Sunday, August 11, 2019

Vegan Mofo 2019 Day #8: Cou-Cou With Lime “Fish”


Missed a few days, but back to Vegan Mofo-ing! I plan to make desserts soon. Just gotta find the right sweets that also match with what’s on hand— something that needs raisins and chocolate for example.
Right now, savory Caribbean Cuisine continues with cou-cou, a specialty dish in Barbados much like ugali and fufu. The main difference is that cou-cou means cornmeal prepared with okra and spices. The okra is cut up into tiny bits, boiled, and the okra water is used to flavor the cornmeal before the okra pieces are added back in. My recipe is inspired by veganizing both CaribCuisine and The Spruce  Eats, throwing in lime gardein fishless filets as the perfect meaty component that celebrates Barbadians love for combining simple ingredients together.  Cou-cou is usually prepared with a cou stick, but a wooden spoon works just fine.


Cou-Cou With Lime Fish Ingredients and Preparation

2 1/2 cup water
8 okra, sliced
1/4 cup spiced onion
1 1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoon coconut or olive oil or vegan butter

2 tablespoon coconut oil
2 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon garlic
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 gardein fishless filets

Soak cornmeal in cold water.
Bring okra, onion, thyme, marjoram, garlic, and salt to a boil, cooking for about ten minutes.
Take out okra and reserve some of the seasoned okra water. Pour the cornmeal into the remaining water. Bring to a simmer, stirring every fifteen minutes to prevent sticking. Add the extra okra water.
Once the cou-cou is finished (sides should be easy to scoop out), place into a “buttered” bowl to mold.
In a skillet, heat coconut oil. Whisk together lime juice, garlic, paprika, and thyme. Coat thawed fishless filets with the simple marinade and toss them into waiting skillet. Sear both sides for about 4-5 minutes each.
Serve fishless filets with cou-cou.






8 comments:

  1. Oooh that sounds amazing! I've never had okra before but I've been wanting to try it (thanks to a bunch of MoFo posts!) and this sounds like a really great preparation! Thanks for sharing <3

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    1. Hi Sarah! Thank you! Okra can be an acquired taste for some, especially the slimy texture (no problem in this recipe). I hope you give it a try!

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  2. This sounds so delicious! Initially I misread it as couscous, but your version is definitely better!

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    1. Thank you so much! Autocorrect tried to change cou cou to couscous several times lol. So I completely understand. :D

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  3. that sounds like a lot of work, but really interesting

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    1. Yes, it is a lot. I had to have snacks prior to cooking. Must have the strength necessary to stir for over an hour.

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  4. I love okra and I love anything with cornmeal in it so it sounds delicious!

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