Cornmeal baby food

Cornmeal Porridge

By Chioma 4 Comments

Cornmeal porridge is a very delicious pap-like meal enjoyed by the Jamaicans. I was introduced…no, my daughter was introduced to it by my Jamaican friend and it has become a much loved breakfast or dinner either alone or with fried sweet potatoes and plantain.

I was quite amazed that this simple and cheap cornmeal we have in Nigeria can be used other than for making fufu/swallow. In the Eastern part of Nigeria, this is exactly the same maize flour that is used to make “nri oka” mixed with cassava flour. So, cornmeal is finely ground yellow maize flour that are sold in our markets.

I purposely left blogging this till I travelled to Nigeria, went to market and bought the ground maize, just to be sure it is the same as the cornmeal sold here. I can confirm it is the same, so cornmeal is ground maize and you can’t miss it in the markets if you are in Nigeria.

Cornmeal porridge can be taken by infants from 4-6 months of age and as well by adults…trust me, you will forget yourself and the baby you want to feed while licking the spoon you used to make it. Cornmeal is cheap and affordable as another addition to your food menu.

Cornmeal Porridge Recipe (serves about 2 people)

Ingredients:

¾ cup cornmeal/fine ground maize
1 cup cold water or milk for mixing. You can dissolve 3 tbsp of powdered milk in a cup of water. If using baby milk, mix according to instructions on the tin.
1/4 cup evaporated milk (omit for babies under 1 year)
2 cups milk and 1 cup water.
1 tbsp sugar or more to your taste. You can use mashed or pureed banana instead to sweeten baby’s own, and as well use honey for children who are more than a year old.
A pinch or two of ground or grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp of vanilla
Pinch of salt

Method:

Put 1 cup of water in pot and set to heat.
Add the cold milk or water to the cornmeal in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
Once the water is about to boil, lower heat to the minimum, pour in the cornmeal and start stirring continuously to avoid any lumps forming.
Add the remaining cups of milk while stirring on low heat. Keep stirring for about 10 to 15 minutes. The runny liquid will start thickening.
Add vanilla, sugar, nutmeg and salt.
Add the evaporated milk slowly, while stirring till you get the desired thickness. Remember, it shouldn’t be too thick else once it gets cool, it will turn out a lot thicker.
Serve warm alone for babies or with a side for the kids and yourself.

Note: Cornmeal or Fine ground maize is different from Cornflour and Corn Starch…don’t mistake them.

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Filed Under: 1-3 years, 6-7 months, 7-9 months, 9-12 months, All Recipes, Baby Recipes, Breakfast Recipes, Family Foods, Porridges, Simple & Fast Meals, Toddler Recipes & Family Foods

Opinions, information and feedbacks on this site are personal and are not intended to replace medical advice. If you have any concerns about your child’s health and feeding, please consult your doctor or health professional.

Cornmeal Porridge (Easy Jamaican Porridge Recipe!)

By Anjali Shah on January 14, 2022 · Last Updated on April 30, 2022

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.

Enjoy a hearty and creamy bowl of cornmeal porridge for breakfast. This delicious and easy porridge originated in the Caribbean islands. It tastes delicious, and it’s simple to make. Top with fresh fruit and nuts or dunk bread into it for a filling breakfast that will satisfy you all the way to lunch!

If you’ve ever been to Jamaica or to the Caribbean, you know how delicious cornmeal porridge is. Jamaican porridge is a cooked porridge made with fine cornmeal, milk, and sweetened condensed milk. It’s sweet but hearty with warm Caribbean spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. There’s just something about cozy breakfast food that starts the day off right.

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This healthy cornmeal porridge uses soy milk in place of regular milk and coconut condensed milk in place of sweetened condensed milk. It’s gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free, but even dairy-lovers will devour it. More importantly, though, it fills you up! There’s nothing worse than a hungry stomach only an hour after breakfast.

Jamaican cornmeal porridge comes together in a snap! It takes less than 15 minutes and it’s perfect for picky eaters. My kids love the creamy texture and sweet flavor. Top with fresh fruit, nuts, and additional sweeteners, or serve with crackers. Traditionally Caribbean porridge is served with hard dough bread, but it tastes delicious no matter how you serve it!

👩‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

🥘 Ingredients

📖 Variations

🔪 Instructions

❓ Recipe FAQs

💭 Expert Tips

🍲 More Healthy Breakfast Recipes!

