Doukounou — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Sweet cornmeal cakes wrapped in banana leaves and steamed until firm, flavored with coconut, cinnamon, and nutmeg. A traditional Haitian treat.

Ingredients

3 cups fine cornmeal
1 can coconut milk
200g brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 ripe banana, mashed
100g raisins
Banana leaves for wrapping
250ml water

Instructions

1 If using fresh banana leaves, pass them briefly over an open flame to make them pliable. Cut into large rectangles.
2 Mix cornmeal, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl.
3 Add coconut milk, water, mashed banana, and raisins. Stir until a thick, smooth batter forms.
4 Place two to three tablespoons of batter in the center of each banana leaf rectangle. Fold into tight packages and tie with kitchen twine.
5 Arrange packages in a steamer or on a rack inside a large pot with water. Steam for one hour until firm.
6 Let cool slightly before unwrapping. Serve warm or at room temperature as a sweet snack.

Did You Know?

Doukounou is one of the few Haitian dishes that directly preserves Taino cooking methods, specifically the technique of wrapping food in leaves for cooking.