Green Fig and Saltfish (Saint Lucian National Dish)
Local name: Green fig and saltfish
In short: Saint Lucia's national dish: boiled green bananas served with salt cod sautéed with onion, peppers, tomato and thyme. A sweet and salty breakfast plate. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Resting
- 12 h
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Green fig and saltfish is the national dish of Saint Lucia, and the plate many people mean when they say a proper island breakfast. Unripe bananas, called green figs, are boiled until tender, then served with salted cod sautéed with onion, peppers, tomato and thyme. The mild sweetness of the banana balances the salty fish. It is eaten for breakfast, lunch and on holidays, often with slices of avocado.
Instructions
- Cover the salt cod with cold water and soak for 12 to 24 hours in the fridge, changing the water 3 times. Drain, simmer in fresh water for 10 minutes, then drain and flake, removing any skin and bones.
- Cut the tips off the bananas and slit the skin lengthwise along one ridge, without cutting into the flesh.
- Put the bananas in a large pot of boiling water with the salt. Boil for 20 to 25 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Drain and peel while still warm.
- Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and bell peppers for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, scallions, thyme and hot pepper and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 4 minutes until they soften. Add the flaked saltfish and black pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring now and then.
- Taste before adding any salt, since the fish keeps some. Serve the warm green figs with the saltfish on top, and avocado on the side.
Tips
- Choose bananas that are fully green and firm with no yellow patches. Yellow bananas turn sweet and mushy when boiled.
- Slitting the peel before boiling lets the banana cook evenly and makes peeling easy. Peel them while still warm, since the skin sticks as they cool.
Questions and answers
What are green figs?
In Saint Lucia and other Eastern Caribbean islands, green figs are unripe bananas. They are boiled and eaten as a starchy side, with a texture like firm potato.
How do I desalt saltfish?
Soak boneless salt cod in cold water in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours, changing the water 3 times, then simmer it for 10 minutes. Taste a flake to be sure it is not too salty.
Can I use plantains or yams instead of bananas?
Yes. Green plantains, yams, dasheen and breadfruit are all eaten the same way. Boil them until fork-tender and serve with the saltfish.
How long does it take to make Green Fig and Saltfish (Saint Lucian National Dish)?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Green Fig and Saltfish (Saint Lucian National Dish)?
About 520 kcal per serving, with 48 g of protein, 54 g of carbohydrates and 12 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 520 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 48 g |
| Carbohydrates | 54 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 1000 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
