Time for Conkies
>> Saturday, 24 November 2007
"According to the A-Z of Barbadian Heritage, the Ghanaian “kenkey” is probably the origin of the local word, conkie. In Ghana, Kenkey refers to similarly prepared corn meal dishes." That excerpt is taken from this week's column that looks at this dish that is made throughout the Caribbean.
On Friday, November 30th, Barbados will be celebrating 41 years of Independence from British rule and one of the foods often made and eaten around this time is conkie! Prior to its independence, the eating of conkies in Barbados was associated with November 5th – Guy Fawkes night.
The primary ingredients are pumpkin, cornmeal, sweet potatoes and coconut along with spices etc. It's a sweet dish and can be eaten at any meal or as a snack. Labour intensive because of the grating, the gift of a conkie is highly prized.
Conkie mixture
I enjoy making the foods of my adopted home and learning about them. So for this Independence I made conkies for the first time. Feedback from my Bajan friends has been very positive.
Conkie before steaming
Cooked conkie
Here is a step-by-step slide demo how to make conkies. If you cannot get banana leaves where you are this mixture can be placed in ramekins and steamed. Click here and I'll send you the recipe.
This is also my entry to Meeta's Monthly Mingle, the theme being, Traditional Feasts.
Happy Independence Barbados!
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75 comments:
ahh, I've had these. Very nice!
The cornmeal and wrapping in banana leaves obviously also brings to mind Trini pastelles, which are Christmastime fare too. Can't wait for some pastelles this year!
Kind of reminds me of a sweeter tamale. I noticed your ariety of sweet potato is white on the inside? Would the US version work?
Wonderful! Almost looks like Kesari Bhath we make with Semolina and Saffron. Pumpkin and Cornmeal is a great combination, baking in Banana leaf, which we do in India as well, gives it a nice aroma! Enjoy Cynthia., will check out that link!:))
Wonderful post Cynthia. You're helping to demystify the use of banana leaf (which is available here).
I'm going to think of some Greek dish to use these with.
These do look very tasty! I wish I could try one right now! I was also wondering about the white sweet potato, I've only seen yellow ones here!
Just the list of ingredients tells me it is going to be awesome in taste and aroma. Sounds perfectly homey and 'gourmet-ey' at the same time!
it's amazing how the hyumble banan leeaf elevates a dish to the sublime. unfortunately, we only get frozen in the southeast asian store. in kerala we use them as plates and steam and roast a lot of dishes in them, esp. fish.
Very nice, can taste it through the pictures! It's new to me that there are dishes cooked for Independence!
Cynthia, the freshness and beauty of those banana leaves reminded me of Kerala and its been quite sometime since i saw such fresh one as i get only frozen ones here and the banana leaves parcels look so pretty. We have a similar steamed dish called, "ada" which is rice flour mixture or sometimes even jackfruit preserves filled with grated coconut, sugar and a touch of cinnamon and then steamed like this....so much of similarities, right :)
Oh my....oh my! This looks great. I have never had these. Must try, must try, must try! :)
such very artistic wrapping!
last year when we made pastelles, we used foil when we ran out of leaves and it worked alright
Wow this sounds delicious Cynthia! Yet another wonderful thing to make with pumpkin AND coconut!
Hi Cynthia your conkies look lovely. :)
DEAR Cynthia,
thank you for your nice comment,i wrote the birthday cake's recipe in my english blog..
and what good meals you have made..cong...
Looks lovely...we too steam fish in banana leaves...not in the UK , of course...haven't seen for years :(
Cynthia, what a GREAT post! I wished I could taste these conkies! :)
Very Nice recipe Cynthia. I have seen tamales in food network. but this is a new recipe to me. I can imagine the combination of sweet potatoes and pumpkin with raisins and coconut. Sounds so yum. Loved the slideshow too especially the pic of cinnamon. You can post that if it is chosen sometime in the click event.
Such an interesting recipe! The slide show is great! :)
Slight show is so amazing, I am sure that I ll do just fine, even though it will be my first time. Love it!
i as just gonna type out something, and thats when i saw the comment by Mishmash above, i am missing these adas, which mom used to make...
Its very nice Cynthia. Sent you an email. Appreciate sharing this recipe. Thanks. Viji
as always a beautiful rendition of your passion and talent.. i love so much the banana leaves con gifts. really creative! i never tasted conkies yet i will try this recipe but i need to find first some cornmeal :-)
They just look great.
In India we have a dish called ada, which is steamed in bananaleaf. It is made with rice, jaggery and coconut.
When i saw your parcel with banana leaf it reminded me if the ada my mom makes
woo...this looks like Malaysian "otak-otak" which made from spicky fish paste wrapped in banana leaves...
I like the color of dish,looks great!
As happy said, it reminded me of Mom's "ada making" back home..
thanks Cynth..
Those look absolutely incredible (and time-intensive!) What an amazing group of flavors.
I love that I always learn something new when I come to your blog. I have never heard of these before, but they sound delicious!!
cyn..u got me wanting desert!!..looks soo yummy
¡Cynthia!, te deseamos una buena celebración el próximo dÃa 30 y que realices una excelente comida como las que nos presentas.
Besos,
Ana y VÃctor.
Sweetie- your photos are looking mighty fine!
Happy Independence Day!
omg..dis is so new to me..i wonder if we can ever get this in malaysia
Beautiful! They look extremely tasty! Wow, I'm feeling hungry now...
Cheers,
Rosa
I like that name conkies :D Wrapped in banna leaf it must have a great aroma
Conkie looks absolutely divine! Labour of love, obviously.
