Jamaican dumplings
Jamaican dumplings are also known as ‘Johnny/ journey cakes’, and originated in Jamaica years ago, when workers would pack dumplings, or fried biscuits as they are also known, to take to fuel themselves on long journeys.
They are a dumpling made from baking powder, flour and salt, but they may also include butter, and in some cases cornflour and sugar, which can result in a more indulgent flavour. They are then deep fried in lard or oil, resulting in them being crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside.
They can be made in 2 forms, regular or sweet. Sweet dumplings are made with cornmeal and sugar, and are typically served with jerk meats.
They can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and are typically flat or round balls, which remind me of the shape of arepas, or can be eaten alone, or with stews, ackee and Saltfish, Saltfish and cabbage, Jamaican curry chicken, or as I had them at Chicken run, with cabbage and peas, fried plantain and salad cream.
Other widely available ingredients in Jamaica include curry powders, pimento berries - the wood from which are commonly used to smoke jerked meat, Saltfish, Ackee, Tamarind Callaloo (a leaf), Scotch Bonnet (peppers), Ginger, Cornmeal and Coconut, amongst many others.
Recipe, makes 1;
1 cup plain white flour
1/2 heaped tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
About 125ml warm water
TO FILL (makes more than 1 serving)
1/2 plantain
1/2 mini cabbage, or 1/4 white cabbage, thinly sliced
3 tbsp frozen peas
1/2 carrot, cut into small pieces
1 - 2 tbsp salad cream
Method
Slice your plantain into 1cm pieces, then massage in 1-2 tbsp oil and salt, adding to the airfryer at 160°C for 10-15 minutes until soft and sweet - if you dont have a airfyer just save to deep fry after the dumpling.
To a medium mixing bowl, add the dough ingredients, and add water drop by drop until a dough begins to form. Combine with your hands and knead into a dough.
Roll into a flat sausage shape - you could also make a flat circle if you wanted to.
Set aside and add about 200-300ml neutral oil to a large saucepan/ wok, on a medium - low heat.
When the oil is heated - this should take about 3-4 minutes, lower the dumpling into the oil with a metal spoon/ tongues.
Allow the dumpling to fry for a couple of mins on each side or until golden brown - you want it to be cooked all the way through, so if you’re not sure if its cooked, lower the oil temp and leave to fry for a bit longer.
Remove with tongues or a metal spoon and place on kitchen roll to allow the oil to escape.
Fry your plantains in the hot oil until golden brown if you aren’t using an airfryer, then blot on the same kitchen roll as the dumpling.
Finely slice your cabbage, cut your carrots into small pieces, and steam with plenty of salt along with the peas, until the carrots are tender.
When everything is cooked, cut the dumpling in half, but not the full way, stuff with the cabbage, plantains, and top with a generous drizzle of salad cream.
Notes + Variations:
They tend to go hard and lose their fluffy texture when reheated, so it’s better to freeze the dough before frying if the batch you make is too big.
You could make mini ones of these and make them as party food. I’m gonna do that ASAP.
