Cooking Bajan Style: Steam Pudding

Steam pudding is a popular Barbadian dish most commonly served with souse (pickled pork) and a slice of freshly steamed breadfruit. This traditional meal can be found at most Bajan restaurants and rum shops around the island every Saturday, freshly made and ready for serving! The pudding was traditionally steamed and served in a casing of pig’s intestines however, this is optional and is no longer a common practice for many. Test out your Caribbean cooking skills by whipping up the fantastic dish!

Ingredients

·      1.5 lb grated sweet potato

·      0.5 tsp thyme

·      0.5 tsp marjoram

·      1 tsp chives, chopped

·      Scotch bonnet pepper finely diced

·      1 small grated onion

·      Pinch of sugar

·      Pinch of salt

·      2 tsp oil

·      2 oz butter

·      Coloring (optional)

Grate the sweet potato in a mixing bowl, add a pinch of salt and sugar, add 2 oz of butter, 2 tsp of oil, chopped chives and thyme to the mixture.

Coloring can be added at this point to give the pudding a nice rich colour, however it is not a necessity and will not alter the taste in any way.

Traditionally pudding is steamed in a bowl over a pot of boiling water, to cook the potato while capturing all the flavours. However, the pudding can also be baked in a greased baking dish at a medium heat until firm.