<P> Bahamians enjoy many soups popular throughout the Caribbean including conch chowder or stewed conch, stewed fish and split pea soup (made with ham). Peas are used in various soups, including a soup made with dumplings and salt beef . Souse is a soup usually made with chicken, lime, potatoes and pepper., if made with fish it is called boiled fish . These soup dishes are usually served with Johnny cake or grits . </P> <P> Turtle soup was once a mainstay before turtles became endangered . </P> <P> Seafood is a staple in the Bahamas . Conch, a large tropical mollusk (sea snail) with firm, white flesh, is the national dish of the Bahamas . Conch can be prepared in a number of ways: served raw with lime juice, raw vegetables and even fruit called conch salad . It can be steamed, stewed, deep - fried ("cracked conch" or conch fritters), used in soups (especially conch chowder), or served in salads . Other popular shellfish are crab (including the Florida stone crab), which is often served baked, or another dish called crab fat and dough . The clawless spiny lobster, also known as rock lobster and sometimes referred to as crayfish . Grouper is often served fried, sautéed, grilled or, more traditionally, boiled (called boiled fish) and offered with grits or Johnny cake . Bonefish, found in great numbers in Bahamian waters, is served baked . </P> <P> Fish may be served escabeche style, in a mixture of lime juice or vinegar with seasoning . In escabeche the fish is cooked first, differentiating it from the similarly prepared ceviche . "Stewed fish" is a method of preparing fish with celery, onions, potatoes, tomatoes and spices . </P>

What is the traditional food in the bahamas