Quesbo Little Chefs · Around the world · Destination 15
Find your kitchen rhythm.
A little taste of Jamaica.
Golden beef patties, gently spiced jerk chicken with coconut rice and peas, and warm banana fritters. Three discoveries to cook, share and remember in your tasty passport.
Say hello and join the next stop in Quesbo’s Cooking Adventures Around the World. Find a grown-up cooking companion, lay out your ingredients and discover how allspice, thyme, coconut and ripe bananas bring different flavours to the table.
These are family adaptations of the recipes in our Jamaica chapter. The patties are mild, the jerk chicken is oven-baked with optional heat kept separate, and the banana fritters cook in a lightly oiled frying pan. Choose one recipe today or enjoy the three over several cooking sessions.
Choose your first taste
A little taste of Jamaica
Jamaican cooking brings together many cultural influences and a rich variety of ingredients. Allspice, thyme, coconut, beans and fragrant seasonings run through this chapter. Our recipes keep the chilli heat gentle, and the oven-baked chicken is clearly presented as a home adaptation of jerk.
In our rice and peas, the “peas” are kidney beans. In the patties, turmeric colours the pastry a warm gold. For the sweet finish, soft, spotty bananas bring flavour and sweetness to small, flat fritters.
Quesbo’s imaginary passport adventure
A cook chopped thyme in a steady rhythm while Quesbo rolled pastry: tap, turn, roll; tap, turn, roll. The stove answered with a gentle beat, and banana-leaf plates waited nearby. When Quesbo stopped rushing and followed the pace of each recipe, every part finished together. The passport stamped RHYTHM.
A good cooking rhythm means noticing what needs time and what needs attention. Which part of your recipe asks you to slow down?
First taste 01 / 03
Mini Mild Jamaican Beef Patties
Golden pastry pockets with a gently spiced beef filling
A crisp, turmeric-yellow crust gives way to a fragrant filling of beef, onion, thyme and allspice. These small oven-baked patties keep the chilli out of the shared filling, so everyone can discover the spices. Grown-ups who enjoy heat can add pepper sauce to their own plate.
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 350 g plain flour, plus a little for rolling
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp salt
- 175 g cold butter, diced
- 100–120 ml cold water
For the filling
- 350 g lean beef mince
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp mild curry powder
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 100 ml reduced-salt beef stock
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Cook together
Little hands can- Measure the flour and spices.
- Rub cold butter into flour with clean hands.
- Spoon the cooled filling onto the pastry and crimp the edges with a fork.
- Handle raw beef, chop the onion and cook the filling.
- Manage cooling and refrigeration, cut the pastry and make the steam slits.
- Use the oven and check the hot filling before serving.
Large mixing bowl, Frying pan, Shallow dish for cooling the filling, Rolling pin and 12 cm round cutter or plate, Baking tray and baking paper, Fork and small knife, Clean food thermometer
Let’s cook
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Make the golden dough
Mix the flour, turmeric and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 100 ml cold water, then a little more from the remaining 20 ml only if needed, to bring it into a dough. Press together without kneading, cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. Do not taste the raw dough.
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Cook the beef filling
An adult heats the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the beef and onion and cook for about 7–8 minutes, breaking up the mince, until the onion softens and the beef is browned. Stir in the garlic, thyme, allspice, curry powder and tomato purée; cook for another minute. Keep raw-meat utensils away from cooked food and wash hands and surfaces after handling the mince.
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Reduce, then cool
Pour in the stock and simmer for about 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the filling is moist but almost dry. Make sure the beef is cooked through; a clean thermometer should reach 75°C for 30 seconds in the filling. Stir in the breadcrumbs, then spread the mixture in a clean shallow dish to cool. Refrigerate it promptly once it has stopped steaming, and use it cold for assembly. Do not leave it cooling on the counter for more than 1–2 hours.
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Roll and cut
Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan and line a baking tray. Roll the chilled pastry to about 4 mm thick on a lightly floured surface. An adult cuts out ten 12 cm circles, gently gathering and rerolling the scraps as needed. If the pastry becomes soft, return it to the fridge briefly.
