← Nouns Cooking · Caribbean

Ingredients

• 800 g small whole red snapper (2–4 fish), scaled and gutted, or thick fillets
• 1 Lime, halved
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 20 g Butter (optional)
• 1 Onion, sliced
• 3 cloves Garlic, sliced
• 2 Spring onion, chopped
• 4 sprigs Thyme
• 6 whole allspice (pimento) berries
• 1 Carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 8 Okra, trimmed
• 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, left whole
• 300 ml hot water or fish stock
• 6 water crackers (optional)

Method

1. Rub the fish inside and out with the cut lime, rinse and pat dry. Cut 2–3 slashes on each side and season with salt and pepper, pushing some into the cuts.
2. Heat the oil (and butter, if using) in a wide pan with a lid over medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic, spring onion, thyme and allspice for 3 min.
3. Add the carrots and okra, stir for 2 min, then pour in the hot water and drop in the whole scotch bonnet. Bring to a simmer.
4. Lay the fish in the pan, spoon the broth over, cover and steam on low for 10–12 min, until the flesh is opaque and flakes at the thickest part.
5. If using crackers, tuck them into the broth for the last 2 min so they soften. Serve the fish with the vegetables and plenty of broth.

Tips

• Water crackers contain wheat and the butter adds dairy; leave them out to keep it gluten- and dairy-free.
• Keep the scotch bonnet whole and unbroken for flavour without fierce heat.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Jamaicans.com Taste the Islands That Girl Cooks Healthy