The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Cape Verdean Foods. If you manage to be in an Cape Verdean restaurant or you are visiting Cape Verde, I recommend the following:
1. Lagosta Suada
It is a steamed lobster that is usually made and served in a red sauce with all the flavor and juiciness that identifies lobster.
2. Cachupa
Considered the national dish of the archipelago, it is a preparation based on stewed meats, two varieties of corn, legumes and vegetables. The ingredients vary according to each region or island of the archipelago, but always with these food families in its preparation.
3. Morreia
It is an eel fried in oil and often served as a ‘bafa’ (a kind of ‘sandwich’ made in many varieties).
4. Tuna Tartar
Tartar is a dish based on chopped tuna with a citrus fruit (lime or lemon) and seasoned or flavored with spices and sauces. The truth is that it meets all the requirements to be considered an appropriate dish for a special occasion because it is very eye-catching and has a powerful flavor.
5. Buzio
It is a delicious slow-cooked stew, to which seafood (usually mussels) and soy sauce are added.
6. Doce de Papaya
It is a dessert that can be prepared by mixing pieces of papaya with sugar and simmering until the papaya has crystallized and caramelized, or it can be made by mashing the papaya to create a kind of jam.
7. Carpachio
It is made with raw tuna, which is finely cut and marinated in lemon juice, oil and salt.
8. Percebes
They are strange-looking, finger-shaped barnacles that are boiled in a large pot and eaten by breaking off the end and peeling off the skin to expose the flesh, which has a squid-like texture.
9. Cracas
It is a kind of served barnacle that still clings to the rock with a slice of lemon and a long, thin implement used to hook the crusts of its shell.
10. Bowl of Cus-Cus
It is a steamed corn bread. It is eaten with honey, milk, or coffee. It is quite a traditional breakfast for Cape Verdeans.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional African Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.