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Jamaican Fried Dumplings

 

One of Jamaica's best known side dishes are the Jamaican fried Dumplings. These fluffy fried dough balls, are traditionally called Johnny Cakes. The name Johnny Cakes derived from the name journey cakes. During the time of slavery in Jamaica, these fried "biscuits'were taken on long journey, hence giving it its name. Fried Dumplings can be eaten with any dish, during any time of the day. However, since the dumplings are made of dough, I personally found them really filling, so don't eat to much of them!  

 

The recipe itself is not too difficult and you don't need many ingredients to prepare this dish. However, the trick of making the perfect dumplings lays in the frying of them. The dumplings should be brown on the inside, but fluffy on the inside. You know the dumplings are cooked on the inside, if you tap the dumplings in the pan and they sound hollow. If you manage to do get the dumplings like that, you are sure going to love the them as much as I did.

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups  All-purpose flour

  • 1/2 to 1 tsp  Salt (if using salted butter or margarine use 1/2 tsp salt)

  • 3 tsp  Baking powder

  • 3 Tbsp  Unsalted Butter or margarine

  • 3/4 cup  Cold water

  • 1/2 cup  Cooking oil

 

Method:

1. Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl
2. Blend butter into dry ingredients with hands or mixer until crumbly
3. Add water, a little at a time, to dry ingredients until dough holds together (you may
not need all the water). Sprinkle with more flour if dough is too wet.
4. Knead dough until smooth; do not over knead. Place in fridge for 15 minutes
5. Shape dough into 8 small balls (enough to fit in palm)
6. Pour cooking oil into frying pan and set stove to Medium High
7. Place dumplings into pan; oil should be sizzling
8. As each side browns continually turn dumplings until all sides are brown and
dumplings are light and fluffy

 

Makes about 8 servings

Jamaican Saltfish Fritters

Jamaican Saltfish Fritters (Also known as Stamp and Go) are a true tastebud sensation. When prepared in the right way, they will be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. This dish is perfect for breakfast or as an appatizer, when prepared in smaller sizes. The fritters themselves are very easy to make, but you do have to make sure to fry them on medium-high heat to make them crispy on the outside and don't make them soak up all the oil. The fritters are the most delicious when eaten hot. The Fritters are then at their crispiest and very soft inside. Experience the atuhentic taste of Jamaica by trying out this recipe for yourself.

 

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz Salted cod (boneless and skinless) 

  • 1 small Tomato, finely chopped

  • 3 Tbsp Red bell pepper, finely chopped

  • 1/2 medium Onion

  • 1 tsp Pepper sauce

  • 1 Tbsp Tomato ketchup

  • 1 tsp Dried thyme

  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper

  • 1 tsp Salt (if needed)

  • 1 cup Water

  • 1 1/3 cup Flour

  • 1 cup Vegetable oil (for frying)

 

Method:

  1. In a large bowl place counter flour, flaked saltfish, chopped onion, escallion and diced tomatoes and mix well.

  2. Gradually add water to make a smooth batter, then egg (if used). Batter should be thick and of a dropping consistency.

  3. Season with salt (if used), black pepper and scotch bonnet pepper.

  4. In a large skillet heat Grace Vegetable Oil, drop batter by tablespoons full into hot oil and fry until brown on one side, turn and continue frying until done.

  5. Drain on absorbent paper towel. Serve hot

 

Makes about 6 servings

Jamaican Fried Plantains

Fried plantains are a traditional treat in Jamaica. Plantains are similar to bananas, but they are firmer and have less sugar. Bananas are often eaten raw, whereas plantains are usually cooked before they are eaten. The Jamaican Fried plantains my be served as a snack, a starter or as a side dish to a main course. In Jamaica, the plantains are an important part of the dish, they are comparable to the potatoes we eat with our dishes in the Netherlands. Personally, I had to get used to the taste of the fried plantains before I started to like them. 

Fried plantains are made in different ways: salter of unsalted, cut into "ears", "fingers"or diced. In Jamaica however, it is common to cut plantains in slices and fry them until they are yellow. The plantains are then smashed and fried again to make the crispy and thin. 

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds ripe plantains

  • 2 cups vegetable oil

  • Sugar and cinnamon to taste

 

Method:

  1. Pick out fresh green plantains. Fried green plantains are made with fresh unripe plantains. If you're new to plantains, look for large banana-shaped fruits with green skins. Green plantains are perfect for making a savory fried side dish. If you want the sweet version of fried plantains, you'll need to wait until the plantains are fully ripe. Green plantains should be firm with green skins that have minimal bruising. If you want, buy a bunch of plantains and use some while they're unripe and save some to make sweet plantains after a week or two.

