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Jamaican Festival – the bread that is fun to eat

The third Jamaican dish I tried as part of my experimentation this last weekend with Jamaican Cuisine is called “Festival.” A “Festival” is a slightly sweet, fried bread. It reminds me of a larger, sweeter version of a “hush puppy” probably because of the cornmeal in the recipe and because it is fried. They also resemble cornmeal fritters.

: Two had already disappeared before I could take this picture.

Why is it called a ‘Festival?’ From what I understand it is because in Jamaica it is said eating one is like having a Festival in your mouth. Festivals are served with a variety of Jamaican dishes and provide a marked contrast and complement to the spiciness of Jerk seasoning commonly used in Jamaican meat dishes.

I think you will enjoy making and eating Festivals as much as I and my family have.

Here is the recipe:

JAMAICAN FESTIVAL BREAD

Ingredients
1 1/2 c Flour, all purpose
3 T Cornmeal (I highly recommend Lamb’s Stone Ground)
1/2 t Salt, kosher
3 T Sugar
1 t Baking powder (I used ARGO*)

3/4 c Water
1 t Vanilla

Instructions
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir water and vanilla together and add to dry ingredients. Blend together until combined. The dough should be slightly sticky; add more water (up to 1/4 cup) if necessary. Cover in plastic wrap and let stand for one hour on the counter.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces, roll into small sausage shapes, then coat in a half and half mixture of flour and corn meal. Fry in vegetable oil (300 to 375 degrees) until golden brown (internal temp s/b 190 – 200 degrees).

* They expanded significantly when cooked. I attribute this to the ARGO Baking Powder I used which I have found to be superior to other commercially available brands. For more information, see my previous post on Baking Powders and the results of the first Baking Powder Experiment conducted in the Lukewarm Legumes Test Kitchen.

Plantain Chips

A common ingredient in Jamaican Cuisine is Plantain Chips. These are actually very easy to prepare and delicious.

Plantains look a lot like the bananas we are familiar with and usually peel and eat raw. Although they are related to this kind of banana, Plantains are not eaten raw, but are cooked. Plantains can be found in most grocery stores in the produce section. Choose a Plantain with a yellow skin which indicates it is ripe and has become somewhat soft and sweet.

To prepare Plantain Chips, peel the Plantain by first cutting off the ends then slice through the peel and remove it in segments.

In preparation for cooking, you may either split the fruit of the Plantain lengthwise and then cut into smaller segments or simply slice it crosswise. Sprinkle salt over the slices then fry for 10 – 15 minutes in hot oil, turning frequently to soften. Be careful not to burn them, which can be easily done due to their high sugar content.

Once the pieces have softened, remove from the oil and press them flat using a spoon, rolling pin, or other implement. Return the flat pieces to the hot oil and fry for an additional 10 minutes, or until crispy. Be sure to turn them while cooking so they brown evenly. Remove from the oil, drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with salt.

These make a delicious snack, appetizer or a delightful complement to your authentic Jamaican meal.

If you like this article, check out my previous post on Jamaican Cuisine about making Jamaican Rice and Peas.

Jamaican Rice and Peas

One of my great interests is trying new cuisines. Jamaican Cuisine has intrigued me for some time. I have tasted what others have made but had never attempted it myself before now. This last weekend I decided to trying a few recipes for myself in my own kitchen.

The recipes I used were based upon ones I found at Jamaica Travel and Culture, which appears to be authentic, and the results were very satisfying.

One of the dishes I chose to make was Jamaican Rice and Peas. This is a dish that is very commonly served with Jamaican meals. I believe it may also be the basis of a dish that we in the South frequently enjoy called Red Beans and Rice.

Normally, this dish calls for Red Pigeon Peas, a popular choice of legume in Jamaica. However, I used Green Pigeon Peas because I preferred the coloring. NOTE: You can substitute Red Kidney Beans if you can’t find Pigeon Peas in your market.

Here is the recipe I used:

JAMAICAN RICE AND PEAS

Ingredients
3 c Rice (I used Basmati)
6 c Water
1 can (15 oz) Green pigeon peas (I used Goya brand)
1 can (13.5 oz) Coconut milk (I used Goya brand for this also)
5 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Jalapeno pepper, whole uncut
3 Green onions, cut into 1 inch pieces and crushed
2 t Thyme, dried
1 t Salt, kosher
1 t Black pepper, ground

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a pot and cook over medium heat for about 40 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed. Do not cut the Jalapeno Pepper as it is added for flavor and uncut will not add any heat. After cooking, this dish should be served hot with your favorite Jamaican food, such as Jerk Chicken.

To see the original recipe and a video of the dish being prepared click here.

If you enjoyed this recipe and are interested in Jamaican Cuisine keep checking back at Lukewarm Legumes as I will be posting more articles about authentic Jamaican dishes as well as other world cuisines.

Teriyaki Sauce

As a next installment in our Saucier Series (and because I was hungry for Chinese Food tonight) this post will tell you how to make your own homemade Teriyaki Sauce. You may notice a similarity in the preparation of this sauce with my Sweet and Sour Sauce recipe. Like so many other things in this world, much of what is created is built upon previous, or existing knowledge. I actually developed the Teriyaki Sauce recipe first and when I decided to create my own Sweet and Sour sauce recipe, I used this recipe as its basis.

This sauce is simple and easy to make, uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, is delicious and authentic. As a matter of fact, you can make this sauce in the same amount of time it will take you to cook the rice.

Here is the recipe:

Teriyaki Sauce

Ingredients
1/2 c Soy Sauce
1 c Water
1 t Ginger, ground
1/2 t Garlic powder
2/3 c Brown Sugar, packed
2 T Honey

1/4 c Water
2 T Corn Starch

Instructions
Mix all but cornstarch and the 1/4c water in a sauce pan, heat and stir until well blended. Add cornstarch to remaining cold water and stir to dissolve. Combine dissolved cornstarch with sauce in the pan. Heat, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens to the desired consistency. Add water to thin if necessary.

Serve with rice and your favorite: chicken, fish, pork, beef, or even veggies.

This is a sauce you can prepare ahead of time. Store it in your refrigerator and it can be quickly heated as needed.

I served this sauce over chicken pieces sprinkled with Sesame Seeds and garnished with green bell pepper slices and matchstick carrots.

Enjoy!

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