Cou-Cou and Flying Fish (Barbados) - Oceanian Recipe

Cou-Cou and Flying Fish (Barbados)

🌍 Oceanian, Barbadian Difficulty: ●●●○○

Flying fish are so central to Barbadian identity that they appear on its coat of arms; cou-cou traces directly to West African fufu and kenkey, adapted by enslaved people using locally abundant okra and imported cornmeal.

Ingredients

• 200 g fine cornmeal (not coarse polenta)
• 8 okra pods, sliced
• 750 ml water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp butter
• 6 whole flying fish (or substitute small mackerel or sardines), cleaned
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Scotch bonnet, seeded
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• 1 tsp paprika
• 400 g canned tomatoes
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Step 1 — Bring water to boil with okra and salt; cook okra until soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Removing — Remove okra with a slotted spoon; reserve okra cooking water.
3. Step 3 — Gradually pour cornmeal into simmering okra water, stirring vigorously and constantly to prevent lumps.
4. Continuing — Continue stirring over low heat for 10–15 minutes until stiff and pulling away from sides.
5. Step 5 — Return okra; stir in butter. Turn out into a dome shape on a plate.
6. Seasoning — Season fish with lime juice, salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme; marinate 30 minutes.
7. Sautéing — Sauté onion and garlic in oil until softened; add tomatoes and Scotch bonnet.
8. Simmering — Simmer sauce 10 minutes; add fish and cook gently 8–10 minutes until cooked through.
9. Serving — Serve sauce poured over cou-cou dome.

Tags: fine cornmeal, okra pods, butter, flying fish, onion · Source: Brittani's Almanac