Metemgee. What is it? Metemgee is a one-pot dish that consists of root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and cassava, dumplings and some kind of protein such as salt beef, salt or fried fish. It is all cooked in a savoury broth of coconut milk and spices until tender. It’s similar to Jamaica’s ‘rundown’ and ‘oildown’ from other Caribbean islands such as Grenada and Trinidad.
Origin of Metemgee
When the Africans were brought as slaves to Guyana, they added this tasteful dish to Guyana’s cuisine culture. The word Metemgee in the African Twi language is translated to “and plantains make it good” according to Candace Goucher. This is probably true as Metemgee is definitely not Metemgee without plantains. They are also added because they cook quickly.
This dish is usually cooked on a Sunday and eaten with the family. The meal is meant to be both satisfying and nutritious because of its starchy root vegetables which are rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals.
Main Ingredients of Metemgee
Vegetables: The root vegetables or ground provision used are cassava (yuca), sweet potatoes, yams, plantains and eddo (taro). Other vegetables include okras, tomatoes, pumpkin and corn. The cassava and plantains must be slit open with a knife and peeled by hand while the pumpkin must be hacked open and have its flesh cut out. The rest of the vegetables can be peeled and cleaned using a peeler or knife. Soak the root vegetables in water to remove the dirt. Even though the dish contains mostly starchy vegetables, the variety means that it contains high amounts of key nutrients like vitamins A, C, K, B complex, magnesium, iron, and potassium.
Coconut Milk: You can use canned coconut milk, powdered coconut milk or you can do it the old fashion way and grate your coconut. You can also cut the flesh out of the coconut and blend it to a pulp in a blender along with water.
Seasoning: Garlic, onions, wiri wiri peppers, ginger and scallions are added to the pot. Reserve some scallions for the end. Add salt, black pepper and thyme to the pot.
Meat: Fried Saltfish/ fried fish can be served with this dish and all meats can be omitted if you are vegetarian. Other meats include beef, pork and salt beef.
Dumplings Recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 cups flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp.sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- water
Method
- In a large bowl, mix all ingredients to form a dough.
- Allow dough to rise for 10 minutes.
- Make into rolls or balls and add to metemgee/water and cook for 10 minutes.
Tip: It’s always best to cook this dish in stages as some things cook quicker than others; the okra and plantain, for example, should be cooked last or separately as they soften quickly and you want it to keep its shape.
How to Cook Metemgee
Metemgee Ingredients:
- 2 small eddo, peeled and chopped
- 2 cassava, peeled and chopped
- 2 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped
- 2 yam, peeled and chopped
- 3 ripe plantains, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 wiri wiri peppers
- 1 coconut, grated
- dumplings
- water
- oil
- salt to taste
Optional: 1/2 lb saltfish
Method
- In a bowl, pour water over grated coconut and squeeze.
- Strain and set aside.
- In a pot, heat oil and sautee pepper and onions.
- Add the ground provision, and allow to cook for 30 minutes or until they become soft.
- Add dumplings and cook for 10-15 more minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve.
Real Nice Guyana Video Recipe
Metemgee In Guyana
Metemgee or Metem for short is a dish that is enjoyed by many in Guyana. Remember, cooking time may vary depending on how long it takes for your cassava to cook to the correct tenderness. Also, be very stingy with the amount of water you add to Metemgee. It is not meant to be a thin broth but a very think stew-like broth. When the root vegetables are added, you can choose what other vegetables you would like to add, you can also choose which meat you would like in your Metem. Whatever you choose, be sure to boil it in that creamy coconut milk, season it well and add those fresh and fluffy dumplings to your pot. They play an important role in making your Metemgee delicious and flavoursome.
Article References:
- http://veggiecuriouskitchen.blogspot.com/2014/04/metemgee.html
- https://www.stabroeknews.com/2018/features/in-the-diaspora/08/20/whats-really-cooking-in-guyana/
- https://lovelorettaskitchen.com/2014/06/09/one-pot-series-guyanese-metemgee/
- http://caribbeanfoodyrecipes.blogspot.com/2013/11/matagee-met-gee.html
- http://www.guyanadining.com/metemgee-recipe/
Last Updated: 2020-07-24
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