There is nothing better than these Kittitian Style Conkies on Easter or for any other occasion. They can be enjoyed as a snack or a side.
Recipe video:
Growing up, Easter meant that we would be enjoying some homemade conkies. You cannot be from the islands if you do not know what they are. But of course, if you have never heard of them then this is the perfect opportunity to find out. In this post, I will share how to make these Kittitian Style Conkies.
My great-grandmother was born on the beautiful island of St-Kitts and I am proud of my roots. Because of my background, I was exposed to many of the island’s flavors and culture. I always look forward to visiting and eating some conkies.
Easter is the time for conkies. There was never an Easter without a bunch of conkies on the table. Due to the fact that it is now April, I knew this recipe would be perfect for this month. Although many of us are in confinement, I thought conkies would help distract us for a little bit.
In addition to this recipe looking very much like tamales, conkies are very much different. They are different because of the way they are cooked and of course because of the ingredients. However, I do believe that conkies are the cousins to tamales.
What are conkies made of?
So many islands have different names for this dish. Jamaicans call them Blue Draws, Antiguans call them Ducana. Along with different names, you also will have different ingredients and different traditions. So this recipe is solely based on the way my great-grandmother would make them.
When I would watch my grandmother make conkies, I would always see her grating her life away. She would grate sweet potato, pumpkin and coconut. I never tried to switch things up because her recipe was always perfect. However, she also said that the one ingredient she would leave out from time to time was the pumpkin.
Of course you will need flour to bring everything together, but most importantly you will need some spices. In order to bring flavor to this recipe, you need some spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and almond essence. I wrapped mines in banana leaves for an extra flavor but it is very much optional and you can use foil paper instead.
For the most part this is a very simple recipe in my opinion. The only thing that is hard about this recipe is the grating. You do pass a good bit of time grating the vegetables but then afterwards it goes quick.
You can enjoy these as a snack, you pop them in the fridge and enjoy them. Or you can enjoy it as a side with some saltfish.
I hope you enjoy the recipe.
Now, let’s get into it.
Kittitian Style Conkies in Banana Leaf
Ingredients
- 2 & 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 cups Sweet potatoes (preferably the white sweet potatoes) (eq: 2 sweet potatoes)
- 3/4 cup Grated coconut (eq: 1/2 coconut)
- 1/2 cup Grated pumpkin (eq: 1/4 pumpkin)
- 1/2 cup Water (may need more if the batter is too dry)
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup Raisins
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp Fresh or ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Almond essence
- 1/4 tsp Fresh or ground nutmeg
- Banana leaves or foil paper
- Water (for boiling, enough to cover the conkies)
Instructions
Making the batter:
- In a bowl mix together the grated coconut, pumpkin, sweet potato, flour, spices, sugar, vanilla extract and almond essence. Mix them together.
- While mixing the base, slowly pour in the water.
Wrapping the conkies:
- If you are wrapping with banana leaves: If you are using fresh banana leaves then you need to wash them and quickly pass them over fire. But if you got the leaves from the grocery store then they have already been prepped and washed. Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of the batter to the center of the leaf. Take each sides and bring them to the center then take each ends and bring them to the center. Using a string, wrap it around the leaf being sure to tie the ends together. Make sure to wrap the conkies tightly so water wouldn't get into them.
- If you are using foil paper: Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of the batter to the center of the foil paper then wrap it tightly.
Boiling the conkies:
- Place each conkie into a large pot and cover with water.
- Boil for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Once it is done enjoy warm with some saltfish or as a snack.
Notes
- Conkies can last up to one week in the fridge.
Other Easter recipes you may enjoy: