National Dish of Jamaica -Ackee and Saltfish (Codfish)
The tropical island of Jamaica is blessed with a wide variety of fruits. I think I would say mangoes are most common. They are so many types available there. However, depending on the area you’re from, other fruits might be more in abundance.
I could start naming the fruits I’ve been missing since I’ve been away from “home” but that would do more harm than good.
There’s a one of a kind of fruit widely available on the island. It’s called ackee. It is the national fruit of Jamaica and makes up the national dish of Ackee and Salfish. The fruit is unique because it’s mostly cooked to be eaten. If cooked or ingested when it’s not fully ripened, it may be poisonous. It’s flesh is yellow and is prepared mostly with dried, salted codfish, commonly called saltfish by Jamaicans.
Some months ago, I was able to source canned ackees and some saltfish. I boiled the fish for a bit to get rid of the excess salt. I then flaked it and fried it with onions, garlic and cubes of red bell pepper. I gently stirred in the ackee, sprinkled it with black pepper, allowed it to simmer for a bit so the flavors could blend and unite. It was served with boiled dumplings, sweet potatoes, irish potatoes and white yam.
To garnish it, I used curls of carrot. I also made some fried dumplings. The dish is mainly served for breakfast but is also eaten as other meals of the day.
A code dem code di mango 🥭 wow 😳 😂!
Long time me nuh eat a Ackee much less a mango.
😂😂Coded or not, I dealt with it. I miss those little things.
I just googled the fruit, to know what it looks like. I think they also grow here in Suriname, but I've never had it. What does it taste like? Sour, salty, bitter?
Now I know what I should try when in Jamaica 😊
Here’s another pic. You have them in Suriname? Cool!It takes the taste of what you pair it with. By itself, there isn’t really a characteristic taste. You should definitely try it. 😃
I will when I see them again and probably try it out with your recipe 👍
😀
Wow! You found Ackee in Japan?! That's amazing. I only get to eat Ackee when I go back to the UK. I shipped some back to the Philippines, but there's no Saltfish (only dried fish which is completely different), so I cook Ackee with Bacon and I eat it sparingly.😅
I keep telling my mother that when I return to Jamaica, I want to eat Ackee and her Callaloo everyday.
I only found the canned version. I bought it from the owner of a Jamaican restaurant. I was happy to have just a can. Lol! I got saltfish from him as well. I think he actually sourced them from the UK. I've seen saltfish here but it's not as fleshy.
Ackee goes well with bacon. Now you have me thinking about "corn pork". Loved it!
When I visit Jamaica, I literally go with a food list and check as I consume. I send the list to my mother in advance to make sure we’re on the same page. Lol!
Yes, it's only canned Ackee I've been lucky to have for the last 14 years. It is so expensive in the UK. I paid about GBP 6.00 for a small can in Leicester. I bet it would be nice with corn pork too. Philippines has all the fruit and veg like Jamaica and more. I am yet to find June Plum and Guinep, but they have the versions of Rambutan, Lonzones and Longan, so I can't complain. The mangoes here are awesome, but I miss the wide variety I can get in Jamaica.
BTW, I love Japan. Japanese cuisine is my all time favourite. We love Sashimi!
Oh my! I love the Phillipines. Good climate. Yes, you can get many tropical fruits there. If you find June plum and naseberries, please let me know lol!!You have jackfruit there as well? They have some nice beaches there too right? I could live there. I remember getting some lovely patties at the Mall of Asia. I've never had rambutan, lonzones or longan. I love Japanese food but I don't fancy sashimi at all. 😆
Oh no! 🤣😂 You don't like sashimi?! I trade places with you. I could eat that all day long! Philippines is so similar to Jamaica. Climate, layout of land and food type all similar. Just different ways of cooking and preparing food. They don't eat with much spices here. They have naseberries here. I love star apple - my favourite fruit in Jamaica. Now I know mangosteen. expensive but nutritious. I have huge naseberry trees in my backyard in Jamaica. Sometimes they bear till we don't know what to do with them. All my life I've been eating naseberry baby itself, till my husband discovered that it's nice with ice cream :) I have a cousin (Shellian Chambers), who used to teach English in Japan for several years, and then she moved back to Jamaica. We love everything about Japan. Quirkiness in every corner:)
Wow, you have naseberries there! I've never had it with ice cream either. Must be good. Not sure I met Shellian and yes, there's a lot to love about Japan. 😃