Jamaican Green banana porridge

                                      

M...eat...less

Jamaicans consume a lot of porridge. Peanut, hominy, cornmeal, plantain, rice, oatmeal, cream of wheat, green banana, bulgur, you name it. If a porridge can be made from it, we make it. My favorite ones are hominy, plantain and oatmeal. Today I try my hand at green banana.

My mother had a whole lot of green banana in her kitchen, my husband likes it boiled as a side dish, so I took some. After the fact I decided why not try to make a porridge with it. I was home and hungry and needed dinner anyway. Traditionally porridge in Jamaica is a breakfast dish, it’s the stuff fat, cuddly babies are made of. Sometimes if we are low on groceries or not really in the mood for something heavy but want to be filled porridge becomes the go to dinner. 

This one came out quite nice. It was my first time making it. I cooked it for a little over 30 minutes just to make sure it was properly cooked. A friend told me it really doesn’t need that long, but I wasn’t taking any chances. Green banana has a slight, after effect on the palette that I feel the longer its cooked the more that after taste disappears.

All in all, it was pretty yummy, I finished a very large bowl and was full for the rest of the night. It reminded me of plantain porridge, only difference was its grittier. My mother said I probably could have blended it a little more, but I’m not sure if that would have made a difference. If you are a lover of porridge, this is a good recipe to have under your belt.

                                      

Serves 3 to 5

Ingredients (printable recipe)

9 small green bananas

3 cups coconut milk

1 cup hot water

½ teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Nutmeg

1 tablespoon Vanilla

½ cup Sugar

Instructions

• Peel the green bananas and chop each into small pieces
• Place in a blender with 3 cups of coconut milk
• Blend as fine as possible
• Pour the mixture into a deep pot over medium heat
• Cook while constantly stirring, the stirring thickens up the porridge and loosens up anything that is sticking to the bottom
• Cook 15 minutes, as the banana absorbs the coconut milk it will get very thick
• After 15 minutes add the 1 cup of hot water and stir when completely incorporated turn the flames to low
• Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes on low, at this point the stirring does not have to be as rigorous
• Add salt, cinnamon and nutmeg
• In the last 5 minutes, when the porridge is almost done add vanilla and sugar
• Taste for flavor and if it is satisfactory serve.

Xoxo Greedygirl