Jamaican Bammy (Cassava Flatbread)

About This Recipe

Bammy is Jamaica's oldest food — a flatbread made from grated cassava (bitter variety, with the prussic acid pressed and dried out) that has been made on the island since the indigenous Taíno people lived there, long before European contact. Today bammy is soaked in coconut milk and pan-fried or steamed until soft, fragrant, and slightly sweet. It's the traditional accompaniment to fried fish and escovitch, and it connects Jamaica to its oldest culinary roots.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 6 piecespre-made bammy rounds (or make from scratch with 500g grated cassava)
• 1 cancoconut milk (400ml)
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 2 tbspvegetable oil or butter

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare cassava (from scratch)

   If making from scratch: grate raw cassava, squeeze out all the bitter juice in a cloth, season with salt, press into round discs. Dry-fry or bake briefly.

2. 2

   Soak in coconut milk

   Pour coconut milk into a shallow dish. Add salt. Soak bammy rounds for 10 minutes per side until they've absorbed the coconut milk and softened slightly.

3. 3

   Pan-fry

   Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry soaked bammy for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and slightly crispy on the outside while soft inside.

4. 4

   Serve

   Serve hot alongside fried fish, escovitch fish, or saltfish. They're also delicious with butter and jam.

Variations

• •

  Steam instead of pan-fry for a softer result

• •

  Serve with ackee and saltfish

• •

  Brush with garlic butter while still hot

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Refrigerate soaked uncooked bammy for 1 day.

Frequently Asked Questions