Today I made Jamaica's #1 dish with the national fruit of Jamaica, the Ackee. This is my all-time favorite food to eat. It reminds me of the beautiful island culture and it tastes amazing!
Every now and again, treat yourself to something delicious.
Jamaican Ackee & Saltfish Recipe
Ingredients
2 Cups of Ackee (pre-cleaned)
6 Cups Water (or as you prefer)
1/2 Tsp. Salt
3 Tbsp. Cup Coconut oil
1 Tbsp. Avocado Oil
Spring Onion
1 Small Sweet (Bell) Pepper
Scotch Bonnet Pepper
1 Plummy Tomato
1 Onion
1 Piece of Saltfish
1 Tbsp. Garlic (crushed)
Directions
Assuming you have cleaned the ackee and removed the inedible parts, wash the ackee (the yellow fleshy part). Bring water to a boil in a saucepan, and add the salt. Add the ackee to boiling water, then let it cook for about 15-25 minutes (or until cooked to your preference).
Boil about three cups of water in a kettle. While that is set to boil, wash the saltfish and remove all scales and bones. Shred the flesh of the fish and place that on a separate plate (I use a round plate that I can put my strainer into). Put the flakes in the strainer and the strainer into the bowl then add the boiled water, a cup at a time. Make sure the water covers the fish. Pour the first cup of boiled water on the fish and let it sit for about a minute. Lift the strainer and pour out the water left in the bowl. Pour on the second cup of water, let it sit for about one minute then pour out the water and repeat this again or until the salt in the fish is reduced to your liking.
In a saucepan (in my case, I used what we call a dutchie or dutch pot (in the photo below), add the coconut oil. When the oil is hot add the garlic and let it fry for a few minutes then add the onion and tomato slices. Next, you will add your saltfish flakes and let them fry for a few minutes (or until your liking). Add the avocado oil, spring onion, and sweet pepper and let that fry for about a minute or two, then add the ackee.
Combine the ackee with the sauteed vegetables and fish by folding in the ackee, you don't want to crush the ackee so be gentle. Fold/stir in for about 3 minutes and your ackee and saltfish is ready to be served.
See how I enjoyed this Jamaican Ackee & Saltfish dish with steamed Thai rice and avocado in the video below 👇🏽