One of the charms of our country is its food, traditional dishes with influence from different regions of the world, from African, Spanish to indigenous. This diversity has been key, so that the Panamanian culinary art is an excellent fusion of styles and flavors that make each dish a true feast for the senses.
Many of the traditional dishes in Panama have similarities with some traditional dishes from other regions of the continent, such as Ecuador, Peru, Colombia or Venezuela, which is due to the indigenous cultures that emerged during the union of La Gran Colombia, of which Panama was a part.
Fritters, Unforgettable Delicacies for the Palate
Those who wish to have a real cultural experience should try the various fried foods that are part of our typical dishes. Among them, fried yucca and corn tortillas, which in Panama are thicker and almost look like buns. Both are accompanied with any type of meat stew. However, there are other more elaborate ones.
Fried Cobo: The Cobo is a sea snail without a shell. This ingredient from the sea is mixed with black olives, paprika and onion. And then, before frying, it is kneaded with wheat flour, egg and baking powder. A delicacy that mixes the sea with fried foods.
Almojabana: Fried food from Chiriqui,
it is a mixture of yellow corn with white cheese. They are molded to achieve a figure in the form of a zeta and are thrown into hot oil. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Carimañola: It is a mass of mashed cassava with various fillings (either meat, chicken or prickly pear). Sometimes it is accompanied with chicharron (fried pork) or fried suckling pig. Even with a steak with onions or a couple of fried eggs.
Panamanian tortillas: The essential tortillas in a typical Panamanian breakfast, it is made from a corn dough, usually accompanied with melted cheese, eggs, sausages in sauce or meat with onions.
Hojaldras: This delicious fry is a type of fried bread, which is usually served for breakfast, although it is also a delicious alternative to snack on, it can be accompanied with eggs or cheese, even eating it alone is delicious.
Patacones: These are prepared using green plantain, which is flattened and fried, giving rise to a kind of delicious fried plantain pancakes. In other Latin American countries they are known as tostones, tajada or tachinos.
Rice, the Base of Our Food
In Panamanian cuisine, rice is the basis of many typical dishes. Other widely used ingredients are corn and bananas, as well as meat, fish and shellfish depending on the geographical area you visit.
With all those ingredients, meals are prepared that every visitor should enjoy. Next, the most emblematic foods of Panamanian gastronomy.
Guacho
This delicacy is based on rice and green beans, cooked in a thick soup of vegetables, meat, cassava, yams and cilantro.
Rice with pigeon peas (Arroz con Guandu)
The difference between this dish and the previous one is that white rice with coconut is used as a base. There are two ways to prepare it, either add the fresh pigeon peas (beans) or saute them with garlic and onions before adding the rice. This touch of coconut makes it stand out from the guacho because of its flavor.
Sancocho
Another of the typical dishes to eat in Panama. This dish consists of a highly seasoned vegetable soup, to which different types of meat and tubers are added.
Other popular soups in Panamanian cuisine are beef soup, cow leg soup, bean soup, and seafood soup.
Rondon
It is a seafood soup whose origin is Anglo-Afro-Antillean. To prepare this dish, a seafood or fish soup is cooked with vegetables and tubers, to which spices, sweet chili peppers, green bananas and coconut milk are added.
Saus
Pork lovers should try this classic of Panamanian cuisine. The saus, consists of a dish of pickled pig feet with spicy sauce. Its origin comes from the Afro-Caribbean tradition and you can try it mainly during the Bocas de Toro and Portobelo festivals.
Mondongo a la Culona
With this original name, the Panamanians baptized this culinary invention, a mixture of flavors with an exceptional result. A broth is prepared with beef tripe, chorizo, onions, chili, cilantro, garlic, tomatoes, peas and carrots. It is seasoned with salt and pepper and served with white rice.
Tamales
As in other regions of Latin America, tamales are also prepared in Panama. To make Panamanian tamales, hen or chicken, corn, tomatoes, capers, onion, cilantro, peppers and banana or Bijao leaves are used.
Ceviche
It is one of the tastiest typical dishes of Panama. Its flavor is sweet and acid at the same time, and to prepare it, Panamanians marinate fish or shellfish with lemon. Panamanian ceviche is served with crackers or fried plantains.
Panama is full of destinations, as well as delicious foods that make our country an exceptional place to visit, and on many cases… to stay and live.
