Recipe
🍽️ DINNER
Cou-Cou & Flying Fish
Silky okra-studded cornmeal cou-cou beside flying fish steamed in a spicy Bajan tomato gravy, the national dish.
Barbadian · medium · serves 4
prep 25 min · cook 30 min
~610 cal · 38g protein · 56g carbs · 27g fat · 6g fiber · 5g sugars · 7g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
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Cou-cou and flying fish is the national dish of Barbados, a pairing so iconic that the flying fish itself is a national symbol.
Cou-cou is a smooth, -like cornmeal dish cooked with , stirred hard with a special cou-cou stick until thick and silky, a technique brought from West Africa. Alongside it, flying fish is steamed or stewed in a spicy Bajan tomato gravy seasoned with the island's herb blend.
Turned out in a golden mound with the fish and its gravy, it is comforting, savoury, and proudly local. Cou-cou and flying fish is Barbados on a plate, the taste of the reef and of a cooking tradition carried across the Atlantic.
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Make it yours
✓ Naturally gluten-, nut-, egg- and pork-free. No swaps needed.
Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
🐖 Pork-Free
Dietary labels are a cooking guide, not allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish; we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, read the label on every product you use, and note that a kitchen can cross-contaminate in ways a recipe cannot control.
Ingredients
US
Metric
Serves 4
1.25 lbs flying fish fillets (or any firm white fish)
1.5 cups fine cornmeal
2 tbsp butter (for the cou-cou)
10 pods , sliced
3 tbsp Bajan seasoning (blended thyme, marjoram, scallion, garlic, )
3 tomatoes
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 lime
1
3 tbsp
Instructions
1
Marinate the fish (or tofu and palm hearts) in lime and half the Bajan seasoning.
2
Start the cou-cou: simmer the okra in 4 cups salted water for 5 minutes.
3
Whisk the cornmeal into the okra water, then stir hard over low heat for 15 minutes until thick and smooth; beat in the butter at the end for a glossy finish.
✎ Chef’s note
Cou-cou needs constant, vigorous stirring with a wooden spoon (a cou-cou stick, traditionally) to stay smooth. Stop stirring and it turns lumpy.
4
Turn the cou-cou out into a bowl to set into a mound.
5
Fry the onion and garlic, then add the tomatoes, the rest of the Bajan seasoning, and a whole Scotch bonnet to make a gravy.
6
Lay the fish in the gravy, cover, and steam 8 minutes, until just cooked (lift out the pepper before it bursts).
7
Turn the cou-cou onto plates and serve the fish and gravy alongside.
Barbados national tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers, know your destination
📍
Bridgetown. Flying fish and cou-cou is traditionally a Friday dish, and the fish is boned, rolled and steamed in a tomato and herb gravy rather than deep fried. Cou-cou is cornmeal cooked down with finely sliced okra until stiff enough to shape, and it can equally be made from breadfruit or green banana.
🗺️
Barbados. Cou-cou is cornmeal cooked with finely sliced okra until it is smooth and glossy, and it can be made from breadfruit or green banana instead. The flying fish beside it is more often boned, rolled and steamed in a herb-and-tomato gravy than fried, and the pairing is traditionally Friday food rather than an everyday plate.
🌍
North America. North America's table began with Indigenous foodways, the "three sisters" of corn, beans, and squash, plus chiles, tomatoes, and cacao, then layered on colonial, African, and immigrant influences. From Mexico's UNESCO-recognized cuisine to the Cajun and Creole pots of Louisiana and the fiery jerk of the Caribbean, the region turns ancient staples into something new. Barbecue, tacos, gumbo, and mole all carry stories of migration and adaptation.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.
More from Barbados
Bajan Saltfish CakesCrisp, fluffy fritters of salt cod, flour, and herbs fried golden and eaten hot with pepper sauce, a Bajan breakfast and street favorite.
Macaroni PieBaked macaroni bound in a sharp, mustardy cheese custard and cut into firm squares, the Bajan Sunday-lunch staple.
ConkiesSpiced cornmeal, coconut, and pumpkin steamed in banana leaves, a Barbadian treat tied to Independence season.
Browse all Barbados recipes →
Good to know
You’ll need: Steamer, Whisk.
Storing it: Keeps 2 to 3 days refrigerated. Resteam or warm through gently to serve.
Make it a Barbados meal
Bajan Rum PunchDrink
ConkiesDessert
Macaroni PieLunch
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Cuisine
Diet
Frequently asked questions
What is Cou-Cou & Flying Fish?
Silky okra-studded cornmeal cou-cou beside flying fish steamed in a spicy Bajan tomato gravy, the national dish.
Where does Cou-Cou & Flying Fish come from?
Cou-Cou & Flying Fish is a Barbadian dish from Bridgetown, Barbados.
Can Cou-Cou & Flying Fish be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?
This Cou-Cou & Flying Fish recipe includes substitution suggestions for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and pork-free versions, including several at once such as gluten-free and dairy-free together. Treat them as a starting guide rather than a guarantee, and see the allergen note below.
Is Cou-Cou & Flying Fish safe for people with food allergies?
Our dietary labels and substitutions are a cooking guide, not medical or allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish, but we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, always read the label on every product you use, and remember a home or commercial kitchen can cross-contaminate ingredients in ways a recipe cannot control.
How long does Cou-Cou & Flying Fish take to make?
About 55 minutes total (25 minutes prep, 30 minutes cooking), serving 4.
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