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Fill and seal
Divide the cold filling between the circles, placing it on one half of each and leaving a clear border. Lightly dampen the edge with water, fold the empty half over and press the edges together with a fork. An adult cuts a small steam slit in the top of each patty. Arrange on the lined tray with a little space between them.
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Bake and share
Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp, golden and cooked underneath and the filling is steaming hot throughout. A clean thermometer in the centre should reach 75°C for 30 seconds. Allow extra time if necessary. Rest for a few minutes, then an adult opens a patty to check the filling has cooled enough for children to taste.
Main meal 02 / 03
Mild Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas
An oven-baked family adaptation with fragrant coconut rice
Allspice, thyme, ginger, garlic and lime make a lively marinade without adding chilli heat. Traditional jerk has a much bigger story, including outdoor cooking and Maroon heritage; this gently seasoned oven recipe is an accessible home adaptation. In the coconut rice, the “peas” are red kidney beans.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 600 g boneless chicken thighs
- 4 spring onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 cm piece fresh ginger
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 2 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the rice and peas
- 250 g long-grain rice
- 1 × 400 g tin kidney beans, drained
- 200 ml coconut milk
- 350 ml water or reduced-salt stock
- 2 spring onions, trimmed and left whole
- 1 thyme sprig
Optional, to serve
- Extra lime wedges
- Hot pepper sauce for grown-ups who would like extra heat
Cook together
Little hands can- Measure the fragrant spices before raw chicken is added.
- Rinse the rice and help drain the tinned beans.
- Count five plates and choose a tasting word: fragrant, tangy, creamy or warm.
- Use the blender or grater and handle the raw chicken.
- Manage refrigeration, the oven, the hob and boiling water.
- Check the chicken’s temperature and cool any leftover rice promptly.
Blender or fine grater, Covered bowl for marinating, Roasting tin, Sieve, Saucepan with a close-fitting lid, Clean food thermometer, Knife, chopping board and tongs
Let’s cook
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Make the mild marinade
An adult blends or finely grates the four chopped spring onions, garlic and ginger, then combines them with the allspice, dried thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice and oil. Children can help measure the ingredients before any raw chicken is added.
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Marinate in the fridge
An adult coats the chicken in the marinade in a covered bowl and refrigerates it for at least 30 minutes. Keep it on the bottom shelf, away from ready-to-eat food. Do not wash raw chicken; wash hands and clean equipment after handling it. Never use leftover raw marinade as a table sauce.
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Roast the chicken
Heat the oven to 210°C / 190°C fan. An adult places the thighs in a roasting tin in a single layer, opening them out so they cook evenly, and adds the marinade. Roast for about 30–35 minutes, allowing longer for thick pieces. If the edges darken too quickly, cover loosely with foil while the centres finish cooking.
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Start the rice and peas
While the chicken cooks, rinse the rice in a sieve and drain it. Put it in the saucepan with the drained kidney beans, coconut milk, 350 ml water or stock, the two whole spring onions and the thyme sprig. Stir once and bring gently to a simmer.
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Cover, cook and rest
Cover the saucepan and cook over a very low heat for about 15 minutes. Check that the grains are tender and the liquid has been absorbed. If needed, cook for a few minutes longer; if the pan is dry before the rice is tender, an adult adds a small splash of boiling water. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes. Remove the whole spring onions and thyme stalk, then fluff the rice gently.
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Check and serve
An adult checks the thickest part of the chicken with a clean food thermometer: it should reach 75°C for 30 seconds. Cook longer if needed. Serve with the hot rice and peas, adding optional lime wedges. Keep any hot pepper sauce separate and let children’s portions cool to a comfortable eating temperature.
Sweet finish 03 / 03
Jamaican Banana Fritters
Soft banana rounds with cinnamon and nutmeg
Spotty, very ripe bananas bring sweetness and softness to these little fritters. This chapter’s version is cooked in a lightly oiled pan, much like small pancakes, with cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla for a warm aroma. Enjoy them plain or add a spoonful of yogurt and some fruit.
