Jamaicans love their porridge and I’m no exception! Ever since I was a child, cornmeal porridge has been a breakfast favourite. I tried to introduce some other kinds of Jamaican porridge to my kids when they were young, like banana and peanut porridge, but this was the one that stuck. It’s really easy to make if you know the rules. 1. Add the cornmeal to cold milk and 2. Stir, stir, stir. If you follow these two simple rules you’ll have creamy, smooth porridge every time. Don’t follow the rules, and you’re sure to have lumps.
Some people use water to make their porridge, but I prefer using 1% milk, though any milk will do. The traditional way to sweeten cornmeal porridge is with condensed milk, but, as you can see in the video, I prefer sweetening to taste with sugar. This recipe serves two but can be easily doubled or tripled to feed lots of hungry mouths!
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups cold Milk
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 Cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Pimento berries
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp Evaporated Milk
1 Tbsp Sugar
Method
1. Pour milk into a saucepan over Medium-high heat
2. Stir in cornmeal, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and pimento
3. Continue stirring until mixture starts to thicken
4. Stir in vanilla, evaporated milk and sugar
5. Lower heat and stir until porridge is thick and creamy
6. Remove cinnamon sticks and pimento berries and pour into bowls
Makes 2 servings
