Guyanese Metemgee (metem/mettagee) is a hearty stew of root vegetables and dumplings simmered in a rich coconut milk broth with herbs and peppers. Serve this national dish as comfort food on cold days or whenever the craving strikes.
Jump to:
- Guyanese Metemgee
- Why You'll Love This Metemgee Recipe
- What is Guyanese Metemgee?
- Ingredients for Metemgee
- What is the secret to good metemgee?
- How to Make Metemgee
- Substitutions & Variations
- What to do if you can't make your own coconut milk?
- How to Serve Metemgee
- Equipment
- Tips for the Best Metemgee
- Leftovers
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- Printable Recipe Card
Guyanese Metemgee
Metemgee is one of my favorite dishes that my grandmother made when I was growing up and why I named my blog metemgee. Although I started my blog in 2013, I did not share my metemgee recipe until 2017 because I wanted to get it as close to perfect before sharing.
This recipe takes me right back to my childhood and days of visiting my grandmother in West Ruimveldt. She had the skill of cooking the coconut milk until the fat separated and curdled. This is a sign of great metemgee. I can finally do this with my stove top and instant pot method of making this dish.
Why You'll Love This Metemgee Recipe
- Ultimate Comfort Food: Warm your body and your soul with this beloved Guyanese dish that's chock full of ground provision and duff, swimming in a flavorful broth of garlic, onions, wiri wiri peppers, and fresh coconut milk. It's a filling vegan meal that will leave you feeling satisfied.
- Perfect Family Meal: This traditional stew is ideal for sharing. This isn't a quick meal but definitely the kind you want to sit down, savor, and enjoy with loved ones.
- Totally Customizable: As long as you have ground provisions and creamy coconut milk broth, it's metemgee so have fun with add-ons and flavors. I'll give you a few suggestions!
What is Guyanese Metemgee?
Guyanese metemgee (metem/mettagee) is a thick soup or stew made with root vegetables cooked in a rich coconut milk broth. According to an article in the Stabroek Newspaper Metemgee (from the Twi metem = plantains or bananas; gye = to delight) is a meal prepared by boiling together various root vegetables with pieces of salted meat in coconut milk.
Ingredients for Metemgee
The key to this vegan metemgee recipe is quality ground provisions and coconut milk. I share my suggested ingredients and substitutions so you can make your best metemgee yet!
- Ground Provisions: love sweet yellow plantains, cassava (yuca), sweet potatoes and eddoes (malanga) in my metemgee but feel free to use any starchy root vegetable that you can access.
- Aromatics: yellow onion and garlic cloves
- Wiri wiri peppers: This fiery pepper has a hint of fruity flavor.
- Sprigs of fresh thyme: This adds herby flavor.
- Whole coconut: Use grated OR 1 cup of grated frozen coconut OR 1 can of coconut milk.
- Water: The base of your broth.
- Coconut oil: This addition is perfect for a savory stew like this. It adds a creamy quality.
- Seasoning: Season simply with salt and black pepper.
See recipe card for quantities.
What is the secret to good metemgee?
Fresh coconut milk is really the secret to good metemgee. The consistency of fresh coconut milk is thinner than canned coconut milk. When this milk is boiled to a reduction, the curdles separate and the coconut oil floats to the top of the broth.
This is why the best metemgee has white coconut milk curdles. These little curdles is a tell tale sign of good metemgee. Click here to see my tips for finding a good dry (brown) coconut.
How to Make Metemgee
Preparing the Ground Provisions
Peeling ground provisions or root vegetables can be a tedious task, even with a vegetable peeler. Therefore, I love using a paring knife instead of a vegetable peeler for this task, especially when peeling cassava (yuca).
Once I've peeled all of my root vegetables I cut them into uniform pieces to allow for even boiling. It takes longer for some root vegetables to cook so I cook those first. For instant Cassavas need to be cooked first. To prevent the other vegetables from turning brown, I soak them in a water bath until I need to add them to the dish.
Metemgee Broth
The rich coconut milk broth is what makes metemgee a stand out dish. To make the broth, I sauté onion and garlic in coconut oil which compliments the flavor of the coconut milk. Then I add fresh coconut milk. I season the broth and let it come to a roaring boil before adding my ground provision.
How to Make Duff for Metemgee
In Guyana we call steamed dumplings duff. Duff is a key component of metemgee. These fluffy steamed dumplings are a great addition to an already delicious dish. The buttery melt in your mouth texture of the duff when dipped in the coconut milk broth really feels like home to me. You can find my fail proof duff recipe here.
Substitutions & Variations
- Ground Provisions. There is no right or wrong combination of ground provisions or root vegetables for metemgee so use whatever you like. White sweet potatoes, taro, or pumpkins are just a few alternatives.
- Spice. Habanero peppers are a great substitute for wiri wiri peppers.
What to do if you can't make your own coconut milk?
Don't have access to dried (brown) coconuts where you live? Can't make fresh coconut milk? Here are some alternatives that work really well with this recipe:
- Frozen shredded coconut: This is my second favorite option for coconut milk used in Guyanese recipes. Defrost the frozen coconut milk completely then add it to a blender with water, blend together then strain off the coconut milk. It is the closest thing to fresh coconut milk and works really well with this recipe.
- Canned Coconut milk: You may use canned coconut milk, diluted with water in a 0.5:5 ratio. Use ½ cup of canned coconut milk (shaken well before opening) with 5 cups of water.
How to Serve Metemgee
Metemgee garnishes vary depending on where you live/d in Guyana. For instance, most Guyanese eat metemgee with fried fish and duff. Others have it with fried fish, duff, and boiled eggs. The addition of the boiled egg was introduced to me by my husband's family.
