Duckunoo or duckanoo, also referred to as tie-a-leaf, blue drawers (draws), dokonon (in French Guiana), and dukunou (in Haiti) is a dessert in Jamaica, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, St Vincent, French Guiana and some other islands in the Lesser Antilles. It is a variation of tamale, which originated in Mesoamerica as early as 8000 to 5000 BC.[1] The Caribbean dish which has Amerindian and African influences, is typically made from batata or sweet potato, coconut, cornmeal, spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, brown sugar and vanilla, all tied up in a banana leaf. It is then cooked in boiling water.[2][3][4][5]
| Alternative names | Ducana (in Antigua and Barbuda); Tie-a-leaf or blue drawers (in Jamaica); Doukounou (in Haiti) |
|---|---|
| Type | Sweet Starch / Dessert |
| Place of origin | Caribbean |
| Created by | Indigenous Caribbean people from Mesoamerica, then adopted by African people who were brought to the Caribbean during slavery and indentureship. |
| Serving temperature | Hot or Warm |
| Main ingredients | Sweet potato |
| Ingredients generally used | Batata (sweet potato), coconut, spices, brown sugar, coconut milk and cornmeal |
| Variations | Some islanders use pumpkin; Sweet tamale or Tamal dulce (in Latin America) |
History
editDuckunoo is closely related to the Mesoamerican 'tamale de dulce' or 'tamal dulce' (sweet tamale), which is a popular indigenous dessert in the Americas, especially in Mexico.[6]It is the sweet variation of the more popular savory tamale, which may date from around 100 AD, according to archaeologists Karl Taube, William Saturno, and David Stuart. It was adopted by Africans who were brought to the Americas during slavery and indentureship. Corn and sweet potato which are native to the Americas were staples of Mesoamericans, and the indigenous Amerindians cultivated them in the Caribbean[7][8], which could explain their use as key ingredients.
Variations
editIn Antigua and Barbuda[9], ingredients such as eddoe / dasheen is used, and ducana is often served with okra, eggplant, vegetables and bonavista bean—this is a popular meal during Easter.[10] Sometimes, other islanders use pumpkin, plantain-flour as a substitute for cornmeal and raisins.
In Jamaica, it is common to add grated green banana, coconut, sweet potato and/or cornmeal with coconut milk, sugar, spices and vanilla. Raisins are optional. In Belize, the dish is called dukunu, tamalito or ducunu which is said to be the Garifuna word for 'boiled corn'.[11] It includes cornmeal, sweet corn, sugar and coconut milk.[12] In Puerto Rico, there is a similar dish called guanime dulce, which is prepared with cornmeal, coconut milk, sugar / honey or molasses.[13] It can also include ripe plantain, raisins, vanilla and anise.
In Latin America, particularly Mexico, there are a variety of sweet tamales which are made in different colours and flavours, with masa instead of cornmeal, and cooked in corn husks. Ingredients include raisins, fruits or fruit preserves like pineapple, strawberry and peach, cajeta or dulce de leche and chocolate. They are typically eaten on Día de la Candelaria, and as a common street food. Similarly, in Guatemala, it is called tamal de cambray, which is a traditional dessert usually prepared for special occasions. It is made with raisins, almonds or prunes, pink sugar or colouring, and masa with cinnamon or anise water. Nicaraguan sweet tamale can be made with masa, corn, cream or crème fraîche, queso fresco and sugar. In Costa Rica, a similar version called tamale de masa is made, usually for Holy Week (Semana Santa). Another Costa Rican variation, with similar ingredients, is a sweet corn starch tamale pudding called tamal de maicena, which is baked.
In Ghana, there is a dish known as dokono or Odokono in the Twi language, which is made from fermented corn dough. Though this dish is different from the Caribbean dessert, variations of its name have been adopted regionally.
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ Daniel., Hoyer (2008). Tamales (1st ed.). Salt Lake City, Utah: Gibbs Smith. ISBN 9781423603191. OCLC 199465927.
- ^ Breton, Father Raymond: 1665. Dictionnaire, Caraibe-Francois. Gilles Bouquet, Auxerre, France. Chambers, Mr. Walter: 1995. Personal communication.
- ^ Jane, Charles: 1982. Antigua Black - A Pineapple of the Gods. Museum Library, ref: P-10.
- ^ Little & Wadsworth: 1964. The Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, US Department of Agriculture, Puerto Rico.
- ^ Martin, F.W. & Rubert, Ruth M.: 1979. Edible Leaves of the Tropics, US Dept. of Agriculture, Puerto Rico.
- ^ "My Latina Table:How To Make Authentic Sweet Tamales (3 Different Varieties)". 11 March 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ "Smithsonian: Who Were the Taíno, the Original Inhabitants of Columbus' Island Colonies?". 5 October 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ "Edible flora in pre-Columbian Caribbean coprolites: Expected and unexpected data". 11 October 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ Luffman, John: 1788. A Brief Account of Antigua ... In Oliver’s History, 1898.
- ^ "Ducana (Antiguan Boiled Sweet Potato)". 14 September 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ "Tamalito (Ducunu)". 21 July 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ "A Delicious Belizean Dish: Dukunu". Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ "Guanimes Dulces (Recipe for Sweet Guanimes". 11 May 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2024.