Local Cuisine in Aruba

Don't go home without sampling the worthwhile local cuisine. Here's some help with the menu:

Bananas hasa -- Fried plantains served as a side dish in Curaçao.

Bitterballen -- Deep-fried balls of puréed meat, popular in Curaçao.

Empanadas -- Similar to pastechis but smaller and made with cornmeal rather than flour.

Frickendel -- Tiny deep-fried hot dogs popular in Curaçao.

Funchi -- Cornmeal polenta.

Giambo -- A thick gumbo made with fish filets, salted beef, okra, fresh basil (yerba di hole), and shrimp.

Keshi yena -- Edam or Gouda cheese rinds stuffed with beef, chicken, fish, or shrimp, embellished with raisins, grated cheese, bread crumbs, olives, capers, and spices; created by frugal Dutch colonists who had to stretch their provisions to last until the next ship arrived, this recipe ensured that nothing would be wasted.

Kesio -- Eggy caramel custard with caramel sauce.

Pan bati -- A thick, sweet, corn bread-like pancake cut in thin wedges and served as a side.

Pastechi -- A crescent-shaped, deep-fried turnover filled with spicy meat, shrimp, fish, or cheese; popular for breakfast and as a snack.

Ponche crema -- Creamy eggnoglike drink laced with rum and flavored with nutmeg.

Pudin di coco -- Coconut pudding made with rum and served with lime sauce.

Salsa creollo -- Red, sweet Creole sauce made of tomatoes, onions, and peppers and served with fish.

Sopinan -- Soups made with salt pork or beef, whole fish, shellfish, greens, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, garlic, peppers, and spices; more common in Curaçao.

Stoba -- Hearty stew made with chicken, beef, goat, conch, or fish.