A celebratory and symbolic dish, especially at Easter. It’s a thick stew made with the pulp of the awara fruit (from the Amazonian palm), slowly cooked with smoked meats, fish, prawns, crab, chicken, and vegetables. Locals say, “If you eat bouillon d’awara, you’ll return to Guyane!” 1)
A hearty leafy green stew made from okra and spinach-like greens (like callaloo), flavored with salt meat or crab, and spiced with hot peppers and garlic. It has roots in African and Caribbean traditions. 2)
A baked yellow plantain gratin, often layered with béchamel or cheese, and served as a side to meat or fish. Sweet, salty, and comforting. 3)
A flavorful Hmong-inspired noodle soup brought by Hmong refugees. Often made with rice noodles, pork or chicken, herbs, lemongrass, and chilis. 4)
A crunchy, coarse rice gruel made from fermented cassava flour called “couac” — often eaten with grilled fish, spicy sauces, or meat. A staple of Maroon and Amerindian communities. 5)
Small flour dumplings simmered in a rich tomato sauce with shrimp, garlic, onions, and thyme. Very comforting — like Caribbean gnocchi in a stew. 6)
A fiery, vinegary fish stew with scotch bonnet peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic, and lime. Often made with snapper or local river fish. 7)
A jungle delicacy: wild boar (pakira) marinated in spices and cooked in a red wine-like sauce. It’s often reserved for festivals or hunting celebrations. 8)
Mashed green plantains or breadfruit, pounded until smooth, often served with saucy meats or stews. A hearty, starchy base for many meals. 9)
A sweet-salty bread flavored with anise and vanilla, often served at breakfast with cheese, sausage, or jam. A perfect Guyanese street food snack. 10)
A stew of giant freshwater prawns (ouassous) with onions, garlic, tomato, lime, and pepper — intensely flavorful, especially when eaten with rice and couac. 11)
A sweet-sour-spicy tamarind chutney made with tamarind pulp, sugar, and chili. Served with meats, fried snacks, or even by the spoonful. 12)
Atipa is a local armored fish (hoplosternum) — here it's smoked (boucané) and cooked with herbs and chili, often over a wood fire. A prized catch in river villages. 13)
Literally “Fierce Avocado” — a spicy mash of avocado, cassava flour (farine), codfish, lime juice, and Scotch bonnet chili. Creamy, fiery, and unique. 14)
A light fish broth made with snapper or shark, steeped in lime juice, garlic, herbs, and allspice, quickly poached and served hot. The name comes from the sound the fish makes when dropped into boiling broth — “blaff!” 15)