Jamaican Bammy
An Old-Time Favourite!

Jamaican Bammy is one of our traditional food preparations that is still highly adored by all.

Correction, OK perhaps not all, but I am yet to find another Jamaican who does not savor this old-time favourite.

Bammy is made from cassava, a perennial woody shrub, grown as an annual crop. The first known inhabitants of Jamaica, the Arawaks used cassava as a staple part of their diet. Part of the preparation is the shredding the cassava roots and squeezing out the juice - which has much of the toxic compounds.

The Bammy itself is a cake between 4/12 to 5 inches in diameter that is made from the stock. I understand it is called Manioc in the Latin American countries.

Bammy is seasonal, simply because of the nature of the cassava plant, but I assure you, you can get Bammy anytime in Jamaica. If you are every told of short supplies, ignore that, check out 'Border' in St. Elizabeth, they seem to have it abundant there.

Traditionally, Bammy is served with peppery Fried Fish. But much of that has been changing, many still have Bammy with fried fish, but more people have been using it in other dishes and even just for a snack, for example, with cheese.

Forgive me, but I enjoy it most in the old form I came to know it - Fried Fish and Bammy!

Here’s a little recipe to get you started:

Ingredients 1 pound Sweet cassava A pinch of salt 1 tin of coconut milk Preparation Peel the cassava Grate it Wring out as much of the toxic juice as you can and discard the juice. Add salt Divide the mixture up in to one-cup sized portions. Flatten each portion in to a thick disc shape. Cooking Add to a greased frying panFry each side of the Bammies over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes on each side. Take out of the frying pan and soak in coconut milk for 5 minutes. Place the Bammies back in the pan and fry until they are a light brown colour.

That's it!

You can then slice your Bammies in whatever shape or size you desire and serve, hopefully you will be serving it with Fried Fish :-)

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