Duckanoo
Duckunoo or duckanoo, also referred to as tie-a-leaf and blue drawers (draws), called Dokonon (in French Guiana), is a dessert in Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, French Guiana and some other Lesser Antilles. It is a variation on the dish ducana which originated in Africa. The Caribbean cuisine dish is made from batata, sweet potato, coconut, spices and brown sugar, all tied up in a banana leaf. It is then cooked in boiling water.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]
Alternative names | Ducana (in Antigua and Barbuda) |
---|---|
Type | sweet main starch |
Created by | African people who were brought to Antigua and Barbuda, French Guiana as well as other Caribbean Islands in the slave trade |
Serving temperature | hot or warm |
Main ingredients | Sweet potato |
Variations | Some islanders use pumpkin |
Duckanoo is a relatively new name for some that was added to the name "tie a leaf". However, the names vary depending on location in various islands. "Ducana" is the Antiguan/Barbudan as well as some of the smaller Caribbean islands name of this dumpling or dessert.
History
Similar to the Meso American 'dulce de tamale', this was a highly popular indigenous dessert in the Americas. Adapted by the Afro-Caribbean people (who were brought to Antigua and Barbuda as well as other Caribbean Islands in the slave trade), ingredients such as eddoes, okra, dasheen, eggplant, and the bonavista bean are used.[20]
In Ghana, ducana is dokono, and in the Twi language, Odokono.
Variations
Dukuna is a small pudding made of varying mixtures of grated sweet potatoes, coconut, cornmeal and plantain-flour. (From Akan: doko na sweeten mouth Twi: boiled maize Ga: Adangme dokona).
See also
References
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- Breton, Father Raymond: 1665. Dictionnaire, Caraibe-Francois. Gilles Bouquet, Auxerre, France. Chambers, Mr. Walter: 1995. Personal communication.
- Chapman, N. & D.: 1980 Distribution of Fallow Deer. Mammal Review, June 1980.
- Fuller, Eckert & Richardson: 1992. Sea Turtle Recovery Action Plan for Antigua & Barbuda, WIDECAST CEP Technical Report No. 16.
- Hanif, Mahamad: n.d. Sea Turtles of the Caribbean., Brochure of the Virgin Islands Conservation Society, Inc.
- Jane, Charles: 1982. Antigua Black - A Pineapple of the Gods. Museum Library, ref: P-10.
- Little & Wadsworth: 1964. The Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, US Department of Agriculture, Puerto Rico.
- Luffman, John: 1788. A Brief Account of Antigua ... In Oliver’s History, 1898.
- Martin, F.W. & Rubert, Ruth M.: 1979. Edible Leaves of the Tropics, US Dept. of Agriculture, Puerto Rico.
- Margetson, Robert J.: n.d. Music (Calypso). Cultural Department, Ministry of Education & Culture, Antigua.
- McDaniel, Lorna: 1992. Antigua & Barbuda: History of Music. Published privately.
- Olsen, Dr. Fred: 1972. A Lush Forest Grew on Antigua 30 million years ago! Mill Reef Digger’s Digest #8:14 March 1972.
- Protheroe, E.: n.d. New Illustrated Natural History of the World.
- Garden City Publishing, New York.
- Record & Hess: 1972. Timbers of the New World. Arno Press, NY.
- Samuel, Mr. Reginald: 1995. Personal communication.
- Smith & Smith: 1986. To Shoot Hard Labour
- Tonge, Gwen: n.d. Recipes of Antigua in the West Indies
- Webster’s Dictionary.
- Harris: 115.