Duckanoo

Duckanoo
Duckunoo made with cornmeal, spices, coconut milk, vanilla and raisins in Jamaica
Alternative namesTie-a-leaf or blue drawers (in Jamaica); Doukounou (in Haiti); Ducana (in Antigua and Barbuda)
TypeSweet starch / Dessert
Place of originCaribbean
Created byIndigenous Amerindians, then adopted by Africans who were brought to the Caribbean
Serving temperatureHot or warm
Main ingredientsBatata, coconut, spices, brown sugar, cornmeal and coconut milk
VariationsSweet tamale or Tamal dulce; Tamalito (in Latin America)

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 (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.