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Duckunoo or duckanoo, also referred to as tie-a-leaf, blue drawers (draws) , dokonon (in French Guiana), and dukunou (in Haiti) is a dessert in Jamaica, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, St Vincent, French Guiana and some other islands in the Lesser Antilles. It is a variation of tamale , which originated in Mesoamerica as early as 8000 to 5000 BC. The Caribbean dish which has Amerindian and African influences, is typically made from batata or sweet potato, coconut, cornmeal, spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, brown sugar and vanilla, all tied up in a banana leaf. It is then cooked in boiling water.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Alternative names | Ducana (in Antigua and Barbuda); Tie-a-leaf or blue drawers (in Jamaica); Doukounou (in Haiti) |
|---|---|
| Type | Sweet Starch / Dessert |
| Place of origin | Caribbean |
| Created by | Indigenous Caribbean people from Mesoamerica, then adopted by African people who were brought to the Caribbean during slavery and indentureship. |
| Serving temperature | Hot or Warm |
| Main ingredients | Sweet potato |
| Ingredients generally used | Batata (sweet potato), coconut, spices, brown sugar, coconut milk and cornmeal |
| Variations | Some islanders use pumpkin; Sweet tamale or Tamal dulce (in Latin America) |
Duckunoo is closely related to the Mesoamerican 'tamale de dulce' or 'tamal dulce' (sweet tamale), which is a popular indigenous dessert in the Americas, especially in Mexico. It is the sweet variation of the more popular savory tamale, which may date from around 100 AD. It was adopted by Africans who were brought to the Americas during slavery and indentureship. Corn and sweet potato which are native to the Americas were staples of Mesoamericans, and indigenous Amerindians cultivated them in the Caribbean, which could explain the use of them as key ingredients.
In Antigua and Barbuda, ingredients such as eddoe / dasheen is used, and ducana is often served with okra, eggplant, and bonavista bean—this is a popular meal during Easter. Sometimes, other islanders use pumpkin, plantain-flour as a substitute for cornmeal and raisins.
In Jamaica, it is common to add grated green banana, coconut, and sweet potato with coconut milk. Raisins are optional. In Belize, the dish is called dukunu, tamalito or ducunu which is said to be the Garifuna word for 'boiled corn'. It includes cornmeal, sweet corn and coconut milk.
In Latin America, particularly Mexico, there are a variety of sweet tamales made with masa instead of cornmeal, cooked in corn husks. It is a common street food which is made in different colours and flavours. Ingredients include raisins, fruits or fruit preserves like pineapple, strawberry and peach, cajeta or dulce de leche and chocolate. Similarly, in Guatemala, it is called tamal de cambray, which is a traditional dessert usually prepared for special occasions. It is made with raisins, almonds or prunes, pink sugar or colouring, and masa with cinnamon or anise water. Nicaraguan sweet tamale can be made with masa, corn, cream or crème fraîche, queso fresco and sugar. In Costa Rica, a similar version called tamale de masa is made, usually for Holy Week (Semana Santa). Another Costa Rican variation, with similar ingredients, is a sweet corn starch tamale pudding called tamal de maicena, which is baked.
In Ghana, there is a dish known as dokono or Odokono in the Twi language, which is made from fermented corn dough. Though this dish is different from the Caribbean dessert, variations of its name have been adopted regionally.
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