Jamaican Green Banana Porridge

What Is Green Banana Porridge

Green bananas is a popular staple in Jamaica. It is pretty much a banana that is cooked and eaten before it’s ripe. We eat this as a popular side to mostly Jamaican breakfast such as ackee & saltfish, calaloo, mackerel, liver or even with other meals as it goes with just about everything. So, we also use it to make a porridge.

A lot of Jamaican households prepare all different kinds of porridge as a breakfast option for several reasons such as: it is cost effective, an easy one pot meal, nutritious, filling and has been a popular tradition passed down for generations.

As a child, I come from a household where we ate a lot of porridge as well. I personally like most of them but have a few favorites. One of them happens to be green banana porridge which is a traditional Jamaican porridge made often in many households. Most Jamaicans make porridges from ground provisions such as this or from easily accessible ingredients.

Ingredients for Green Banana Porridge

• Green Bananas – Grated if you like to taste small pieces of the green banana while eating (as I do), but for those who prefer a smooth porridge, it can be blended before cooking in some of the liquid.
• Milk – If preferred, you can substitute half the milk with water or use all coconut milk.
• Coconut Milk
• Water
• Cornmeal – used to thicken
• Salt
• Nutmeg – grated
• Cinnamon Powder
• Vanilla – (not pictured)
• Condensed Milk – sugar can be used as a substitute.

How to Easily Prepare Green Banana Porridge

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1. Measure out your ingredients and set aside.
2. Grater or blend your green bananas.
3. Pour your milk, coconut milk and salt into a medium deep pot on medium-high heat, watch closely for when it starts to get hot (it will easily boil over).
4. Turn your heat down to medium-low just before starting to boil.
5. Add your green bananas and whisk into the milk mixture so it doesn’t clump together.
6. Dilute cornmeal in water and add as well. Keep stirring until it starts to thicken. Continue cooking around 15-20 minutes.
7. Add your vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir well.
8. Add your condensed milk to sweeten and serve.

Some people prefer a smooth, creamy porridge, however I love my porridges with more texture. So where as some people would blend out the green banana, I prefer to grater the banana so I can actually taste the pieces of banana in the porridge.

Whichever way you prefer this will still be a traditional way to prepare your banana porridge. Like most porridges, this is made from few ingredients such as green bananas, milk, water, condensed milk, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and a little cornmeal to thicken.

I also do not like my porridge too sweet even though some people usually do. So if you need to add more sweetener, feel free. Hope you enjoy. 

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Jamaican Green Banana Porridge

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 3

Author Dianne

Ingredients

• 3 medium Green Bananas Grated or blended
• 2 cups Milk
• 1 cup Coconut Milk
• 1/2 cup Water
• 2 Tbsp. Cornmeal
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1/4 cup Condensed Milk

Instructions

1. Measure out all ingredients and set aside.

2. Grater green bananas using the medium grater and mix in 1/2 cup of water and the corn meal. (If prefer smooth, blend green bananas in blender with the water)

3. In a medium pot, place milk and coconut milk with salt on medium-high heat and bring to almost a boil. Turn heat to medium-low and add green bananas and diluted cornmeal and water.

4. Stir constantly for about 15-20 minutes until thickened and cooked.

5. Turn heat to low and add spices, vanilla and condensed milk. Sweeten to taste.

Recipe Notes

**Best served immediately. May thicken as it sits.

**If needs to be reheated later, add a little milk to thin out to desired consistency.