Ingredients
For the fritters
- 3 very ripe bananas
- 1 large egg
- 100 g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1–2 tsp vegetable oil, for the pan
Optional, to serve
- Natural yogurt
- Sliced fruit
Cook together
Little hands can- Peel and mash the ripe bananas.
- Measure the flour and spices and stir the batter away from the hob.
- Count the cooked fritters and help arrange cooled fruit on the plates.
- Supervise raw egg handling and keep tasting spoons out of the uncooked batter.
- Heat the pan, spoon in the batter and turn the fritters.
- Check the centres are cooked and the fritters are cool enough to eat.
Mixing bowl and fork, Measuring spoons, Large non-stick frying pan, Broad spatula, Plate for cooked fritters
Let’s cook
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Mash the bananas
Peel the bananas and mash them in the mixing bowl until mostly smooth, leaving a few small soft pieces if you like. Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla. Wash hands and utensils after handling raw egg and do not taste the uncooked batter.
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Mix a thick batter
Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir just until no dry flour remains. The batter should be thick and spoonable; banana sizes vary, so the finished fritters may be slightly larger or smaller.
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Warm the pan
An adult lightly coats a large non-stick frying pan with some of the measured oil and warms it over medium-low heat. Keep the remaining oil for later batches if the pan needs it.
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Spoon and flatten
Working in batches, an adult spoons in the batter, dividing it into 12 small fritters across the batches. Flatten each gently into a small round and leave space between them. Cook for about 2–3 minutes, until the undersides are golden and the edges begin to set.
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Turn and finish
An adult turns each fritter with a broad spatula and cooks for a further 1–2 minutes, or longer if needed, until golden and set right through. Check one by cutting it open: the centre should be soft but not wet or raw. Lower the heat if the outsides brown before the middles cook. Repeat with the remaining batter, using a little more oil only if needed.
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Serve warm
Transfer to a plate and let the fritters cool a little before children taste them. Serve plain or with natural yogurt and sliced fruit. Keep yogurt chilled until it is needed.
Your tasty passport · Destination 15
You’ve tasted Jamaica.
Find a rhythm of your own.
Open your cooking notebook and make a new passport page. Write JAMAICA at the top, draw a dish you tried and add the date and your cooking companion’s name.
- Give it a taste score. Rate each dish you tried from 1 to 5. Everyone can have a different favourite.
- Choose your next step. Would you cook it again? Write “Yes”, “Maybe” or “Not yet”.
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Remember three discoveries.
- Jamaican patties have golden yellow pastry and can hold many different fillings.
- Jerk is known for aromatic seasoning and often chilli heat; our oven version keeps the shared meal mild.
- The “peas” in rice and peas can be beans such as red kidney beans, rather than green garden peas.
- Earn your RHYTHM stamp. Think about the pace of cooking. Which step needed time and patience? Which task could you do while you waited? Tell your grown-up how working together helped the recipe come together.
Food detective: Can you clap a cooking rhythm for a slow simmer, a quick stir and a gentle flip? Try a slow steady beat for the rice, a few quick claps for mixing batter, and one careful clap for each fritter turn. Stay away from the hot pan while you play.
A word for your journey: Hello / Wah gwaan? (informal: “What’s going on?”). At the table: Nyam — Eat.
Your next destination clue: Sail southeast to a country where sweet chutney meets savoury mince and a warm pudding drinks up cream sauce.
Food and discovery notes for grown-ups
Adapted from Quesbo’s Jamaica chapter, pages 113–120, with clearer preparation, supervision, timing and storage guidance. These are mild home-kitchen versions; Jamaican recipes and methods vary across cooks and households. The oven-baked jerk chicken is a family adaptation. Recipes have not been kitchen-tested. Food images are AI-generated serving illustrations.
- Visit Jamaica — Kingston
- Visit Jamaica — Language
- Visit Jamaica — Food
- Visit Jamaica — The Secret to True Jamaican Jerk
- Jamaica Information Service — Culinary traditions
- Jamaican Patwah — Nyam
- Food Standards Agency — Cooking your food
- Food Standards Agency — How to chill, freeze and defrost food safely
- Food Standards Agency — Home food fact checker: rice
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