Guiambo

Guiambo is Curaçao's beloved okra soup, a thick, almost velvety seafood broth that ranks among the island's most cherished comfort foods. The name comes from the word for okra, and it is the okra that gives the soup its signature body: cooked down, it releases a natural thickness that turns the broth silky and slightly glossy. Into that base go fish and shellfish, often a mix of snapper, shrimp, crab, or whatever the day's catch provides, along with onion, tomato, and seasoning.

This is a dish that rewards generosity. A good guiambo is packed with seafood and rich enough to be a full meal, deeply savoury with the brine of the shellfish and the earthy thickness of the okra. It is the kind of soup associated with home kitchens and special occasions rather than quick lunches, the bowl a Curaçaoan grandmother might make on a weekend.

How it is traditionally eaten

Guiambo is classically served over or alongside funchi, the cornmeal staple. A scoop of funchi is dropped into the bowl, and the thick soup clings to it, making the dish even heartier.

• Because it is seafood-rich, guiambo is more of a treat than an everyday plate, so look for it on Krioyo menus and at weekend kitchens.
• It pairs the island's love of fresh fish with its cornmeal cooking tradition in a single bowl.

If you see guiambo offered at a traditional restaurant in Willemstad, order it. A bowl of okra-and-seafood soup over funchi is one of the most satisfying ways to taste Curaçao.