For the Love of Bammy!
If you ever visit in-land Jamaica, you'll be sure to fall in love with all sorts of traditional, tasty dishes!
For Jamaicans, the most important meal of the day is breakfast, usually ackee and saltfish, some callaloo, accompanied by some steamed or fried bammies.
What is a bammy, you ask? A bammy or bami is a traditional flatbread, native to Jamaica, passed down and eaten by Jamaica's original natives, the Arawaks. Now, it is made in country communities and then sold locally and nationally.
Bammies trace their roots from to the native Arawak people of the pre-Columbian period. Bammy is EXTREMELY mineral-dense and also helps to feed probiotics in the large instestine. Thus, for centuries after, it remained a staple for Jamaicans, until after World War II. Sadly, the allure of cheaper, imported wheat flour breads caused bammy popularity to drop. So, in the 1990s, a program was established by the United Nations and the Jamaican government to revive bammy and market it as modern and convenient. This was a real surprise for me!
How is bammy made? Bammy is made from bitter cassava (aka manioc or yuca, in other cultures). The traditional method calls for grating the cassava, and then pressing it, using a woven thatch bag, outdoor press, and heavy stones. Once drained, the still moist cassava is beaten in a mortar and sieved, until it is fine flour. Finally, it is salted to taste and baked.
The baking method for bammy varies widely, based on region, but there are two general methods.
Method one requires that a handful of flour is spread in a ring, on an open-fire griddle. Then, it is patted down with a flat board, and flipped. This takes about 3 minutes and creates a thin 10" bread, similar to traditional Native American tortillas. These breads can be eaten however you like.
Method two is more popular, and considered "modern". This method yields thicker, 6" breads and can be factory mass-produced. These are baked on griddles, in stove-top baking pans, in the oven, and some add butter and spices before baking. However, these do take longer to bake and are always cut up for freezing. Also, to prepare, pieces are always soaked in coconut milk, then fried. This bammy type is then served as a side dish, with meat, fish, avocado, etc.
Either way that you enjoy your bammy, remember the hard work that it took to bring that bammy to your table. Don't waste a bite! Also, if you're looking for bammies cooked using method number one, be sure to check out the tasty flavors of Jah Manna.