📋 Recipe Card

🎥 Watch How to Make It

👩‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

Perfect for a hearty breakfast.
Top with brown sugar and your favorite fruit.
Make this easy cornmeal porridge in less than 15 minutes.
Great for picky eaters.
Enjoy this easy recipe for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Gluten-free, dairy-free & vegan but still so creamy!
Make it with or without dairy, based on your dietary preferences.

🥘 Ingredients

This cornmeal porridge recipe calls for pantry staples you can find at your local grocery store. Feel free to use ground cinnamon in place of cinnamon sticks and regular condensed milk if you’re not dairy-free.

Fine Cornmeal: Be sure to use fine yellow cornmeal and not corn flour or coarse cornmeal. Fine cornmeal will give it the smooth texture we’re looking for.

Soy Milk: I used unsweetened soy milk but you can use unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk too. A can of coconut milk works, but keep in mind that cornmeal porridge with canned coconut milk will be richer in taste. If you’re not on a dairy-free diet, dairy milk tastes delicious too.

Water: Mixing the cornmeal with water first prevents it from clumping. Water and soy milk serve as the liquid base for this Jamaican cornmeal porridge recipe.

Cinnamon Stick: I use a cinnamon stick to achieve a nice cinnamon flavor. You can add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon in its place.

Nutmeg: A little nutmeg goes a long way. A quarter teaspoon adds just the right amount of flavor.

Vanilla Extract: Two teaspoons of vanilla extract give this porridge plenty of vanilla flavor.

Condensed Coconut Milk: For this Jamaican porridge recipe, I sweeten it with condensed coconut milk. You can use sweetened condensed milk if you prefer. Note: the nutritional information below is based on condensed coconut milk which has less sugar than regular condensed milk.

📖 Variations

Customize this recipe to meet your dietary needs and preferences. You can also add your favorite toppings.

Milk: You can use any plant-based milk or dairy milk you prefer. Soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, or whole milk all work great.

Sweetener: You can sweeten this recipe with brown sugar, coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, cane sugar, sweetened condensed milk, or condensed coconut milk. You can also use coconut cream or canned coconut milk instead of the condensed milk to make an even healthier sugar free porridge!

Toppings: Toppings just take this delicious recipe and make it better! Top with coconut sugar, brown sugar, pineapple, passion fruit, mango, blueberries, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, or nuts. You can also serve it with crackers or bread.

🔪 Instructions

This recipe is a breeze to make! Here’s how:

Make Cornmeal Mixture: Whisk together the cornmeal and a cup of water. Set it aside.

Boil Liquid: In a medium pot on medium-high heat, bring the remaining cups of water, soy milk, and the cinnamon stick to a boil.

Add Cornmeal: Pour the cornmeal mixture into the boiling water and whisk until well combined. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to whisk until the cornmeal thickens. Remove the cinnamon stick.

Sweeten: Add the nutmeg, vanilla, and three tablespoons of condensed coconut milk. You can always add more if you need it to be sweeter. Stir cornmeal mixture until combined. Cook for two more minutes.

Serve: Remove the porridge from the heat and thin it out with more soy milk if needed. Taste and add more condensed milk for more sweetness. Top with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and fresh fruit.

❓ Recipe FAQs

What is cornmeal porridge?

Cornmeal porridge is a Caribbean breakfast porridge made from fine cornmeal, water or milk, sweetener, and spices. It’s traditionally served with crackers or hard dough bread, but tastes delicious with fresh fruit too.

Is cornmeal porridge healthy?

The traditional version of this porridge is super satisfying but isn’t the healthiest because it has a lot of added sugar from the condensed milk and sweetener is added on top of that.

This recipe has all of the flavor of the original version but lightens it up by using dairy-free ingredients and less sugar, which makes this vegan cornmeal porridge super healthy for you!

What do I serve with sweet corn porridge?

This tasty breakfast is delicious by itself, but toppings are great too! You can serve it with Jamaican fried dumplings (johnny cakes), crackers, or hard dough bread. Alternatively, you can top the porridge with fresh fruit, ground cinnamon, and additional sweetener.

How should I store this recipe?

Store the porridge in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave. You can add more milk to thin it out if needed.

Can I freeze it?

