Fina'denne'
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Fina'denne' (many alternate spellings, commonly finadene, fina'denni', or fina'dene) is a spicy, all-purpose condiment that is a staple of
Chamorro cuisine The Chamorro people (; also CHamoru) are the indigenous people of the Mariana Islands, politically divided between the United States territory of Guam and the encompassing Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Micronesia. Today, signifi ...
. In the
Chamorro language Chamorro (; ch, Finuʼ Chamorro, links=no (CNMI), (Guam)) is an Austronesian language spoken by about 58,000 people (about 25,800 people on Guam and about 32,200 in the rest of the Mariana Islands and elsewhere). It is the native and spoken ...
, it translates as "made with
chili pepper Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for ...
." It may be drizzled over meat dish or rice, or placed in a separate, small dipping saucer. Anthropologists visitng Guam in the early 20th century noted the frequent use of fina'denne' by Chamorros.


History

There are many historical and contemporary versions of fina'denne'. The earliest fina'denne', predating
Spanish colonization The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its History ...
in the late seventeenth century, was simply salt and pepper.
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
immigrants during the Spanish period introduced the technique of tapping
coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
trees and fermenting the sap to make ''
tubâ Tubâ () is a Filipino alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm trees. During the Spanish colonial period, tubâ was introduced to Guam, the Marianas, and Mexico via the Manila Galleons. They remain popular in Mexico, ...
'' vinegar. The fina'denne' of this time was made with ''tubâ'', salt, lemon, water, and fresh pepper. The Japanese subsequently introduced
soy sauce Soy sauce (also called simply soy in American English and soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and '' Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''Asp ...
to the
Mariana Islands The Mariana Islands (; also the Marianas; in Chamorro: ''Manislan Mariånas'') are a crescent-shaped archipelago comprising the summits of fifteen longitudinally oriented, mostly dormant volcanic mountains in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, betw ...
, resulting in the typical contemporary version of fina'denne' with soy sauce, lemon juice, onion, and fresh
bird's eye chili Bird's eye chili or Thai chili (Thai: ''prik ki nu'', พริกขี้หนู, literally "mouse dung chili" owing to its shape) is a chili pepper, a variety from the species ''Capsicum annuum'' native to Mexico. Cultivated across Southea ...
, known locally as "boonie peppers." The acidic ingredient may also be white vinegar, cidar vinegar, coconut vinegar, or lime. Other versions that are still made are ''binakle fina'denne' ''made with tubâ; ''chigu'an fina'denne, made with fish brine and resembling fish sauces of Southeast Asia; and a common fina'denne' made entirely with lemon and no soy sauce. Soy sauce-based fina'denne' typically accompanies red meat, pork, and chicken dishes. Lemon-based fina'denne' is typically used for fish and more delicately flavoured dishes.


See also

* List of dips *
List of sauces The following is a list of notable culinary and prepared sauces used in cooking and food service. General * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (salsa roja) * * * – a velouté sauce flavored ...


References


External links

* Chamorro cuisine Condiments {{Guam-stub