I really like my take on jerk chicken, which is why I decided to try a side-dish to complement it. I eventually settled on this classic Jamaican treat: festivals. It is quick and easy to make, and can even be enjoyed as a dessert with some added sugar.
Ingredients
- Flour (500 grams)
- Cornmeal (60 grams) (or substitute with breadcrumbs)
- Baking powder (25 grams)
- Brown sugar (2 - 4 table spoons, depending on how sweet you like it)
- Cocounut milk (200 milliliters)
- Butter (50 grams) (softened or melted)
- A pinch of salt
- Cinnamon (3/4 - 1 tsp)
- Grated/powdered nutmeg (A hint, about 1/4 - 1/2 tsp)
- Oil to fry in (I used sunflower oil)
Cooking plan
- In a pan on medium to high, heat up your cooking oil. We will fry the festivals in this. The temperature should not be too high, as it will cause the dough to not cook properly on the inside.
- In a bowl, start by quickly mixing your dry ingredients.
- Work in your butter, and then incrementally mix in your coconut milk until you get a singular clump of dough. The dough should be a little flaky, and should easily break apart when stretched.
- Let your dough rest for at least 10 minutes.
- From the dough, roll small cylinders of medium thickness. Fit as many as you can in your pan, but be careful not to overcrowd, as they grow when you place them in the oil. Once they turn a nice golden brown color, remove from the oil and lay on some paper towels to drain off excess oil.
- Keep frying until all of the dough has been depleted.
ENJOY!