At a first glane looks like the kesari bath. Will love to try this Cynthia. Really tempting pic.
Lovely...and I agree, they remind me of a tamale too. Oh, I can almost imagine how fabulous it tastes...
they look absolutely lip smacking good :) with all those ingredients, i can just imagine the taste, WOW!
u've outdone urself, Cynthia, with those lovely goodies, yummm.
We wrap the "same color paste" in banana leaves too, but for us, it's fish paste with curry powder, chili and other spices. We call it Otak otak!
The conkies look good. They seem to be pretty similar to tamales.
Thanks for sharing the heritage.
I love the ingredients.
Hi Cynthia, conkies look lovely (beautiful color!) and even moreso in their banana leaf package. What a way to celebrate! :)
The pictures are so beautiful!
The banana leaves must add such a wondeful flavour.
lovely and new recipe
Cyn, these look so very good!!! I'm sure they tasted gr8 too...
wow conkies look so nice cynthia... remindes me of the ada made in the kerala state of india... happy independence to you!
I love how neatly you have wrapped them Cynthia. These look wonderful... The banana leaf must impart a great flavor as well.
These conkies look like really moist cookies.. Or dessert tamales! Yum!
Waouuuuuuuu!!!! It's so wonderful
I bet this is good! It just makes me think of all the amazing food out there I haven't tried...yet!
I never heard of Conkies. Thanks for writing about it, it makes me discover new things.
These look delicious - pretty amazing how much flavor banana leaves can impart to a dish! Kind of hard to get fresh banana leaves around here :(
Nice learning about this new recipe & dishes s also its history...surely would like to taste it...wonderful shots as usual!
Chennette - I want to try making those next year.
Glamah16 - I too wondered about that and I think that yes, it would work. I know it will definitely add that rich orange colour that is highly desired.
Asha, Peter, Evolving Tastes, Sra, Chris, Jenndz, Jeena, Sunita, Anh, Kribha, Latha, Zuzana, Kitch Scientist, Viji, Dhanggit, Seena, Mallow, Deborah, Rajitha, Ana & victor, Jaden, Rosa, Sandeepa, Anita, Rina, Caff. Cowgirl, Richa, Kevin, Ruy, Linda, The Cooker, Sagari, Ramya, Rachna, Laavanya, Chris, Pom d'api, Meeso, Helene, Kaykat & Kalyan - big hugs and big thanks to all of you.
Bee - I've seen it used to cook fish but never tried it. Will do.
Shn - Indeed! I'll email you for that recipe.
Lilandra - yeah the foil works too (when you run out :))
Diyaloguemeals - thank you and it is always a pleasure to see you.
Happy Cook - yeah, Shn mentioned it. I want your recipe also to compare.
Jackson & Tigerfish - I want to know more about "Otak Otak". Will email both of you.
Joe - you can try making it. I'm sure you have all the ingredients there.
I discover conkie and your blog in the same time, great!
It looks like a tamale. Very interesting with the sweet flavor. I would love to try this, Cynthia. I like how it looks like a pressie on your plate. Guy Falks would love these:) Have you seen the movie "V for Vendetta"?
Looks delicious and ur slide show has explained everything. So does it taste very sweet???
zpOh my, this looks sweet,soft and delicious! Im sure your friends will be proud of your achievement:)
love,sultana
Hey Cynthia,
Your blog rocks gal.beautiful and colourful.Love it.so many new recipes gotta catch up with those at the earliest.good going gal
Very interesting--love the presentation!
That looks delicious! The combination of pumpkin and cornmeal is a winner, then wrapping and cooking in a bannana leaf adds that something special. Happy Independance Day!
Reminds me of "Ada" in kerala, that is made with jaggery, jackfruit and other ingredients!
This looks like Tamales Oaxaquenos, from the state of Oaxaca in Mexico. They look delicious. Pumpkin and cornmeal is a great combination. I will have to make them since I still have a lot of pumpkin waiting to be cooked.
Cheers!
BTW, can I add you to my blogroll?
Love the color cynthia! Banana leaves were used to steam stuff back in my village, now nobody does that! great to see again in ur post..:)
~ Siri
This looks really unique!!
*Too bad I don't like pumpkins and potatoes though:p
WOW.....your home made paneer is great my dear. I love your all your paneer dish.:))
Conkies is something new for me you always give me big surprise in your blog. Every time I learn some thing new form your blog. Thanks for sharing.
When I first read the title of this post, I thought you might be making something with conch, like conch fritters. But your sweet conkies look even better!
They look really yummy!! and the banana leaf must be elevating this dish to the next level!
cynthia it reminds me of corn tamales I had recently... looks delicious :)
Flo - welcome! and thanks for stopping by. Hope to see you again.
Maryann - yeah I've seen it :)
Shivapriya - sweet but not very sweet.
Thanks Sultana, Urban Vegan, Elle, Rachel, Siri, Christy, Kajal, Marvin, Miri & Mandira
Dr Bhat - it is so good to have you back! You've been missed!
Ben - of course!
Those look delicious and it's nice to know the history behind the conkies. I really enjoyed reading your post.
www.chocolateshavings.ca
interesting dish and history of it. We don't have any like it here in English Canada.
Cynthia, this truly looks delish. It reminds me of an Indian dish. It's amazing how similar our cuisines are. Thanks sweetie for this unique and lovely entry!
Cynthia awesome awesome.. I couldnt move my eyes away from your pics.. You have a very nice place here.. And the presentation, the pics are simply superb!!
I don't know what "Conkies" are, but these look like Tamales. I've had Tamales before, and they are so good! :D I was looking for a recipe for Tamales, so I will try this recipe :]
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