Yes, you can freeze the porridge in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When reheating, add additional milk or soy milk if needed. Since this recipe only takes 15 minutes, it’s easy to make fresh!

💭 Expert Tips

This porridge will thicken as it cools. It should be the consistency of a thick custard when it’s done.
Don’t forget to combine the cup of cornmeal with 1 cup water before adding it to the pot to prevent lumpy porridge.
Be sure to turn the heat down so the porridge doesn’t burn.
Start with less sweetener (condensed milk) because you can always add more, but you can’t take it out.
If you’re watching calories or sugar intake, you can use Monk fruit sweetener and unsweetened coconut cream instead of condensed coconut milk.

🍲 More Healthy Breakfast Recipes!

Eggs in a Basket: A Classic Breakfast
Quinoa Oatmeal (Easy Breakfast Recipe!)
Spicy Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash
Banana Porridge
Vegan Baked Oatmeal Recipe With Berries

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Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Cornmeal Porridge

Enjoy a hearty and creamy bowl of cornmeal porridge for breakfast. This delicious and easy porridge originated in the Caribbean islands. It tastes delicious and it's simple to make. Top with fresh fruit and nuts or dunk bread into it for a filling breakfast that will satisfy you all the way to lunch!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time8 mins

Total Time13 mins

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: Vegan

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 231kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

▢ 1 cup fine cornmeal
▢ 1 cup unsweetened soy milk or coconut milk
▢ 3¼ cups water
▢ 1 cinnamon stick
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
▢ ¼ cup condensed coconut milk

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Mixing Bowls
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Sauce Pan
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A good quality whisk
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Measuring Cups & Spoons

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In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the cornmeal and 1 cup water, set aside.
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Bring to a boil the remaining 2¼ cups of water, 1 cup of soy milk and the cinnamon stick.
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Pour the cornmeal mixture into the boiling water and whisk until well combined, reduce heat and continue to whisk, ensuring no lumps, until the cornmeal thickens. Remove the cinnamon stick.
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Add the nutmeg, vanilla extract and 3 tbsp condensed coconut milk, cook for another 2 minutes.
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Remove from the heat and adjust thickness by adding more soy milk if needed. Adjust sweetness by adding more condensed milk if required.
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Serve hot topped with fresh fruit, a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and a dash of soy or coconut milk.

Cook the cornmeal porridge until it is the consistency of thick custard.
Don’t forget to combine the cup of cornmeal with 1 cup water before adding it to the pot to prevent lumpy porridge.
Cornmeal porridge can be sweetened with honey, maple syrup or brown sugar.
Be sure to turn the heat down so the porridge doesn’t burn.
Start with less sweetener (condensed milk) because you can always add more, but you can’t take it out.
If you’re watching calories or sugar intake, you can use Monk fruit sweetener and unsweetened coconut cream instead of condensed coconut milk.

Corn flour: composition, benefits, application

Today, the presence of cornmeal in the house does not surprise anyone. However, a few years ago things were very different. This product stands out for its useful properties and composition among others.

Cornmeal has become an object of adoration not only for avid lovers of a healthy lifestyle, but also for culinary gourmets who have noticed its interesting taste.

History of cornmeal

Corn is the most famous cereal crop in the New World.

Archaeologists have established that the first samples of the cultivation of this crop were carried out in 10 thousand AD. Its nutritional value, rich flavor, and ability to add to a wide variety of dishes have made it a staple in North and South American cuisine.

Corn flour is obtained by grinding crushed corn kernels. The grain size may vary. Coarse (coarse) flour is used for baking dense, crumbly, slightly granular bread, and products made from fine flour are softer and more tender.

Composition of corn flour

Cornmeal is a source of an incredible amount of useful components. It contains fiber, which has a beneficial effect on digestion, and is quite balanced in terms of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Corn flour is highly digestible and does not contain gluten, in other words, suitable for people on a gluten-free diet.

Calorie content of cornmeal - 331 kcal. There are 7.2 grams of protein per 100 grams of product, 1. 5 grams of fat, and 72.1 grams of carbohydrates. This amount of nutrients makes the product very satisfying, but at the same time dietary.

Composition of corn flour contains B vitamins (B1, B2), as well as A, E and PP, beta-carotene, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. In addition, unlike other flour products, it contains such a rare element as gold. Of course, its amount is minimal, but even it is enough to favorably influence the work of all systems of the human body. Cornmeal is rich in iron, sodium and calcium.

