Bring cooking and culture into the classroom with this healthy and delicious traditional Native American dish. Perfect for celebrating Native American Heritage Month or Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and learning more about Native American food and culture.
Cook a Traditional Wampanoag Recipe
Traditionally, the majority of the Wampanoag Tribe’s diet was mostly made up of farmed foods like corn and beans, with berries and foraged plant-based food, plus protein from eggs, fish, shellfish like clams (both fresh and dried), and meat, making up the rest. Wampanoag recipes may often involve cornmeal, like cornbread, or other farmed foods like butternut squash or beans. Many modern recipes, such as chowders and soups, have roots in traditional Native American cooking.
Nasamp (or Nasaump) is a traditional Wampanoag dish made from corn meal, nuts, berries, and fresh maple syrup, then boiled in water until it thickens, much like oatmeal or porridge. This recipe is ideal for making with students as they can get involved with different stages of the recipe depending on their ages.
- Pre-school - should be able to measure out the ingredients and wash the berries.
- Lower elementary - should be able to do all of the above, plus help to top the bowls of Nasamp (or Nasaump)
- Upper elementary - should be able to do all of the above, plus stir the Nasamp (or Nasaump) as it cooks!
What's Inside:
Printable PDF lesson plan.
Recipe details:
- Ingredients: Ingredients: 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup dried or fresh berries (like blueberries, raspberries, or cranberries), 1/4 cup crushed walnuts, sunflower seeds or nuts (like pecans), 2 cups of water, maple syrup to taste
- Instructions: Combine all ingredients except the maple syrup in a pot and boil for 5 minutes. Turn down to medium heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Spoon into bowls and drizzle maple syrup on top.
