Cou-Cou, Barbadian Cornmeal and Okra
Cou-cou is the national dish of Barbados, usually paired with flying fish, and a close relative of the fungi of the wider eastern Caribbean and the polenta of Italy. It is nothing more than coarse cornmeal cooked with okra, but the okra is the secret: its slippery pectin binds the meal into something tender and glossy that plain cornmeal mush never achieves. The work is in the arm, not the ingredients, since cou-cou has to be stirred and turned hard as it cooks or it goes lumpy. Most Caribbean starches lean on coconut milk somewhere, and this one is naturally free of it, seasoned instead with thyme, onion, and a lot of black pepper. Turn it out into a smooth mound while it is hot, because it sets firm as it cools and is meant to be eaten soft, with plenty of sauce from whatever it sits beside.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Polenta / coarse cornmeal
- 8 pods Okra, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup Yellow onions, finely diced
- 2 sprigs Thyme
- 2 Scallions, sliced
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns, ground
Method
- Simmer the sliced okra, onion, and thyme in 3.5 cups (830 ml) water for 8 to 10 minutes, until the okra is soft and the water has turned slightly thick and slippery. That slip, the same okra quality that people fight in a gumbo, is exactly what you want here: it is the natural binder that makes cou-cou smooth instead of gritty.
- Fish out the thyme stems. Lift out the okra with a slotted spoon and set it aside, keeping all the cooking water in the pot.
- In a bowl, stir the cornmeal into 1 cup (240 ml) cool water to make a loose slurry. Wetting the cornmeal first is the insurance against lumps, since dry cornmeal hitting hot water seizes instantly.
- Bring the okra water back to a simmer and pour in the cornmeal slurry in a steady stream, stirring hard the whole time with a sturdy spoon. Barbadians use a smooth wooden cou-cou stick for this.
- Fold the okra back in and keep stirring and turning the mixture over medium-low heat until it pulls cleanly away from the sides of the pot and stands up thick, 8 to 10 minutes. This vigorous stirring is the whole craft of cou-cou, working out the lumps and cooking the raw taste from the meal.
- Stir in the ground pepper and scallions, then pack the cou-cou into a wet bowl, swirl it to a smooth dome, and turn it out onto a plate. Serve hot, before it firms up, alongside stewed beans or greens.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 180 calories, 4 g protein, 5 g fiber, 20 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
