Mannish water might sound like a bit of a strange name.
It is called this for a few reasons, one of which that it is believed to be an aphrodisiac and is commonly served to the groom on his wedding night.
Let’s look further into this exotic cuisine.
What is mannish water?
Mannish water is a soup in Jamaican cuisine.
As I said, it is made from a medley of vegetables as well as a few specific parts of the goat—the testicles, intestines, feet and head.
It is commonly served throughout Jamaica and is a favorite of bridegrooms on their wedding nights.
Mannish water is widely considered to be an effective aphrodisiac.
This means it helps stimulate sexual desire.
The association is mainly with men, though—this is where it gets its name.
There are many other ingredients in the soup, though, and it is not only eaten in a wedding context.
You can often mix and match the vegetables that you use, but the most common are yam, coco, peppers and carrots.
The soup is very often associated with Maroon cultures—that is, descendants of Africans living in the Americas who settled away from the threat of slavery, mixing with indigenous cultures.
For around 300 years, mannish soup has been used as a festival and party soup.
Today, it is used a wide range of contexts, so let’s look at what mannish soup is good for.
What is mannish water good for?
As I said, the main use of mannish water is as an aphrodisiac at weddings.
It is used to stimulate the groom’s libido.
But it is not only the groom that shares in it—any guest can!
It is also commonly served in a wide variety of festivals and parties.
Celebrations like religious holidays and secular festivals are very common places to serve mannish soup.
It is also often served at stage shows, as it is quite easy to produce in large quantities.
Soup is always good for this reason.
One of the other common concerns about any Jamaican food—how spicy is it?
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Is mannish water spicy?
It obviously depends on who is making it.
Some will use more spices than others.
Most of the time, though, the recipe does call for at least one Habanero pepper.
This is obviously quite spicy.
When made in the traditional way, then, like a lot of Jamaican cuisine, mannish water certainly is quite spicy.
The soup is usually given a lot of time to stew, and the spiciness really comes through in this case.
But you could, of course, put your own spin on it if you wanted it less spicy.
How to make mannish water
So, let’s look at a recipe.
Firstly, you’ll need to gather your ingredients.
You’ll need a goat’s head around 4 pounds, cut into small pieces.
You can also use goat intestines, two testicles, and one or two feet.
You’ll need 4 gallons of water and three tablespoons of salt.
You then have your choice of vegetables, but these are the most commonly used:
- 12 green bananas
- 1 pound of coco
- 1 pound of yam
- 1 pound of carrots
- 1 pound cho cho
- 1 pound potatoes
- 1 medium habanero pepper
- About 6 scallion stalks
Then you’ll need:
- 1 pound of flour
- a few measures of white rum
- 4 sprigs thyme
Bring the salted water to the boil in a large pan, add the meat.
Let it boil for ten minutes then discard the water.
Add 2 fresh gallons, and another tablespoon of salt.
Now let the meat simmer on low heat for around an hour.
Peel and cut all of the vegetables into bitesize chunks.
Be sure to leave the skin on the bananas but remove the tips.
After the meat has simmered for an hour, add the vegetables and the other ingredients.
Add another two or so gallons of water, then cook for another twenty minutes.
Add the dumplings, stir well and bring it all to the boil.
Simmer for twenty more minutes, and taste—add more salt and pepper here if needed.
Enjoy!
If you’re up for a something a bit exotic and unusual, then, mannish water may be the choice for you.
It’s packed with lots of healthy ingredients and is renowned for its variety of effects.
It’s a simple thing to make once you get the hang of it, and if you make it well it can be really tasty.
Whether you’re looking for a new and exciting dish to serve at a dinner party or just something to spice up your meals in the week, mannish water could be a great choice for you.