Slightly sweet and very moreish fried dumplings, called festival, from Jamaica, these are traditionally served with jerk meats.–Virginia Burke
LC More on Moreish
For those of us who aren’t Brits–or literate in utterances that commonly escape Brits’ mouths–the term “moreish” means, quite literally, something that’s sooooooooooo darn good, it makes you want more. ‘nuf said.
Jamaican Fried Dough | Festival Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Enough cold water to make a soft dough
- Oil for frying
Directions
- 1. To make the festival recipe, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add just enough cold water to make a stiff dough.
- 2. Flour your hands well and knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for just a minute or so. Divide the dough into 12 portions. Roll each portion into a small cigar or sausage shape that’s somewhat tapered at the ends.
- 3. Pour enough oil into a skillet to reach about 1 inch deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Carefully slide a few of the dumplings into the oil and fry, turning as necessary, until golden brown on each side, adjusting the heat if necessary, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining fritters. Eat ‘em hot.
Hungry for more? Chow down on these:
- Fried Dough from Good Food Stories
- Colombian Empanadas from My Colombian Recipe
- Apple Dumplings from Leite's Culinaria
- Baos from Leite's Culinaria
Jamaican Fried Dough | Festival Recipe © 2005 Virginia Burke. Photo © 2005 Steve Baxter. All rights reserved.
[Carol Anne G.] I really enjoyed these fritters, and they were a snap to make. I needed a half cup of water to bring the dough together, and they came out crisp on the outside but dense and soft on the inside. They’re quite plain, making them a great accompaniment to strongly flavored jerk chicken — keep some sauce aside for dipping. Don’t try to use a knife and fork on them — better to use your fingers!
While these are *often* served with “jerk meats”, they are *traditionally* served with fish.
Many thanks, D B. Appreciate the clarification. We’ve been served festival with all manner of meat and fish at tiny dives in Jamaica, and been told they go with both, but interesting to learn this…
Hi DB,
Yes, the sweet festival are a perfect counterpoint to a spicy fish dish. They serve them at the hot bar at my local grocery store, along with fried plantains and callaloo. So good!
Beth
Can I use whole wheat flour instead of white ?
Hi Danielle, it should be fine to use whole wheat flour. I’ve seen the festival made with both white and whole wheat.
Hiya, I recently went to a Caribbean friends BBQ and she served these yummy treats with some jerk chicken: I was craving them so much at home that I used this recipe to make some as soon as I got back home but mine came out quite hard on the outside and not soft on the outside like my friends. Any tips? Am I using the wrong flour or leaving them in too long? Any ideas?
Hi Jo, it sounds like the festivals may have cooked a little too long, or the oil may be a tad too hot. Next time you might want to check your oil temperature with a deep fat thermometer- it should hover around 350. Let me know if you are still having problems- I have a very willing tester who would love it if I made some festival, and some jerk chicken, and Jamaican patties…..
The ratio of flour to cornmeal is a bit off. You should only be using half the amount of cornmeal at most, otherwise the dough will be far too dense.
Hi Cory, the amounts do vary from recipe to recipe. It can be a 1:1 ratio, as in this recipe, or I’ve seen as little as 1 ½ cups flour to 3 tablespoons of cornmeal. This recipe is so easy to put together that you can vary amounts until you find the perfect proportions for your festival.
Enjoyed this recipe…made ackee and salt fish and added these to the breakfast for my wife and daughter today.
Oooh, Mark, can I come eat with you? I love ackee and salt fish! It’s one of my favorites.