Jamaican Cuisine: Cultural Cuisine Project Nutrition 203 Kyrié Baca December 9, 2012

I made Jerk Chicken because I have never tried Jamaican food and I thought I would try to make it at home to add to my culinary expertise. My boyfriend loves all things Jamaican, so it was also fun to cook something he was so interested in. Jamaican cuisine offers a variety of bold flavors, aromas, and spices within a single meal or dish. Jamaican Jerk Chicken is typically served with “peas and rice” (what we know as beans and rice) and fried plantain. In addition to Jerk Chicken which was my focus for the project, I also prepared the traditional Jamaican pairings of peas and rice, sweet potato and carrot casserole, and fried plantain. Why I Chose Jamaican Cuisine:

Deciding on Jamaican Cuisine: Geography Jamaica is one of the Caribbean Islands, to which I have always wanted to travel. Jamaica’s cultural and political history has always fascinated me, which is why I was so attracted to the idea of learning more about it’s rich cuisine. Jamaica’s cuisine is an integral element of it’s colorful culture.

Jamaica Regional Influences: Demographics 90% of the population is African 1% East Indian 7% Mixed (Primarily Whites & Chinese) Ethnic Identity is strongly maintained and reflects rich culture Ethnic Identity evident in Jamaican cuisine

History of Jamaican Cuisine “Jerk”: Type of dried meat that originates from Cormontee tribes in Africa Jerk was imported when African slaves were brought to JamaicA When slave trade was forbidden, huge flux of immigration to Jamaica for laborer work Primarily East Indians and Chinese – Spicy foods add to the Jamaican cuisine mix (ex. Jamaican Curry) South American Pre-Columbian Taionos brought: Sweet potato Beans Pineapple Corn Hot peppers among other Spanish Arrived in Jamaica around 1509 (bringing spanish influence) Spanish lost Jamaica to the english in 1655 English Brought the “pattie” and established sugar plantations on the island

Today’s Menu: Jamaican Jerk Chicken Sweet Potato and Carrot Casserole Peas and Rice Fried Plantain

Ingredients for Jerk Chicken: 1 lb. chicken breast 1 heaping tbsp Walker’s Wood Jerk Seasoning or equivalent brand (I used McCormick Brand Carribean Jerk) 1 tbsp Olive Oil 3 tbsp Soy Sauce ½ tsp Ginger Powder ½ tsp Vinegar ½ tsp Ground Allspice ½ tsp Garlic Powder All ingredients can be found at your local grocery store!

Preparation: Wash/Rinse Chicken Cut Chicken Breasts into strips (about 0.5 in x 3 in) Place in airtight container Add all other ingredients Allow to marinate for at least 1 hr Helpful Hint: I marinated for 3 hours with great results!

Nutrient Analysis: Jerk Chicken Number of servings per recipe: 4 Serving size: 4 oz. Chicken Calories per serving: kcal Fat (grams) per serving: 7.4 g Saturated fat (grams) per serving: 1.48 g Sodium (mg) per serving: mg Carbohydrates (grams) per serving: 1.25 mg Fiber (grams) per serving: 0.25 g Protein (grams) per serving: g

Ingredients for Sweet Potato and Carrot Casserole ¾ C grated carrots 1 ¼ C mashed, baked sweet potatoes (about 3 American sweet potatoes) ¼ C flour with dash of baking powder and salt (whole grain flour adds fiber!) ¼ C vegetable oil ¼ stick margarine (Used 2 tbsp Vegan Butter) 1 C milk (can substitute unsweetened almond milk) ¼ C brown sugar ½ tsp grated nutmeg Small piece of grated ginger (fresh) All ingredients can be found at your local grocery store!

Ingredients for Sweet Potato and Carrot Casserole

1) Get the Sweet Potatoes Ready to Bake Wash sweet potatoes thoroughly Remove skin of potatoes Cut Sweet Potatoes in 1 in x 3 in slices Place in roasting pan with small amount of oil (about 1 tbsp)

2) Bake Sweet Potatoes Preheat Oven to 400 degrees Place sweet potatoes in a roasting pan lined with foil and lightly greased or in a pan that is oven safe Bake potatoes about minutes or until fork can easily slide through every slice. While potatoes are baking, prepare other ingredients

3) Mash Potatoes and Add Ingredients When sweet potatoes are soft and can be softly mashed with a fork, remove from oven Use masher to mash the sweet potatoes (should be about 1 ¼ C) Add: ¼ C flour mix 1 C milk ¼ C oil with 1 tbsp Butter ¼ C brown Sugar ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg Small piece of fresh grated ginger Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes

Ingredients for Rice and Peas (what we know as beans and rice) 1 medium sized can red kidney beans (I used oz can) 1 can coconut milk (I used 13.5 fl oz can) 2 C rice (I used Uncle Bens White Rice) 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped ¼ tsp dried thyme (from my garden ) 1 tbsp oil (I used EVOO) 1 scotch bonnet pepper All ingredients can be found at your local grocery store! Helpful Hint: Although Scotch Bonnet peppers are more true to Jamaican cuisine, they may be difficult to find. I used a habanero pepper and it was still very tasty.

Rice and Peas: Preparing this dish is EASY! 1) Drain the liquid from the can of beans into a measuring cup 2) add the can of coconut milk to the liquid from the cans 3) Add enough water to make total liquid = 4 C 4) place liquids in a pot with beans, onions, garlic, thyme and oil 5) Bring to a boil 6) Add rice and stir for 1 minute 7) Reduce heat to medium-low 8) Place scotch bonnet (0r other) pepper on top of the liquid and cover tightly for 30 minutes or until rice is cooked * Remove pepper before serving

Fried Plantain: Ingredients & Prep 3 tbsp Coconut Oil 3 Large plantains Slice Plantain peel down the middle Remove plantain Cut in half length and width- wise Heat with Coconut Oil in Pan on Med-Low Heat Until Golden Brown

The Finished product!

What my family thought of my Jamaican Dinner

Sources: Parkinson, R. (2006, May 21). The history of food in jamaica pt i. Retrieved from Kittler, P. G., Sucher, K. P., & Nahikian-Nelms, M. (2011). Food and culture: Carribean islanders and south americans. (6th ed., pp ). Wadsorth: Cengage Learning. DOI: History of jamaican food. (2011). Retrieved from more.com/historyofjamaicanfood.htmlhttp:// more.com/historyofjamaicanfood.html Jamaican jerk chicken recipe. (n.d.). Retrieved from on December 1, Sweet Potato and Carrot Casserole (n.d.). Retrieved from on December 1, Peas and Rice Recipe (n.d.). Retrieved from chicken-recipe.html on December 1, 2012.