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Labouyi farin
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Labouyi farin

Spiced wheat flour porridge

In Port-au-Prince and in towns across Haiti, a pot of labouyi farin is a cheap, filling breakfast that children grow up on: wheat flour simmered smooth with evaporated milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise and a little lime zest, then sweetened and finished with vanilla. It should be pourable and silky, somewhere between custard and porridge. The common mistake is adding the flour straight to hot liquid, which makes lumps that never cook out; mix it into cold water first. Chef's tip: let it bubble gently for a full 10 minutes after it thickens, stirring, or it keeps a raw floury taste.

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