Benefits of cornmeal

Cornmeal has always been considered one of the best sources of vegetable protein, as well as carbohydrates and fats. Due to the fiber in the composition of the product, they cleanse the intestines of toxins and decay products, improve metabolic processes. In addition, corn flour helps to cope with bad cholesterol in the blood. It has choleretic and diuretic properties, helps to increase the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels and normalizes blood circulation.

Benefits of cornmeal for a person appear in just a couple of days of its consumption. This type of flour helps to remove excess fats from the body, which allows you to make the skin radiant and healthy. In addition, cornmeal slows down the aging process.

It is not surprising that corn flour is so often found in dietary dishes and weight loss diets. It contains vitamin E, which maintains healthy skin and hair, B vitamins, which are responsible for the easy transfer of stress, and vitamin A, which provides nourishment to the eyes.

Application of cornmeal

Corn flour has found wide application not only in cooking. It is also used in other industries. However, the food industry is the main one. In the national cuisines of many countries there are dishes containing cornmeal. Italian polenta, Georgian mchadi, Moldavian hominy, Spanish-Mexican tortilla are prepared on its basis.

Corn is one of the most traded cereals in the world.

Most of the corn produced in the world is used for pet food, but this fact does not affect its value for the economy of many countries.

Very often, wheat flour is diluted with corn flour to diversify the taste of everyday dishes and add benefits to them. Bread and confectionery products with this addition are more crispy and crumbly. It is also often introduced into the composition of pasta - to increase the beneficial properties and achieve a beautiful color of the product.

Very often cornmeal is used in children's diets. Cornmeal cereals are introduced into the diet of children as complementary foods already in the first year of life.

Cornmeal can be used to make natural chips at home as a healthy substitute for potato chips.

Cornmeal is used in the preparation of sausages and in brewing. Cornmeal slows down the fermentation process, so that products with its content remain fresh for a long time.

In addition, the corn product has not been without cosmetology. Masks with the addition of cornmeal promote skin rejuvenation, and scrubs help exfoliate dead skin.

Fishing has become an unexpected area of application. Freshwater fish are very well caught on cornmeal balls. It is on its basis that the famous boilies for carp and bream are prepared.

Recently, many countries have expanded the use of cornmeal. It is not surprising if soon corn flour will replace the more familiar, but less healthy wheat flour in various dishes.

Dietary corn flour wholesale from the manufacturer

Product overview

Corn kernels contain a balanced amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Vitamins C, B1, B2, PP, salts of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, sodium, phosphorus, as well as carotene, starch and other elements make corn a valuable food product.

Glutamic acid, which is found in corn, improves memory and metabolic processes in the brain. Corn kernel extract contains pectins, which have antitumor activity. Corn starch is necessary for the nutrition of nerve cells, so corn should especially be included in your diet for those people who suffer from diseases of the nervous system.

Corn flour is superior to other types of flour in terms of fat content, acidity and calorie content and is highly valued due to the presence of cholesterol-removing components in it.

With regular consumption of products made from corn flour, the microflora of the human gastrointestinal tract improves, the risk of diabetes, heart attack, and cardiovascular diseases decreases. Due to the fact that the body has a sufficient amount of fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E and phosphorus, the overall health of a person and the immune system improves.

Benefits of using

Cornmeal is a valuable dietary product with high nutritional and medicinal properties. It is appreciated not only by bakers and cooks, but also by nutritionists and cosmetologists.

It comes in fine and coarse grinding, it is used to prepare various national dishes, bread and make a favorite children's delicacy - chips.

Corn flour is useful for cardiovascular diseases, circulatory disorders, anemia, diseases of the biliary tract, it slows down the aging process, strengthens teeth, etc.

Cornmeal is rich in fiber, which allows it to be used for the production of baby and diet food.

Brief characteristics of corn flour

Raw materials used

environmentally friendly pure Russian-made corn grits, manufactured in accordance with with GOST 6002. All incoming raw materials are controlled in accredited laboratory.

Corn flour is produced

in in accordance with TU 9197-001-63528860-2010

Appearance and color of flour

powder product yellow

Taste and smell

peculiar cornmeal

Mass fraction of moisture, %

no more than 9

Flour acidity, degrees

Mass fraction of metallic impurities, %

no more than 3*10 ^-4

Foreign matter tolerance %