Here are some items that are traditionally served with metemgee:
- Duff (steamed dumplings): sometimes duff is made separately from the metemgee but it is almost always served together. Please click here for my duff recipe.
- Fish: Fried fish is the most popular garnish for metemgee, but you can also serve it with steamed fish or salt fish
- Boiled Eggs: A nice fluffy 8-minute boiled egg is my preference here but if you like a Jammy 6-minute boiled egg that would work well here too.
- Steamed Okra/Ochro: Some people add steamed okra/ochro to their metemgee but I am not a fan of slimy okra. I love crispy fried okra.
Equipment
- Blender: You will need this for homemade coconut milk.
- Large Pot: To contain the stew.
Tips for the Best Metemgee
- Cut the provisions to roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
- Be very stingy with the amount of water you add to metemgee. It should just barely cover the provisions. It is not meant to be a thin broth but a very thick stew-like broth.
- Cooking time may vary depending on how long it takes for your cassava to cook to the correct tenderness.
- Plantains cook faster than the other ground provisions so add them later or take them out as soon as they are fork tender.
- Once the duff is added, leave the pot undisturbed. Peeking may cause the duff to steep into the stew, making them dense and not light and fluffy.
Leftovers
Metemgee is best enjoyed fresh. It doesn’t last long because of the coconut milk. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for no more than 2 days.
FAQ
What does Metemgee mean?
Metemgee derives from the Twi terms metem (plantains or bananas) and gye (to delight).
What is the origin of metemgee?
This beloved dish was brought to Guyana by enslaved Africans and passed down through generations. It is a favorite among locals and I love making it for my family here in the States.
Is metemgee Whole30 compatible?
Metemgee by itself is Whole30 compatible. Some of the garnishes used when serving metemgee may not be Whole30 compatible. While on round of whole30, I skip the duff and shallow fry my fish with a dusting of cassava flour instead of wheat flour. If you want to learn more about the Whole30 click here.
Related
Pairing
Do you love this recipe? Have questions or suggestions? Let me know in the comments section. Then check out my YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram for more delicious recipes.
Printable Recipe Card
Guyanese Metemgee (metem/mettagee)
Equipment
- Blender
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 2 cassavas yucas
- 1 large sweet potato
- 1 large yam
- 2 ripe/yellow plantains
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 2 wiri wiri peppers
- 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 Whole coconut grated grated frozen coconut or 1 can of coconut milk
- 10 cups of water
- 2 tablespoon of coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- A pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- Warm coconut oil on medium heat, in a large pot. Then add the onions and garlic and cook until soft but not brown.
- If using fresh coconut, add grated coconut and 5 cups of water to a blender and blend for about a minute. Then pour over a fine sieve to strain off the pulp
- Next add the coconut milk and remaining water, followed by the thyme, wiri-wiri peppers, salt and a pinch of black-pepper.
- Bring the broth to a boil and let it cook for about 10 minutes.
- Then, add the cassava and boil on high heat until the cassava is cooked and tender.
- Add remaining vegetables and continue to cook until vegetables are fork tender.
If not on Whole30 and adding duff
- Add duff to the pot, cover and let steam on medium heat for 15 minutes.
- Remove duff from the pot and set aside.
- Remove metemgee from the heat, then add few fresh thyme leaves for garnish if needed.
- Add your trimmings (fried fish, boiled eggs or duff) to your metemgee and enjoy!
Notes
2. Be very stingy with the amount of water you add to metemgee. It is not meant to be a thin broth but a very thick stew like broth.
Tina s. says
YassSss Welcome back!
Omgee meTemgee great first recipe - cant wait for more esp on the evEryday dinner And baKed goods side (aka stew cHicken/pine Tart)
Althea Brown says
Thank you. Thank you. More recipes coming. Pine tart is on the site but stew chicken is coming soon.
Sandie Anderson says
Thank you so much. My daughter, her partner and I enjoyed making the metemgee together. It was so delicious. Best was her aunt, my sister also loved it, as like you, we are both from Guyana and grew up eating metemgee.
Althea Brown says
Thank you so much
Deslyn says
Welcome back!
Let the fun begin!
Althea Brown says
Thank you dear.
Deborah says
So glad you are back. I have tried many of your past recipes. It is because of you that i know to Prepare so many guyanese dishes
Althea Brown says
Thank you so much for your support.
John says
you left out the salt fish or fried fish Metemgee need to have that slight fish taste to it otherwise it just soup.
dre says
Reminds me of small days. THANKS.
Althea Brown says
You’re welcome!
Winston EVERTON BLENDER says
DI ting sweet!
Althea Brown says
❤️❤️❤️
Medsides says
In a large stock pot, heat oil. Add onion, thyme and pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes, Add coconut milk, water, salt fish, green seasoning and bring to a boil. Break salt fish into chunks and add to pot. Add cassava, sweet potato, eddoe to the pot then add plantains on top and cook for 20 minutes.
Delmar Salano says
Awesome 🙂
Deborah says
Hello Mrs. Brown,
I made this today and except for the hot pepper it was bland. What else could I have added for flavor. I used can coconut milk and 5 cups of water? First time making this soup/stew. I live in South Louisiana.
Althea Brown says
I’m sorry that it tasted bland. The flavor of the coconut milk, thyme, plus the onion and garlic is usually all that’s needed for this soup/stew. My only suggestion is maybe you needed a bit more salt. It’s meant to be predominantly coconut flavored with the sweetness from the root vegetables balancing out that. What root vegetables did you use?