Ducunu

Ingredients

Corn

• 8fresh corn cobs
• with their husks reserved
• or 800 g sweetcorn kernels

The batter

• 400 mlthick coconut milk
• 200 gsugar
• 80 gbutter, melted
• 1 teaspoonground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoongrated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoonvanilla
• 1/2 teaspoonsalt
• 4 tablespoonscornmeal, if needed

Sometimes added

• 100 graisins
• 50 gdesiccated coconut
• a splash of rum

To wrap

• the reserved corn husks
• or banana leaves
• string or strips of husk

Directions

1. Pull the husks off carefully and keep them. Pull off the silks and discard them. Stand each cob upright in a wide bowl. Cut the kernels off downwards with a knife. Do not skip that scraping step. Discard any that are torn or dry.
2. Rinse them well under cold water. Soften them in boiling water for five minutes. Put the kernels in a blender or processor. Add a little of the coconut milk.
3. Blend it to a coarse rough paste. Do not blend it completely smooth. Put the ground corn in a large bowl. Add the rest of the coconut milk. Add the sugar and the melted butter. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add the vanilla extract as well.
4. Stir in raisins or coconut if using them. Mix it all together thoroughly. It should be thick and spoonable. Add cornmeal a spoonful at a time if it is loose. It should hold its shape when spooned.
5. Lay two husks overlapping on the board. Spoon the batter into the middle. Fold the long sides over the filling. Fold the pointed ends up and over. Tie it with string or a strip of husk. The parcel must be watertight.
6. Wrap it in a second husk for safety. Set a steamer basket over boiling water. Pack the parcels in seam side down. Cover the pot with a tight lid. Steam them for about one full hour.
7. Top up the water as it boils away. Never let the pot boil dry at all. Boil them for about one full hour. The wrapping must be tight for this. Let them cool in their wrappers. They firm up considerably as they cool.

Technique

• The name traces to the West African dokunu, and related wrapped steamed puddings run across the Caribbean as Jamaican duckunoo, Barbadian conkies and Trinidadian paime.
• Fresh corn is essential because the starchy milky liquid released by grating and scraping the cobs is what sets the pudding.
• The corn husks pulled from the cobs are the wrappers, softened in boiling water so they fold without splitting.

Substitutions

• Frozen sweetcorn is a better substitute than tinned, which has lost most of its starchy liquid.
• Banana leaves stand in for corn husks where fresh corn is not available.

Variations

• Some cooks add raisins, coconut or a splash of rum.
• A savoury version without sugar is made in some households.
• Conkies in Barbados and duckunoo in Jamaica are the closest relatives.

History

A Belizean Creole and Garifuna sweet tamal; the name traces to West African dokunu, carried to the Caribbean and adapted to local maize.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ducunu?

Ducunu is a snack from Belize: sweet fresh-corn pudding steamed in a corn husk. A Belizean Creole and Garifuna sweet tamal; the name traces to West African dokunu, carried to the Caribbean and adapted to local maize.

How long does Ducunu take to make?

Ducunu takes 45 minutes of preparation and 1 hour of cooking. The recipe makes about 12 parcels. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Ducunu?

Yes, within limits. Frozen sweetcorn is a better substitute than tinned, which has lost most of its starchy liquid. Banana leaves stand in for corn husks where fresh corn is not available.

What is the most important thing to get right in Ducunu?

Pull the husks off carefully and keep them. Pull off the silks and discard them. Stand each cob upright in a wide bowl. Cut the kernels off downwards with a knife. Do not skip that scraping step. Discard any that are torn or dry.