  2. Peel the plantains. The skin of green plantains is too stiff to be peeled away like that of a banana. Use a paring knife to chop the ends of the plantains. Run the knife along the plantain to slit the skin from one end to the other. Use your fingers to peel the skin from the fruit inside and completely remove the skin, then discard it.

  3. Slice the plantains into bite-sized pieces. Lay a plantain on a cutting board and slice it on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. This is the customary way to slice tostones.

  4. Heat the oil. Pour the oil into a dutch oven or stockpot so that it rises up about 1⁄2inch (1.3 cm). Heat it thoroughly, until it's hot enough to sizzle when you add a bit of plantain. It should reach about 340 °F (171 °C).

  5. Fry the plantains. Lay the plantain pieces in the hot oil and fry them until they're tender and golden, which takes about 5 minutes. Flip the plantain pieces halfway through the frying process. When they're golden, transfer them to paper towel-lined plates to drain. Be sure to fry the plantains in a single layer, so that they cook evenly. Don't overcrowd the pot. If you need to, you can fry them in two batches. Leave the oil on the heat, since you'll be frying the plantains once more.

  6. Dip the plantain pieces in saltwater. Fill a small bowl with water and a few shakes of salt. One by one, dip the plantain pieces in the saltwater. This process softens the plantain pieces a bit so that they end up creamy on the inside.

  7. Smash the plantain pieces. Lay them on a plate and use the back of a spatula to smash them a bit. This will flatten the plantain pieces so they fry up crispy and thin.

  8. Fry them again. After dipping the plantain pieces in water, put them back in the hot oil to fry a second time. Fry them until they turn deep gold, about 3 more minutes, turning them as needed. When the plantains are golden brown, transfer them to a paper-towel lined plate to serve.

 

Makes about 4 servings

Jamaican Fried Breadfruit

If I say breadfruit, most of you will probably have no clue of what I am talking about. Breadfruit is a huge fruit that grows in a breadfruit tree. The fruits can get as big as 30 cm in diameter and can weigh more than one kilogram. Eventhough it is a fruit, it is eaten as a starch, like rice or yams as a side dish due to its potato/bread-like taste. 

It may be difficult to find a breadfruit in the Netherlands, but if you try a West Indian, a tropical food grocer or head to Chinatown, you might be able to find it, but they might have a different name for it. It's so easy to prepare breadfruit that you actually don't need a recipe, but since most of you are not familiar with this delicious fruit, I will share it with you anyways.

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 breadfruits

  • Vegetable oil

  • Salt to taste

 

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

  2. Remove the stalk from the breadfruits and place the breadruits on a sheet pan or in a baking dish and roast for 1 to 2 hours, or until a fork can be inserted easily.

  3. Once breadfruit is cool enough to be handled, cut each breadfruit in half, and remove its core. Peel the breadfruits and slice into wedges.

  4. Meanwhile, heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil in a deep 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Fry breadfruit in batches, turning occasionally with tongs, until crisp and brown, about 10 minutes.

  5. Remove from oil, salt liberally, and serve hot.

 

Makes about 4 servings

Jamaican Yellow Yams

The word "Yam"is believe to derive from the African word "Nyami", which means "to eat". Especially in America, the yams are called "sweet potatoes", but in Jamaica yams are yams. Yams taste similar to potatoes, but they are starchier and drier than potatoes. In Jamaica there are about 18 different varieties of yams grown, but the yellow yam is the most popular. 

You have to be very careful with yams though, since yams are toxic when raw. Touching a raw yam can cause your skin to ich... a lot. The yams are toxic when eaten raw, but perfectly safe after they are cooked. 

Yam is a vertile vegetable. It can either be roasted, fried, boiled or baked. Personally I like them the most when they are boiled and are used as a side dish as a starch with meals. Yams are also a traditional ingredient in Jamaican soups. Preparing the yam isn't too difficult, so make sure to check out this recipe!

 

Ingredients: 

  • 3 Yellow Yams

  • Oil

 

Method:

  1. Peel the yam (Touching raw yam can cause your skin to itch. To avoid this, rub some oil on your hands before preparing raw yam)

  2. Cut u into serving sized portions

  3. Boil until tender (this should take about 35 minutes)

 

Makes about 4 servings

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