Around the World in Foodventures (Barbados: CASSAVA PONE)

Cassava Pone is a gelatinous sweet treat found in many Caribbean countries, and there are about a million different recipes for it because everyone’s mother, auntie, uncle, and grandpa each have their own version.  This speaks to how flexible of a recipe it is and how forgiving cooking it can be, which is why I decided to try two different varieties….one traditionally dairy-full with only coconut included, plus another vegan version with some common additions (pumpkin, sweet potato, and raisins) as well.  And they both happen to be naturally Gluten Free.

These recipes are adapted from Alicia’s Pepperpot.  I essentially followed her exact ingredients, proportions/measurements, and method -- other than the part where I added pumpkin, sweet potato, and raisins to the vegan version.  Here we go…..

INGREDIENTS:

Things that are grouped by color in my ingredient lists can be measured out into bowls together while getting your Mise en Place, to streamline your cooking process as well as minimize the number of things you'll have to clean later. Anything left white should be kept separate by itself.

(for Traditional version) 2-1/4 cups grated cassava root    * you can grate it by hand or use a food processor to mostly puree it 1/4 cup grated coconut    * I used storebought pre-grated, frozen coconut – completely thawed 3/4 cup brown sugar 3 Tablespoons softened butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 teaspoon almond extract 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1.5 cups evaporated milk (this is one 12-ounce can)

(for Vegan version with Additional Fruits & Veggies added) 2-1/4 cups grated cassava root 1/4 cup grated coconut 3/4 cup brown sugar 3 Tablespoons vegan "butter" 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 teaspoon almond extract 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1.5 cups coconut milk

1/2 cup grated pumpkin    * I used canned pumpkin puree 1/2 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato 1/2 cup raisins

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. In one bowl, combine the Traditional version ingredients (cassava, coconut, brown sugar, butter, extracts, spices, and milk).  
3. In another bowl, combine the Vegan version with Additional Fruits & Veggies ingredients (cassava, coconut, brown sugar, vegan "butter," extracts, spices, and coconut milk).
4. Stir each one (with separate spoons, of course) until they're all well mixed.
5. Add the pumpkin, sweet potato, and raisins to the Vegan bowl -- and stir to combine.
6. Pour each mixture into its own greased baking pan, and bake for probably at least an hour until golden to slightly dark brown, set/no longer wobbly in the center, and starting to pull away from the edges of the pan.*

* The smaller pan you choose, the more time it will need to bake because it will be thicker.  I used an 8" x 8" pan for the traditional dairy-full version, and a 9" x 13" pan for the Vegan version with Additional Fruits & Veggies added.  Because the latter had extra ingredients but was in a larger pan, both pans ended up with about the same depth of batter.  So, I baked them each for an hour and a half.  The traditional dairy-full version turned out denser than the Vegan version with Additional Fruits & Veggies added, and I think I probably could have baked both of them a bit longer -- but both were delicious and perfectly good the way they turned out, with definitively distinct flavor profiles.  Taste-wise, I personally preferred the traditional (but don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean there was anything wrong or bad about the Vegan version with Additional Fruits & Veggies added).  After spending the night in the fridge, both versions firmed up and were even better.

This post is part of my project: "Around the World in Foodventures" (I decided I want to expand my culinary horizons even further by making the national dish or a popular recipe, or some signature food or traditional meal from every country in the world. Maybe it'll happen alphabetically, or by region, in random order, or something else. I figure if we can't (yet?) travel everywhere, we at least have the luxury of being able to taste it. It’ll be fun and interesting, but obviously, will take a long time to get through -- as I'll only be doing it once a week or so at most. I am chronicling the journey here.)

“If I’m an advocate of anything, it’s to move…Walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food.” --Tony Bourdain