Pancake Month!
pan·cake/ˈpanˌkāk/
Noun; A thin, flat
cake of batter, usually fried and turned in a pan.
If we believe everything Google says, then the Jamaican breakfast dish 'Stamp and go' is indeed a pancake. This is normally a meat filled
pancake, salt fish (salted cod) is primarily the meat used. However sausages, callaloo,
ackee, conch and so much more are also used. Its such a versatile dish, normally consumed for breakfast or as an appetizer with a sweet dipping sauce, but if you ask me you can have Stamp and Go any time of the day.
I was wondering, as I know you are, where the name ‘stamp and go’ came from and I found a few places giving the same history. Jamacans.com says “it is said to be the original "fast food," getting its name from people stamping their feet to indicate their hurry and then taking it to eat on the run” This may or may not be true, but in any case they are delicious. We grew up calling them fritters not 'stamp and go', here is how I make them
I was wondering, as I know you are, where the name ‘stamp and go’ came from and I found a few places giving the same history. Jamacans.com says “it is said to be the original "fast food," getting its name from people stamping their feet to indicate their hurry and then taking it to eat on the run” This may or may not be true, but in any case they are delicious. We grew up calling them fritters not 'stamp and go', here is how I make them
Makes 6 large fritters
1.5 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 cup water
1 cup salt fish
½ scotch bonnet pepper
½ onion
¼ sweet peppers
¼ tomato
1 tsp. all spice
½ tsp. paprika
1 tsp. seasoning salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
Greedy Tips: lots of tips today :)
1. Make sure you fry these in a good amount of really hot oil. Deep frying is also acceptable, but when deep frying, your stamp and go will come out in little balls and odd shapes as opposed to flat cakes.
2. Blending the salt fish in a food processor gives the fritter a nicer texture. Instead of dough with large pieces of salted cod in it, you end up not being able to distinguish between dough and fish.
3. Make sure to thoroughly drain and pat the excess oil on a paper towel.
4. They are quite crispy when just fried. if your having them as left overs, don't warm them in a microwave and don't re-fry them, pop them in a toaster or an oven and it will become crispy again while soft in the center as if it were just fried.
5. You can soak your codfish over night and omit the boiling. Be sure to taste it before shredding. If its still very salty, you don't need any added salt. On the contrary, if you over boiled or soaked too long and the salt fish becomes fresh/bland, then you need to season the batter to taste.
6. Final tip If you want very flat and crispy fritters, add more liquid to the batter in 1/4 cup increments till you reach the desired consistency. This less viscous mixture will spread more in the pot, cook quicker and be large and flat. Bear in mind a runny batter is better to pan fry than deep fry.
5. You can soak your codfish over night and omit the boiling. Be sure to taste it before shredding. If its still very salty, you don't need any added salt. On the contrary, if you over boiled or soaked too long and the salt fish becomes fresh/bland, then you need to season the batter to taste.
6. Final tip If you want very flat and crispy fritters, add more liquid to the batter in 1/4 cup increments till you reach the desired consistency. This less viscous mixture will spread more in the pot, cook quicker and be large and flat. Bear in mind a runny batter is better to pan fry than deep fry.
Quick and easy, eat these on the run :)
Xoxo Greedygirl