Old fashioned Jamaican ginger beer and sweet potato pudding – A match made in heaven

BY NOEL CUNNINGHAM

This week I’m sharing two traditional classics that you can easily make at home to warm things up during this winter season. Recently I shared a picture of my sweet potato pudding I made on my Instagram and everyone loved it. Not to mention those on Facebook. Sweet potato pudding is the ultimate quintessential Jamaican dessert of all times hands down. Growing up I would always see my mom making sweet potato pudding on a Sunday, this was the best time ever. She would make it outdoors on the coal fire in a dutch pot with a piece of zinc on top with more coal fire. That’s how sweet potato pudding got the name “hell a bottom, hell a top and hallelujah in the middle”. My favorite part of the pudding was the crust when it’s slightly burnt. She would often pair it with homemade ginger beer. This is the perfect time to have a taste of home.

Sweet Potato Pudding

Ingredients

• 2 lbs sweet potato
• ½ lb yellow yam
• 1 cup flour
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 2 tbsp rum
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp margarine
• 1 cup soaked raisins

Topping

• 1 cup coconut milk
• ⅓ cup sugar

Instructions

1. Wash, peel, cut and grate sweet potatoes and place in a large mixing bowl.
2. Combine together flour, mixed spice, raisins, salt, and nutmeg.
3. Combine this mixture with the grated potatoes and mix well.
4. Add sugar, vanilla, rum, and coconut milk. Mix well.
5. Grease pan, pour in batter, bake at 350 degrees F for an hour or until done.
6. When pudding is almost done and firm, mix together 1 cup coconut milk with sugar and pour on the top and allow it to set for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Ole Fashioned Jamaican Ginger Beer

Ginger beer is a popular Jamaican beverage. Ginger not only tastes good, but it’s good for your health! Ginger beer is perfect to make ahead and store in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Jamaican ginger
• 4 limes, squeezed
• 10 cups boiling water
• Sugar to sweeten

Instructions

1. Wash and clean the ginger thoroughly removing all the dirt then roughly chop into small pieces.
2. Puree in a blender with 2 cups of water. Pour the mixture in a large container and add the lime juice, and 4 cups of boiled water then leave it to steep for 2-4 hours. For best results, strain using a fine strainer then sweeten to your taste and serve chilled!

Chef Notes:  Traditional Jamaican ginger beer is not fizzy. The cream of tartar (or traditional chew stick) is used to ferment the drink to deepen the flavour.