The National dish of Barbados is Cuckoo and Flying Fish. The cuckoo is made from ground corn while the flying fish is a local delicacy. These fish actually glide through the air for long distances and many visitors actually believe  that the fish are caught with a butterfly net. You can click here to learn how to prepare this all time favourite of the Islands.
 

Coo Coo and Flying Fish

Description Coo-Coo and Flying Fish is the national dish of Barbados. In Dominica, Antigua and the Virgin Islands it is know as 'Fungi'. The Italians make a similar dish called 'Polenta'. Plain Fungi is made by omitting the okras. (Shown with flying fish)Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
15 okras soaked in 4 cups water
1 lb cornmeal
6 cups water
1 tsp salt or to taste
3 Tbs margarine
1 onion chopped
5 cloves garlic minced  

Method
Wash the okras and cut off the heads and tails. Cut into cartwheels and place in a pot with 2 cups water and all the other ingredients except the cornmeal. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, place the cornmeal in a bowl and pour over 4 cups water to saturate the meal. Stir to make sure it is wet throughout. After the 15 minutes pour out about three quarters of the okras and the cooking liquid and set aside. Return the pot to a very low heat and pour in the wet cornmeal. Stir constantly to break up any lumps. Add the reserved okras and liquid a little at a time ... stirring to make sure the mixture is smooth. A coo-coo stick is normally used for this purpose - it resembles a small cricket bat. However, a wooden spoon also does the job quite well. Continue to stir and cook on very low heat for about 10 minutes. When finished the Coo-Coo should be smooth and stiff. Transfer to a buttered dish. Serve hot with Steamed Flying Fish or your favourite stew... 

                               Anne-Marie goes Fishing
                         

All recipes shown here are taken from the book "Treasures of My Caribbean Kitchen by Anne-Marie Whittaker. All information is copywrited and may not be used for other than personal use, without permission.
                       Contact: annemarie@native-treasures.com