Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge with Crispy Scotch Bonnet Oil

About This Recipe

Cornmeal porridge is a beloved Jamaican breakfast staple, cooked slowly in coconut milk and often sweetened with condensed milk, vanilla, and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. This version leans savory instead, finishing the classic creamy porridge with a drizzle of oil that's been infused with crispy scotch bonnet flakes, an unconventional but flavorful contrast to the porridge's natural sweetness and creaminess. The technique for good cornmeal porridge is the same regardless of sweet or savory direction: cornmeal must be mixed with cold liquid first to form a smooth slurry before it's whisked into the hot coconut milk, preventing lumps that plain pouring dry cornmeal into hot liquid would create. It then needs a long, slow simmer, stirred frequently, until it thickens to a smooth, spoonable consistency, usually 20-25 minutes. Served warm with the crispy chile oil swirled through just before eating, this is a genuinely different take on Jamaican breakfast porridge -- keeping the traditional cooking technique while shifting the flavor into savory-spicy territory.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 1 cupyellow cornmeal
• 2 cupscold water
• 2 cupscoconut milk
• 1cinnamon stick
• 0.5 tspsalt
• 2 tbspcondensed milk(optional, for sweetness)
• 3 tbspoil
• 1scotch bonnet pepper(thinly sliced)
• 2scallions(sliced, for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the cornmeal slurry

   Whisk cornmeal into cold water until smooth with no lumps.

2. 2

   Heat the coconut milk

   Bring coconut milk to a gentle simmer in a saucepan with the cinnamon stick and salt.

3. 3

   Combine

   Slowly whisk the cornmeal slurry into the simmering coconut milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.

4. 4

   Simmer

   Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, 20-25 minutes until thick and smooth. Stir in condensed milk if using.

5. 5

   Make the crispy chile oil

   In a separate small pan, heat oil over medium heat, add sliced scotch bonnet, and fry until crisp, about 2-3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn.

6. 6

   Serve

   Discard the cinnamon stick, ladle porridge into bowls, and drizzle with the crispy scotch bonnet oil and scallions.

Variations

• •

  Skip the chile oil for the traditional sweet version, adding extra condensed milk and vanilla instead.

• •

  Add grated nutmeg on top for a warmer, more classic Jamaican flavor profile.

• •

  Use plant-based milk instead of coconut milk for a lighter version.

Storage

The porridge thickens considerably once chilled; store for up to 3 days and reheat with a splash of coconut milk or water to loosen.

Frequently Asked Questions