Ducana

Ducana
Alternative namesDukana, Dukanoo, Tie A Leaf, Blue Drawers, Conkie
TypeDumpling or Dessert
Place of originCaribbean
Created byDescendants of Africa
Main ingredientsSweet potatoes, sugar, flour, coconut, water, raisins, nutmeg, salt, vanilla extract
Variationscan be compared to Tie A Leaf which uses the cornmeal instead of the flour
Part of a series on the
Culture of Antigua and Barbuda
Society
Topics
Symbols
map Caribbean portal

Ducana is a sweet potato dumpling or pudding from Antigua,[1] Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica and many other Caribbean islands.

They are made from grated sweet potatoes, grated coconut, sugar, flour, coconut milk, and/or water, raisins, ginger, grated nutmeg, salt and essence or vanilla extract. The mixture is combined in a bowl until it thickly coats the back of a spoon. The cooking method is quite simple, but what is often debated is the wrapping. The mixture can be cooked wrapped in foil where others prefer to cook it wrapped in coccoloba leaves,[2] banana leaves,[3] or seaside grape leaves. Either way the wrapped contents must be boiled in salted water for about 25 minutes or until the mixture in the wrapping is firm.

Ducana is often served with salt cod[4] (bacala) and what the islanders call "chop-up" which is a mixture of spinach, eggplant and okra. Ducana is also eaten cold, or thinly sliced and fried lightly.

  1. ^ Sutherland, L. (1995). Great Caribbean Family Vacations. St. Martin's Press. p. 47. ISBN 978-0-312-13502-7. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  2. ^ Berlitz: Antigua and Barbuda Pocket Guide. Insight Guides. APA. 2015. p. 141. ISBN 978-1-78004-895-6. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  3. ^ Comer, B. (2011). The Secret Caribbean: Hideaways of the Rich and Famous. Hunter Publishing, Incorporated. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-58843-157-8. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  4. ^ Houston, L.M. (2005). Food Culture in the Caribbean. Food culture around the world. Greenwood Press. p. 75. ISBN 978-0-313-32764-3. Retrieved 5 November 2016.