Cou-Cou and Flying Fish

Barbados; the national dish

Cou-cou and flying fish is Barbados' national dish: cou-cou, a smooth cornmeal-and-okra porridge stirred with a stick (the cou-cou stick) until it pulls clean, served with flying fish steamed in a lime-and-pepper sauce. The flying fish is Barbados' symbol: it even flies on the dollar coins.

The technique is West African, the fish is pure Bajan. Friday's Oistins fish fry is the great public version: grilled marlin, fried flying fish, rum punch and dancing.

Key ingredients

Cornmeal and okra, stirred to a smooth porridge
Flying fish steamed with lime, onion, pepper
Bajan seasoning: thyme, marjoram, hot pepper

Where to try it

Oistins Fish Fry on Friday nights.
Rum shops and local restaurants across the island.
Cheapside Market cookshops in Bridgetown.