Jamaican coconut cornmeal porridge

Plan a week with Caribbean dishes

Let's cook

1. Put the cornmeal in a jug or bowl and pour in 250ml of the cold water. Whisk until smooth, with no dry lumps. Mixing it with cold water first is what stops the porridge going lumpy.
2. Pour the rest of the water (350ml) and the coconut milk into a medium pan. Add the cinnamon and the salt. Bring it to a gentle simmer on a medium heat.
3. Whisk the cornmeal mixture again, then pour it slowly into the pan, whisking all the time. Keep whisking for 2 minutes as it starts to thicken.
4. Turn the heat down low. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every minute or two with a wooden spoon and scraping the bottom, until it is thick and creamy and no longer feels gritty on your tongue. If it gets too thick, stir in a splash of water.
5. While it cooks, toast the desiccated coconut, if using, in a dry frying pan on a medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until light golden. Tip it onto a plate straight away so it does not burn.
6. Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the nutmeg, vanilla and sugar. Taste and add a little more sugar if you like it sweeter.
7. Spoon into warm bowls. Top with the mango and a scatter of toasted coconut.

Tips

• Stir often and keep the heat low: cornmeal catches on the bottom of the pan quickly.
• The porridge thickens as it cools, so serve it a little looser than you want to eat it.
• Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming hot.

Swaps

• Lighter: use half a tin of coconut milk and make up the rest with water or oat milk (choose a gluten free oat milk if you need it gluten free).
• No mango: use sliced banana or a spoon of stewed apple.
• Less sugar: sweeten with a mashed ripe banana instead.

More in the Caribbean meal plan

Our own recipe. The photograph is AI-generated.