What recipes are the most requested in Jamaica in 2021? The following 13 recipes are part of the collection gathered by Jamaicans.com over its 26 years in operations. Below are the 13 Jamaican recipes most requested in Jamaica in 2021.

1. Sweet Potato Pudding

A nostalgic favorite of Jamaicans, this pudding is often served as dessert for Sunday dinners. It is often described as “hell a top, hell a bottom and hallelujah in the middle.’ This dessert was traditionally cooked over a wood fire and features the flavors of vanilla, almond, rum, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, combined with a heavenly texture of sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and cornmeal. Raisins and shredded coconut can be added if desired.

2. Jamaican Stew Peas

In Jamaica, red kidney beans are known as stew peas, and they are combined with stew beef, pig’s tail, coconut milk, hot pepper, and spices to make this hearty and popular dish. The stew is flavored with pimento, thyme, and scallion and is the perfect side to the main course.

3. Cornmeal Porridge

Cornmeal Porridge, a favorite breakfast in Jamaica is a delicious start to the day. It is sometimes made with the addition of pieces of hard bread to make it even more substantial.

4. Jamaican Sorrel Fruitcake

At Christmas, many Jamaicans look forward to enjoying a sorrel drink. The pulp left over from making the sorrel beverage is often used to make a Sorrel Fruitcake. Similar to a traditional fruitcake, this variation evokes holidays on the island with its unique flavor and spectacular red color. In addition to sorrel pulp, the cake features various dried fruits soaked in a sweet wine like port and Jamaican rum.

5. Curry Shrimp

Jamaican Curry Shrimp is easy to make, and the finished product will be welcomed by hungry guests. It is made with Jamaican curry powder, large shrimp, bell peppers, and coconut milk. An island favorite.

6. Hominy Corn Porridge

A traditional Jamaican breakfast food, this creamy porridge is filling and will warm you up on the coldest day. The porridge is a combination of hominy kernels, coconut milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It is then sweetened with sugar or condensed milk.

7. Jamaican Fruit Cake

Jamaican Fruit Cake or Black Cake is traditionally served during the Christmas season. It is a dense, dark cake made with various dried fruits that have been soaked in port wine and white rum for at least two days. In Jamaica, it is served with a homemade sorrel beverage.

8. Jamaican Rice and Peas

This is one of the most basic of Jamaican foods and one that provides an excellent side dish to many types of main courses. The peas of the recipe are actually kidney beans, and these are cooked in coconut milk for a true Caribbean flavor.

9. Jamaican Fried Dumplings

Fried dumplings are one of the world’s best treats. While most people think of dumplings as boiled and soft, the fried versions are hard to resist. It is believed the recipe originated among travelers who took the fried dumplings with them on long journeys, and in the past, they were even known as journey cakes. The fried dumplings are hard to resist and a favorite with diners.

10. Jamaican Plain Roti

Roti, a kind of bread that is popular in the Caribbean and in South Asia. It is similar to a Mexican and is made with wheat flour without any leavening ingredient. In Jamaica, roti is made with a filling of curry chicken or goat.

11. Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

Jamaican Brown Stew is a chicken stew that features the unique flavors of the island. The dish originated in Africa and displays influences of Europe as well. Jamaicans like it because of the “gravy” that results during the cooking process. What sets the Jamaican recipe apart is its preparation: the chicken is first seared in oil and then braised in a brown gravy in combination with scotch bonnet and sweet bell peppers. Like many other recipes, the actual seasoning depends on the preferences of the cook.

12. Jamaican Fried Chicken

Fried chicken in Jamaica is typically flavored by a marinade seasoned with onion powder, garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, and curry powder. These spices can also be used as a dry rub. A great dish for a Sunday dinner, the chicken gets its spicy authenticity from scotch bonnet peppers.

13. Jamaican Beef Patty

Jamaican Beef Patty is the quintessential Jamaican dish. It is popular street food and can be found throughout Jamaica. The patty features a buttery and flaky crust with a bright yellow color that comes from the turmeric used as a flavoring. The pastry is filled with a spicy beef filling that features scotch bonnet peppers and then baked in the oven.