Bammy is made by shaping ground cassava into discs.
It grows well in poor soils with limited labor requirements.
Cassava is called yuca in Puerto Rico, where it’s native.
Photo: Brittany Conerly
It was the main crop of the Indigenous people called the Taino.
These were staples that we ate almost every week.
Bammy is traditionally enjoyed with fried fish, jerk pork or with our Jamaican national dishackee and saltfish.
Cassava is a delicious and nutritious ingredient that continues to be embraced around the world.
Its long history and its versatility makes it a superfood in my kitchen.
This recipe is an ode to my ancestors and to my parents' homeland, Jamaica.
With the motor running, drizzle in olive oil; process until smooth.
Add lime juice and salt; pulse a couple of times to blend.
Grate cassava pieces with the smallest holes of a box grater.
(Alternatively, cut the cassava in chunks and place in the cleaned work bowl of a food processor.
Process the cassava until it’s a smooth puree, adding a little water if necessary.
)Pile the grated cassava into a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess liquid.
Place a 4-inch ring mold in a large skillet.
Brush the mold and the pan beneath it with some of the 1 tablespoon coconut oil.
Fill the mold with enough of the cassava (about 1/2 cup) so the bammy is 1/2-inch thick.
Using the back of a spoon, press the cassava into the mold and flatten the top.
Cook over low heat until firm, 2 to 3 minutes.
Flip the bammy and cook until firm on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Transfer the bammy to a cooling rack.
Repeat to make 6 bammy.
Pour coconut milk into a shallow dish.
Add 2 bammy to the coconut milk; let soak for 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/2 cup coconut oil in the skillet over medium heat.
Blot off excess coconut milk from the soaked bammy.
Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
Repeat soaking and cooking with the remaining bammy.
Serve the bammy with the reserved pistou.
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.
