Cooking Like A Bajan

There may be many things that you would miss about Barbados when you’re gone; the wonderful views, the friendly people, the warm sandy beaches and so much more. But one thing that you don’t have to miss is… the food! Cooking is a great way to feel connected to Barbados, to extend the memories of your trip, and to share them with your friends.

So here are the recipes for a full 3-course meal to get you cooking like a Bajan!

Appetizer: Pumpkin Fritters

This warm appetizer is sure to be a hit, and with pumpkin being available at almost every grocery store or market worldwide it’s easy to replicate. Get cooking like a Bajan and try making these pumpkin fritters.

What you need:

• 2lbs/1kg pumpkin
• Salt
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons mixed powdered spice or cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1 cup 5oz/155g flour
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Canola oil for frying
• Garnish: 2 tablespoons brown sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon mixed powdered spice

Peel and chop your pumpkin into small cubes, and boil in salted water until soft. Once soft place them in a bowl for mashing, to this bowl add powdered sugar and spice (or cinnamon). Mash these together then add a whisked egg and the milk mixing as you go. Add flour and baking powder and mix until the fritters have a doughy consistency that will hold its form.

In a frying pan warm enough oil to shallow-fry the fritters on medium heat. Drop tablespoon-sized dough balls into the pan and fry until golden and crispy on the outside but creamy on the inside. Plate them up and sprinkle with sugar and spice mix while hot.

Main Course: Macaroni Pie

Now I’m sure if you did a random poll and asked people to list the first thing they think of when they hear Bajan food, almost all of them would respond “Macaroni Pie”.

This dish is a staple of main courses on the island. It’s most often paired with flying fish, but you could also eat with jerk chicken, bbq chicken, or Caribbean grilled fish depending on what’s most easily available in your location. While this is the most time consuming of the recipes on this list, the taste more than makes up for it.

What you need:

• 8oz/250g macaroni(preferably long tubes as opposed to elbow macaroni)
• 1 tbs butter or margarine
• 12oz/375g sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 egg
• 1 cup /8oz/240ml milk
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp hot English mustard
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp red pepper sauce or cayenne pepper (optional)
• Garnish: 2 tbs fine breadcrumbs, 2 tbs butter, 2 tbs grated cheddar cheese

Start by preheating your oven to 350F/180C. Bring a salted pot of water to a boil and add the macaroni noodles. Cook uncovered until tender (approx 8 mins). Drain macaroni thoroughly, and return to the same hot pot. Mix in the butter until it coats the noodles. Add portions of the grated cheese at a time stirring while still warm, repeat until all the cheese (except for toppings) has been added and melted together with the macaroni. Whisk the egg until fluffy then add milk, onion powder (finely grating onion is an option here), white pepper, salt, pepper sauce, and mustard. Pour this mixture into the macaroni in the pot and stir.

Once evenly mixed, transfer the noodles into a greased casserole dish, top with the garnishes, and bake in the centre of the oven for approximately 30-45 mins, until golden on the top. Let cool and serve, and most importantly, enjoy!

Dessert: Sugar Cakes

Who doesn’t have a sweet tooth after dinner? Barbados’ sugar cake is sure to take care of that! Plus it’s quite a simple recipe, with only three ingredients. Add another Bajan tradition to this by enjoying them with afternoon tea.

What you need:

• 1/2 lb. grated fresh coconut
• 1/4 pt. water
• 3/4 lb. sugar

In a medium-sized saucepan, bring water to a boil, add the sugar and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. The grated coconut can be added at this stage, but keep in mind that you should stir consistently from this point to avoid sticking and burning as the mixture thickens. Once thick and greasy looking, remove it from the heat and portion out in circular patties on a baking tray to cool and harden.

You can put your own twist on the sugar cake by adding food colouring or vanilla extract—or both if you wish —this can be done as the mixture starts to thicken after the coconut is added.

Try making these three dishes at home to satisfy your Bajan food cravings until your next visit. Or make them on your stay with us at Craggy Nook in our fully equipped kitchen. Happy Cooking!