consisting of chicken, shrimp, fish or beef marinated in a mix of lemon juice and fresh coconut,[4][5] red rice made with annatto[6] and kå'du fanihi, a soup made of fruit bat or flying fox[7] and Guyuria cookies.[8]

Apigigi’ is a Chamorro dish in which roasted coconut is wrapped in banana leaf.[9] A traditional ingredient of Chamorro food is a variety of spice-hot chili pepper called the donni’ såli.[9] This pepper, thought to have been introduced by the Spanish in the 1600s (Chili pepper is native to the Americas), grows wild on Guam and the Northern Marianas. It is a type of Capsicum frutescens and is very popular part of the culinary aspects and food culture of the islands.[10](see also List of Capsicum cultivars) It is also commonly eaten by birds which have spread it around the islands, and is also called a Boonie pepper.[11] The sauce made from this pepper is called Fina'denni', and is a staple condiment of Chamorro dishes. Translated, it simply means "made from donni' ", the Chamorro word for chili pepper.[12] The sauce fina’denni’ can be made with soy sauce and vinegar (dark fina’denni’) or with lemon juice and vinegar (white fina’denni’).[13] The white fina’denni’ sauce is used in making Chamorro cured beef called Tinala' Kåtni.[13]

The canned meat Spam is extremely popular in the Marianas and Saipan.[14]

Guam is also the highest per capita consumer of Tabasco sauce in the world.[15]

The islands are home to many types of restaurants, with Korean, Japanese, Thai, American food, often serving a mix of styles.[16][9] (see also Fusion cuisine)

List of traditional dishes:

References

  1. ^ "Food in Islands of the Pacific - Pacific Islander Food, Pacific Islander Cuisine - popular, dishes, recipe, diet, history, common, meals, staple, main". www.foodbycountry.com. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  2. ^ A Ulatan, Joanna Marie (20 February 2018). "Marianas Food Cart serves up island cuisine in Oregon". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  3. ^ Lum, Linda (29 July 2018). "Exploring Empanadas: Anthropology of the Tapas Treat". Delishably. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  4. ^ "Kelaguen: Meat, Chicken or Seafood with Lemon | Stripes Guam". guam.stripes.com. 2018-12-11. Archived from the original on 2019-01-06. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  5. ^ "Northern Mariana Islands". World Travel Guide. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  6. ^ Merfalen, Annette (17 August 2018). "Annie's Chamorro Kitchen: Red Rice made with Brown Rice | Stripes Guam". guam.stripes.com. Archived from the original on 6 January 2019. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  7. ^ "1. Fruit Bat Soup from 8 Animals That Are Eaten Alive Around the World (Slideshow)". The Daily Meal. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  8. ^ Merfalen, Annette (15 September 2015). "Annie's Chamorro Kitchen: Guyuria | Stripes Guam". guam.stripes.com. Archived from the original on 6 January 2019. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  9. ^ a b c "Northern Mariana Islands — Food and Restaurants - ITAP World". itap-world.com. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
  10. ^ #author.fullName}. "These searing hot chilli peppers are in danger thanks to snakes". New Scientist. Retrieved 2023-10-16. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  11. ^ "New research illustrates how birds help to produce rare wild chili peppers • News Service • Iowa State University". www.news.iastate.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  12. ^ "Fina'dene' ~ Chamorro 'Special Sauce' | Annie's Chamorro Kitchen". 2013-10-28. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  13. ^ a b "Fina'denne': Dipping Sauce - Guampedia". www.guampedia.com. 2010-06-29. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  14. ^ "How Saipan got Obsessed with SPAM". Mental Floss. 2008-07-28. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  15. ^ "Guam still has world's highest Tabasco consumption rate". www.kuam.com. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  16. ^ "THE 10 BEST Restaurants in Northern Mariana Islands (2023)". www.tripadvisor.com. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
  17. ^ "Tinala' Katne: Dried Beef - Guampedia". www.guampedia.com. 2010-06-28. Retrieved 2023-10-18.

See also