Guyanese  Metemgee

Metemgee is a Guyanese Creole “Stew” of mixed meat, salt fish, and dumplings with coconut milk, cassava, yam, plantains, okra, onions, thyme, and hot pepper sauce.

Ingredients

  1. 6 ounces Beef, cubed (optional)

  2. 6 ounces pork or Salted Beef cubed (Optional)

  3. 8 oz salt-fish

  4. 2 cups chicken stock (or water)

  5. 2 cups coconut milk

  6. 1 pound sweet potato, peeled, cubed

  7. 1 pound yam, peeled, cubed

  8. 1 pound plantain, peeled, cubed

  9. 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

  10. 2 habanero, seeded, finely chopped

  11. 1 red onion, cut into rings

  12. 1 pound okra, sliced

  13. 1 cup flour

  14. 2 tablespoons butter, small cubes

  15. 1 teaspoon baking powder

  16. ½ teaspoon salt

  17. 2 tablespoons sugar

  18. 2 tablespoons Water

Instructions

  1. Dust beef and pork with flour and sauté.

  2. Soak salt fish in warm water for about 15 minutes. Drain. Remove skin and bones. Discard. Squeeze fish dry.

  3. Grate the coconut, pour one pint of water over, squeeze well and strain to extract the coconut milk. Arrange peeled plantains and seasonings in layers over the meat, with salt fish on top.

  4. Add coconut milk and cook, covered, until almost tender, about 30 minutes.

  5. Place onions and okras on top of salt fish. Steam, covered, for 10 minutes.

  6. Add dumplings and steam for another 8 minutes.

For the Dumplings

  1. Rub flour and butter together. Add baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add enough of the water to make a stiff dough.

Notes

  1. Fried Saltfish Can be served with this dish and all meats can be omitted if you are Vegetarian.