Traditional Jamaican Recipes - Fried saltfish

Saltfish is a very popular food used in many different traditional dishes in Jamaica. It was introduced during the days of slavery, imported by the slavemasters as a cheap protein food source. Becaus cod was abundant in the west it was cheap, merchants used to salt the cod to preserve it for the long journey to the caribbean from the ports of the UK, Holland, France and Spain.

Other Jamaican saltfish recipes

Callaloo and Saltfish

Ackee and Saltfish

• one 500 gram cutlet of salted cod
• 1 cup of chopped onions
• half cup of freshly chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable or coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon of black pepper

1. Prepare saltfish by boiling off the excessive salt. This can be done once or twice but I recommend atleast 45 minutes of continuous boiling. Strip off the skin and break up fish unto small pieces. 
2. Heat up 2 tablespoons of vegetable or coconut oil in a frying pan. Stir in a cup of diced onions and allow to fry.
3. When onions are slightly cooked, add tomatoes. Leave to fry until oil has a slight red tinge to it. Add saltfish and stir in well. Let it cook for another 5 minutes on a high fire. Serve with hard dough bread, rice or hard food. This recipe will serve four people. Enjoy!