⅛ teaspoon coarse salt
1 Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan and add the cornmeal.
2 Add the nutmeg and cinnamon stick and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the mixture is thickened, about 10 to 12 minutes.
3 Stir in the sugar, milk, and salt and mix well. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes more. Serve hot.
SERVES: 4
Cassava or yucca is extremely starchy and therefore excellent for a thick porridge. You’ll find that this finished porridge is shiny and almost translucent, with a toothsome texture, especially since the porridge is sweetened with condensed milk. If you like tapioca pudding, you will like this porridge as tapioca is made from cassava.
6 ounces fresh or frozen cassava root, peeled and cut into chunks
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1-inch piece cinnamon stick
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon mixed essence
½ cup condensed milk, or more to taste
1 Place the cassava cubes into a food processor or heavy-duty blender with 2 cups of water. Process until smooth and thick without any lumps.
2 Bring 2 more cups of water to a boil along with the salt and cinnamon stick. Stir in the pureed cassava mixture. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer, whisking often, for 10 to 15 minutes or until thick and smooth.
3 Stir in the nutmeg, mixed essence, and condensed milk and continue to simmer for 3 to 4 more minutes, whisking often. Serve hot.
MAKES 10
Slightly sweeter than traditional bake (page 183) which is a savory fried donut, coconut bake is baked in the oven and more cake-like in appearance and texture. It can be eaten with tea for breakfast or as a snack.
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons cold butter or vegetable shortening, plus butter for serving
¾ cup coconut milk
1 Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a baking sheet.
2 Sift together the flour, coconut flakes, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork and crumble the mixture together until pea-sized balls form.
3 Gradually add the coconut milk to form a soft dough. Turn out the dough onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as necessary if the dough is too sticky.
4 Pinch off a 2-inch piece of dough and form into a ball. Flatten the ball into a 4-inch disk with the palm of your hand. Repeat using the rest of dough.
5 Place the disks on the greased baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Split the hot bakes in half horizontally, butter them, and serve.
SERVES: 4
Grilling the tomatoes gives this dish the best flavor, but blistering them under a broiler works well, too. Be sure to choose ripe but firm tomatoes. This dish is often served for breakfast as an accompaniment to eggs scrambled with onions, or with Buljol (page 29) and Fry Bake (page 183).
4 large beefsteak tomatoes
1 tablespoon canola oil
½ medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon nigella seeds
1 small tomato, chopped
¼ teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro
1 Preheat a grill or broiler. When it is hot, place the beefsteak tomatoes on the grill or under the broiler. Turn frequently, as the tomatoes become brown and blister. Cook until completely charred and soft, about 10 minutes. Remove and cool.
2 Once the tomatoes are cooled, carefully peel them. Place the peeled tomatoes in a bowl and mash. Set aside.
3 Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and fry until it turns a dark golden brown, then add the nigella seeds and fry until they just begin to pop.
4 Stir in the mashed tomatoes and chopped tomato and sauté for about 2 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with the cilantro and serve with roti (pages 174-177).
SERVES: 4
This dish is often eaten at breakfast with roti, but it also makes a wonderful vegetable side dish for any menu.
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cups chopped (1-inch pieces) calabaza, butternut squash, or cheese pumpkin
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons green seasoning (page 254)
1 Roma tomato, chopped
½ teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Heat the oil in a deep saucepan. Add the onion and fry until translucent, then add the garlic and fry until light golden brown. Add the cumin seeds and fry until they begin to pop and release their aroma, about 30 seconds.
2 Mix in the calabaza, squash, or pumpkin and brown sugar and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Cover the pot, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 10 minutes.
3 Remove the lid and mix well. The squash should have released some liquid. If the pot is dry, add about ¼ cup of water. Stir in the green seasoning, tomato, salt, and black pepper. Cover the pot and