Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge (recipe)
Filed Under dairy, vegetarian, breakfast, wellness | Posted on April 1, 2007
Earlier this year I was asked to share Five (Foodie) Things Most People Don’t Know About Me. One of them was that cornmeal porridge is one of my ultimate comfort foods. Last month when I was quite ill I had more than my fair share of it as a result (it was one of the few things that I could keep down!). Cornmeal porridge holds a very special place in the Jamaican food psyche. Its prominence was highlighted in the Fall/Winter 2006 issue of Jamaican Eats
Excerpt:
I ALWAYS KNEW THAT JAMAICANS WERE PORRIDGE-LOVING PEOPLE, what I didn;t realize was the extent of our porridge craze. We found vendors serving up steaming bowls of porridge from the back of their vans and from pushcarts in busy community squares. We even got wind of a bicycle porridge man who balances his trade in the Portmore area of St. Catherine. Plus, porridge no longer means just oats and cornmeal. As a porridge lover, I was amazed (and warmed) by some of the porridges combinations I found.
This love and attachment is one that my Jamaican mother has successfully transferred to me in turn. I make mine the way she showed me. An American friend once asked me if she could add jam and fruit?!? OK. Let me say that when it comes to most things culinary I believe in less is more, and with certain dishes some things are just heresy. So feel free to throw in the kitchen sink, I wouldn’t say no, but please please please don’t let me know about it. To me (an old school girl who learnt from an old school yardie) porridge is a healing, simple, almost purifying elixir. Fruit and jam… tsk tsk tsk.
Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge (recipe)
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
METHOD:
1. Mix the cornmeal with 1/2 cup of the water
2. Bring the remaining 1 cup of water to the boil
3. Stir in the cornmeal mixture and salt
4. Continue cooking for 10 minutes
5. Add condensed milk and vanilla essence
6. Top with grated cinnamon and nutmeg
Makes 3-4 servings
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6 Responses to “Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge (recipe)”
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I would guess that the vanilla and the condensed milk really brings out the sweetness of the cornmeal — sounds lovely and so easy to do!
they do!
and the whole thing is very smooth and creamy, not gritty at all 
it’s my ultimate comfort dish 
I’m making it right now…its my comfort dish too. reminds me of Sundays morning when my mom would make a big pot!
I am glad, I found this page.
I’ve only had cornmeal porridge,once.
A friend of mine, made it one day, while we were at Camp Casey, Korea.
I miss her.
And can’t wait to try it!
NJ - hope it turned out right
Isn’t it funny how evocative even a simple dish can be? 
Jesse - I hope you had success with this recipe
Just finished making a pot of cornmeal porridge. My mum used to make it all the time but you know how it goes…you eat eat eat but don’t always remember to note how it is prepared when you are young. Anyway your website was a useful reminder of the proportions of meal to fluid. Just need to find some cinnamon now.
Thanks. Susan UK