This is one of those meals I like to refer to as being ‘country food’ from it’s rustic feel and simplicity. One of my favorite “bush cook” meals as a kid on the islands was corn meals dumplings with dasheen bush bhaji cooked in coconut milk, on the side. A meal which was guaranteed to give you the sleepies after devouring a huge plate. These corn meal dumplings are also excellent in those heavy soups we enjoy on the islands and if all fails, just top with a bit of butter and you’re good to go.
Add Cornmeal (1/2 cup), All-Purpose Flour (1 cup), Ground Cinnamon (1 pinch), Baking Powder (1 1/2 teaspoon), and Granulated Sugar (1 teaspoon) to a bowl and give it a good whisk to mix everything together.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Then add a bit of the lukewarm Water (to taste) at a time and mix until you have a dough. The dough should be firm, but soft.
Pinch off a piece, then shape like a small cigar.
Now flatten out from the center, until you have a shaped dumpling.
Heavily season the boiling water with salt. Place them into the pot and cook for about 15 minutes. They will get bigger in size and float when they’re fully cooked.
If you don’t have a topping for these, you can certainly toss it in some butter or olive oil and crack in some fresh black pepper. Enjoy.The cinnamon and sugar is optional, but I assure you that it’s a great way to add some flavor to what would normally be a bland dumpling.