In brief
- Flying fish and cou-cou combines fish simmered in a sauce with a firm cornmeal and okra mash
- Origin: Barbados, where it is the official national dish
- Key ingredients: cornmeal, okra, white fish, onion, garlic, thyme, curry
- Traditionally served on Fridays, in homes as well as restaurants
Origins and cultural history of flying fish and cou-cou
Cou-cou, a preparation of cornmeal and okra cooked until it reaches a firm texture, goes back to the African settlers who arrived in Barbados in the seventeenth century: its cooking technique recalls that of West African fufu, and the dish became established because maize and okra were cheap ingredients during the colonial period. The same preparation exists elsewhere in the Caribbean under other names: coo-coo in the Windward Islands, fungee in Dominica and the Leeward Islands, where it is also considered a national dish.
Paired with flying fish, caught in abundance in Barbadian waters to the point of giving the island the nickname “land of the flying fish”, cou-cou was recognised as the national dish of Barbados in the mid-twentieth century. Tradition has it served on Fridays, in homes as well as in restaurants across the island.
What are the essential ingredients of flying fish and cou-cou
Cou-cou is built on cornmeal and okra, cooked together until they form a firm paste worked with a whisk or a cou-cou stick. Flying fish, hard to find fresh outside the Caribbean, is traditionally paired with it in a sauce.
- cornmeal
- okra
- firm white fish, if flying fish is unavailable
- onion and garlic
- thyme and bay leaf
- curry powder
What to know about flying fish and cou-cou
Flying fish and cou-cou is the national dish of Barbados, pairing a fish simmered in sauce with a firm purée of cornmeal and okra. The cou-cou is worked with a whisk or a cou-cou stick until it forms a firm paste, while the fish simmers in a sauce with onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and curry powder. If flying fish is not available, a firm white fish is used instead. It is traditionally served on Fridays.
Frequently asked questions about flying fish and cou-cou
Why is flying fish hard to find in France?
Flying fish is caught in the warm waters of the Caribbean and does not travel well fresh outside the region: recipes intended for an audience outside the Caribbean commonly replace it with a firm white fish such as cod, tilapia or sea bream, without changing the preparation technique.
How do you get a firm, lump-free cou-cou?
The cornmeal is gradually stirred into the boiling water with the okra, whisking without stopping; Barbadians traditionally use a cou-cou stick, a flat wooden paddle, to beat the mixture until it comes away from the sides of the pan.
Where can the ingredients for flying fish and cou-cou be found in France?
NKOSI sells the curry, thyme, bay leaf and chilli for this recipe on nkosiagro.com and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
