Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge (Vegan + Gluten Free)

A delicious vegan twist on one of the most popular porridge recipes from the reggae island of Jamaica. Also known as cog or pap. Start your day with a wonderful bowl of goodness that is guaranteed to keep hunger at bay.

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I have another Caribbean recipe to share with you guys and this one is called Jamaican cornmeal porridge.

I’m really pleased with how this naturally gluten free this particular breakfast recipe is. It took me some weeks to complete my own rendition of dish.

To the point where I now have some of my family members drinking this vegan version instead of the conventional one.

The Definition

Cornmeal porridge (aka cog or pap) is a dietary staple for Jamaicans and many Caribbean islands.

The porridge is made from cornmeal (polenta), milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, water and condensed milk to serve as a sweetener.

It’s  delicious, creamy, warming and very very filling.

If you are new to my website and want to learn more about my holistic Caribbean approach, please don’t forget to check out my post entitled Caribbean Foodie 101

The Veganized version

The conventional version of this porridge is NOT dairy free or vegan friendly which was the method that I grew up on.

One thing I’ve learnt during my cornmeal crusade is the importance of condensed milk, especially for the vegan style. My previous attempts were made with solely coconut milk and coconut palm sugar.

Granted the results were okay, but underwhelming which left me disheartened. There was an edge and the sweet creamy taste that was missing.

Thankfully I was able to identify the missing piece to the puzzle – condensed milk and rescued my recipe.

Just when I was about to give up I brought some coconut milk to make my vegan condensed milk and voila !!

Ingredients you will need

• Cornmeal: You can use any cornmeal for this recipe – fine or coarse grain. I prefer the fine texture so that’s what I use.
• Coconut milk: I like to use full fat milk for because it yield any unbelievable creamy texture.
• Coconut condensed milk: Again if you want super creamy and sweet porridge then I highly recommend using this stuff.
• Cinnamon: I tend to use ground cinnamon because it’s very accessible but some people use cinnamon sticks/leaves
• Nutmeg: As per traditional I use fresh nutmeg that has been grated. Ground works fine, I like to follow what the women of my family did.
• Water: This is used to make a paste with the cornmeal
• Vanilla & Pink Salt: Used purely to enhance the flavour

How to Cook Cornmeal Porridge

• Mix the cornmeal with water and set aside.

• Pour the 3 cups of coconut milk into a sauce pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes on medium heat (picture 1).
• Once the milk starts to heat up, add the cornmeal mixture to the pot. Do this slowly and make sure to turn consistency to omit lumps – continue to stir until all the watery cornmeal has gone (picture 2).

• Add the spices, pink salt, vanilla and condensed milk (picture 3 & 4).
• Reduce the flame to low, cover the pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring the porridge occasionally until the porridge is smooth and creamy.
• Serve accordingly

Frequently Asked Questions

What Should The Thickness of The Porridge Be?

Cornmeal porridge is somewhere in the middle in terms of texture. It certainly shouldn’t be too thin/watery nor should it be so thick that you can literally cut it with a knife. It all depends on how much cornmeal is used to make the porridge.

For example if you’re making a recipe that calls for 1/2 of cup of cornmeal, you’ll want to make that you have three times the amount of liquid (3 cups approx) to compensate for the expansion of the porridge as it boils.

Also as the porridge cools it tends to get thicker too.

It’s so much easier to control and correct porridge that is too thick (as you can add more liquid) than it is to rectify porridge that is too thin because for the increase in lumpiness from the addition of cornmeal.

Is It Normal For The Porridge To Become Thick As It Cools Down?

Yes, this is definitely normal!! Just use a splash of milk/water, stir to loosen things up!

Where Can I buy Organic/Non GMO Cornmeal?

Since corn/cornmeal is on the GMO hit list it makes consumption quite controversial. The good news is there are organic and non-gmo versions which can be easily purchased mainly online from Amazon.

Here are a few options;

Non GMO Organic Cornmeal (Fine)
Bob’s Red Mill Organic Medium Grind Cornmeal
 

Organic and non GMO cornmeal is expensive but I try my best to buy this when possible. However, if you’re primary concerns are only to veganise the recipe then this section doesn’t apply and you can buy your cornmeal from most local supermarkets.

There are different textures of cornmeal widely available ranging from super fine to course. I personally like the super fine texture because the porridge comes out creamy and smooth.

Do I Have To Use Coconut Milk?

In short the answer is no. I know many people aren’t fans of coconut milk so an alternative plant based milk can be used to achieve the same results.

Other options Include;

Also, a few people want to know how to make cornmeal porridge without milk.

This can be done by using leaving out the use of milk and using water only. By doing this will alter the taste drastically though.

Notes and Tips

•  Mix the cornmeal mixture as you’re adding it to the saucepan to avoid lumps.
• Use the superfine cornmeal for a creamy/smooth texture.
• Allow the cornmeal to cook for at least 15 minutes to yield optimal taste (the long the better).
• Use low fat or fat free plant based milk if you’re seeking a low fat option.
• The cornmeal will naturally thicken as it cools however if it seems too thick during cooking simply add 1/4 cup at a time of water if needed
• Coarse cornmeal takes a lot longer to boil roughly 30 minutes until the texture is smooth and not grainy

Other Caribbean Breakfast/Porridge Recipes You May Like

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Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge

Delicious breakfast bowl this guaranteed to keep you content and energized

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Jamaican

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 412kcal

Author: Charla

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of organic fine cornmeal preferably non GMO
• 1 cup of water
• 3 cups of coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp of himalayan pink salt
• 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract or 1tsp of vanilla powder
• coconut condensed milk sweetened to taste, see link in recipe post

Instructions

• Mix the cornmeal with water and set aside.
• Pour the 3 cups of coconut milk into a sauce pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
• Once the milk starts to heat up, add the cornmeal mixture to the pot. Do this slowly and make sure to turn consistency to omit lumps - continue to stir until all the watery cornmeal has gone.
•  Add the spices, pink salt, vanilla and condensed milk.
• Reduce the flame to low, cover the pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring the porridge occasionally until the porridge is smooth and creamy.
• Serve accordingly

Notes

•  Mix the cornmeal mixture as you're adding it to the saucepan to avoid lumps.
• Use the superfine cornmeal for a creamy/smooth texture.
• Allow the cornmeal to cook for at least 15 minutes to yield optimal taste (the long the better).
• Use low fat or fat free plant based milk if you're seeking a low fat option.
• The cornmeal will naturally thicken as it cools however if it seems too thick during cooking simply add 1/4 cup at a time of water if needed
• Coarse cornmeal takes a lot longer to boil roughly 30 minutes until the texture is smooth and not grainy

Nutrition

Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Sodium: 99mg | Potassium: 437mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 6mg

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