minoanmiss | Cooking Jamaican Food

Oh was that fun! H and W have befriended a lovely girl named nia who grew up with a loving Jamaican nanny. So I went to their house to make some Jamaican food, which I haven't done in so long. Subbing in Old Wisconsin Summer Sausage for the cured pork and salt cod, I made braised kale (a stand-in for callalloo), ackee (from a souvenir can my parents gave me awhile back), "rice & peas" (rice w coconut and red kidney beans) and fried dumplings (I got the dough texture right!) I meant to make collards (closer to callalloo than kale) and sorrel (a hibiscus drink) as well. But such is life. People still enjoyed what I made, and Nia said she hadn't had those flavors in years. I am pleased with myself.

I like Nia. She can tell when I'm blushing. And she can use some kindness

Plus, this visit I got to see C, who is ten and awesome, and M, who is three and adorable, and W, who is badass and amazing, and talked intelligently with her parents (I hope I came off as intelligent, anyway). And H gave me mead and told me about fire. SO it was a great visit all round. :)

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From:

acelightning

What are Jamaican fried dumplings? (I've made Chinese fried dumplings.)<

minoanmiss

They're kind of like a fried biscuit. A flour and water dough (lots of baking powder and some salt) is made into pieces the diameter of an egg's long axis and shallow- fried until golden brown on both sides.

I need to work out the ratios, because the dough needs to be ... firm, not too wet, or they suck up all the oil and become greasy sponges.

Somewhat similar to "Native American" fry bread - sounds delicious!

med_cat

amaebi

Hurrah!

*beams muchly*

sabotabby

Yay! Also, if you ever want to share recipes, I would be most grateful. Dark greens (I prefer collards but kale is usually the more realistic substitute) and rice & peas are some of my favourite things. I don't think I've ever had Jamaican dumplings.

I will totally share recipes! PM me your email address again?

The dumplings are difficult though, because I don't know the quantities, I know when the dough 'feels right'. I need to get that written down.

tibicina

With it being dough and 'feeling right' it may also depend a lot on current humidity. I've seen a lot of touchy bread and biscuit recipes which really do end up being 'it's somewhere between this amount and this amount, but it changes and you just have to feel it.'