National Dish Jamaica: Ackee and Saltfish (Recipe)
In this article
Ackee and Saltfish looks like scrambled egg and is not. Ackee is a fruit that, when ripe, has a soft yellow flesh with the texture of curd. Unripe, it contains hypoglycin and is genuinely poisonous, which is why tinned ackee is the sensible route.
About Ackee and Saltfish
Ackee and saltfish is Jamaica’s national dish and a good illustration of its history: ackee came from West Africa, salt cod came from the North Atlantic through the colonial provisioning trade, and the seasoning is Caribbean.
The fruit only opens naturally when ripe, and that opening is the signal it is safe. Tinned ackee has been processed at the right stage.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 1 tin of ackee (about 540 g), drained
- 250 g salted cod (saltfish)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, cut into strips
- 1 green pepper, cut into strips
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)
- Fresh thyme leaves, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Shopping for the ingredients
Tinned ackee from a Caribbean grocer is the only version to use unless you are somewhere it grows. Salt cod needs soaking overnight with two or three changes of water, then boiling. Scotch bonnet is the correct chilli and its fruitiness matters as much as its heat.
Preparing the dish
Soak the saltfish overnight, then boil it and taste a flake: it should be pleasantly salty, not overwhelming. If it is still too salty, boil it again in fresh water. Flake it and pick out any bones. Drain the ackee gently and do not rinse it.
Step-by-step instructions
- Boil the soaked saltfish in fresh water for about 20 minutes until tender, then drain and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat.
- Add the onion, garlic and peppers and sweat for a few minutes until softened.
- Stir in the tomatoes, Scotch bonnet and thyme and continue to cook until the tomatoes soften.
- Gently fold through the cooked saltfish and drained ackee, season with black pepper and warm everything through without breaking up the ackee.
- Let the dish simmer for a few minutes, then serve.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
Ackee and saltfish contains no gluten and no dairy. The fried dumplings usually served alongside are wheat; boiled green banana or breadfruit are the gluten-free accompaniments and both are traditional.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
Ackee on its own, without the saltfish, is a real Jamaican dish and is eaten during Rastafarian ital fasting. Season it well with thyme, scotch bonnet and plenty of black pepper. Ital stew is the other established plant-based option.
More tips and tricks
Fold the ackee in at the very end and stir as little as possible. It breaks apart easily and overworked ackee turns to mush. Taste the fish before salting anything; the dish usually needs no added salt at all. And use the whole scotch bonnet whole if you want aroma without heat.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Some cooks add a little curry powder or pimento. Callaloo makes the related dish. Fried plantain on the side is standard at breakfast.
Ingredient substitutions
Salted pollock or haddock replace cod. Fresh ackee is only for those with access and knowledge. Bell peppers can substitute for scotch bonnet if you want none of the heat.
Drink pairing ideas
Blue Mountain coffee, since this is a breakfast dish. Fresh sorrel or ginger beer. Red Stripe lager if it is later.
Serving and presentation ideas
Serve it with fried dumplings, boiled green banana, bammy or fried plantain. It is a breakfast dish above all, eaten on Sunday mornings, and it comes to the table in one pan.
A bit of history
Ackee was brought from West Africa on slave ships in the eighteenth century, and its botanical name, Blighia sapida, records Captain Bligh, who carried it to Kew. Salt cod arrived through the triangular trade as cheap protein for plantations. The dish is the two histories on one plate, and it defines Jamaican cuisine.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Ackee and Saltfish
Ackee and saltfish is soaked salt cod cooked with peppers, tomato and thyme, with tinned ackee folded in at the end. Soak the fish properly, fold the ackee gently, and add no salt.
