Antillean accras de morue: the traditional recipe

Name: Antillean accras de morue: the traditional recipe
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: Martinique and Guadeloupe, French Caribbean
Ingredients: 400 g dried salted cod; Or: 1 packet of ready-to-use accras de morue mix (cod already included), to dilute according to the pack instructions; 300 g wheat flour; 250 ml water; 1 onion, chopped (or 1 teaspoon of onion powder); 2 garlic cloves, chopped (or 1 teaspoon of ready-to-use garlic paste); A bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 4 stalks of scallions, chopped; 1 Caribbean chilli, seeded and chopped (or a pinch of ground hot chilli); The juice of half a lime; 1 sachet of baking powder (11 g); Salt and pepper; Frying oil

The real recipe for Antillean accras de morue: desalted cod, light batter, crispy frying. A traditional appetiser from Martinique and Guadeloupe.

Prep.

40 min

Cuisson

20 min

Total

60 min

Servings

4 people

Niveau

Easy

Cuisine

Martinique and Guadeloupe, French Caribbean

Ingrédients

Ingredients

400 g dried salted cod
Or: 1 packet of ready-to-use accras de morue mix (cod already included), to dilute according to the pack instructions
300 g wheat flour
250 ml water
1 onion, chopped (or 1 teaspoon of onion powder)
2 garlic cloves, chopped (or 1 teaspoon of ready-to-use garlic paste)
A bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
4 stalks of scallions, chopped
1 Caribbean chilli, seeded and chopped (or a pinch of ground hot chilli)
The juice of half a lime
1 sachet of baking powder (11 g)
Salt and pepper
Frying oil

Préparation

Preparation

1

The day before, desalt the cod in cold water in the fridge for 24 hours, changing the water three or four times.
2

Drain the cod and poach it in simmering water with a clove of garlic for 15 minutes, until the first bubbles appear.
3

Drain, let cool slightly, then finely flake the flesh, removing skin and bones.
4

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and water until you get a smooth, slightly thick batter.
5

Stir in the flaked cod, chopped onion, garlic, parsley, scallions and chilli.
6

Add the baking powder (or the bicarbonate of soda mixed with lime juice), salt and pepper. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the fridge.
7

Heat the frying oil to 180 degrees.
8

Shape small balls of batter with a spoon and drop them into the hot oil.
9

Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, turning them, until golden brown.
10

Drain on paper towel and serve hot.

Astuces et conseils

Bicarbonate of soda combined with lime juice creates a reaction that lightens the batter: add it just before frying, without over-working the batter afterwards.

Pour aller plus loin : histoire, variantes, accompagnements et conseils

In brief

Accras de morue: fritters made from desalted salted cod, deep-fried and served hot as an appetiser
Origin: Martinique and Guadeloupe, from a fritter of West African origin paired with the salted cod that arrived with the colonists
Essential ingredients: salted cod, wheat flour, onion, garlic, parsley, chilli
Enjoyed hot, as an appetiser or a starter, on the street as much as at home

Origins and cultural history of accras de morue

The word “accra” (or “acra”) comes from West Africa: in the Ewe language, it means a vegetable fritter, and in Yoruba, “àkàrà” translates as “ball of fire”. The deep-fried fritter crossed the Atlantic with the deportation of African populations to the Caribbean, where it took the name accras. The version made with cod once bore, in Martinique, the name “lozi”.

Salted cod, for its part, arrived later: from 1635, Norman and Breton ships brought this dried and salted fish to the Caribbean, easy to keep during long crossings. Local cooks paired it with the herbs and chillies of the Creole garden to create accras de morue, an emblematic dish of Martinique and Guadeloupe, where they are also called “marinades”. They are enjoyed as an appetiser, a starter or a street snack, at any time of day.

What are the essential ingredients of accras de morue

Making accras de morue relies on a small number of ingredients, pairing salted fish with a fritter batter seasoned with herbs and chilli.

Dried salted cod, desalted then poached
Wheat flour
Onion and garlic
Flat-leaf parsley and scallions (small local spring onions)
Caribbean chilli
Baking powder or bicarbonate of soda, for a light batter
Lime

Nutritional benefits of accras de morue

Dried salted cod is one of the most protein-concentrated fish: around 47.6 g per 100 g, for 205 kcal, according to the Ciqual table from Anses. This same salting gives it a very high salt content, around 12 g of sodium chloride per 100 g before desalting, which explains the long soak in cold water before cooking it. Wheat flour provides most of the fritter’s carbohydrates, and the frying its fat content.

Frequently asked questions about accras de morue

How long do accras de morue keep?

Like any fried food, accras de morue are best enjoyed the same day, hot. Kept in an airtight container in the fridge, they keep for 24 to 48 hours and can be reheated for a few minutes in the oven to regain their crispness.

Can the accras batter be prepared in advance?

Yes: the desalted, poached and flaked cod can be prepared the day before and kept in the fridge. It is best to add the baking powder or bicarbonate of soda only just before frying, so the accras stay well puffed up.

Where to find the ingredients for accras de morue in France?

NKOSI sells the accras de morue mix, the ground chilli pepper and the lime juice needed for this recipe, 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 59 €.

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