Go Back
Authentic cou-cou with tuna gravy
thefoodmashup

Cou-Cou with Tuna Gravy

An authentic and traditional Bajan dish, with my twist.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cuisine: Bajan, Caribbean
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cornmeal Cou-Cou
  • 8 oz Fine Cornmeal
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 cup Chopped okras
  • 1 tsp salt
Sweet Potato
  • 1 Sweet Potato white/yellow
Gravy
  • 1 can thai chilli tuna
  • 1/2 onion sliced
  • 1/2 sweet pepper sliced
  • 1 tomato
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper optional
  • 1/2 tbsp bajan seasoning optional
  • fresh herbs: thyme, parsley, spring onions
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • Boiled water
Spices (1/2 tsp of all or to your taste)
  • all purpose seasoning/stock cube
  • garlic powder
  • onion powder
  • paprika
  • curry powder
  • mixed herbs

Equipment

  • Cou-cou stick
  • Sieve
  • Large Bowl

Method
 

  1. Boil sweet potato in salted water until cooked, set aside
Gravy
  1. In pan, sauté onions, peppers, tomatoes, scotch bonnet and herbs on medium heat until softened
  2. Add bajan seasoning (if using) and mix well
  3. Add can of tuna (or whatever meat you're using), season with spices and mix until well incorporated. Add ketchup and stir
  4. Using boiled water (or reserved water from cooking sweet potato) top up pan and bring to boil on high heat.
  5. Place gravy to the back of the stove, on a medium high heat, to let simmer and reduce down
Cou-Cou
  1. Add okras, salt and water to pot and bring to boil
  2. When okras boil, turn down heat to insure water doesn't boil over, and let simmer for 5 minutes
  3. Strain okras into bowl, reserving all water
  4. Set pot off stove and add half the water from okras back to pot, mixi in cornmeal with cou-cou stick and pressing to the side of pot until ball forms. Add more water if needed for ball to form.
  5. Return pot onto stove on a low heat, pouring a small amount of the liquid to stop from burning
  6. When bubbles form in pot, incorporate liquid into the ball of cornmeal, making sure to form back into ball
  7. Add half the okras and incorporate
  8. Pour water onto ball and leave until more bubbles form on the bottom
  9. Repeat steps until all the okras are incorporated and cou-cou is cooked
  10. If okra water remains in bowl, transfer to other jug but do not throw away
  11. Scoop out amount of cou-cou you want into bowl and shake, making sure it hits side of bowl. Flip to get a more perfect round shape
  12. Serve by making a small indent into the top of your cou-cou ball, and add your sweet potato and gravy
  13. Enjoy!

Notes

Tips:
Use left over okra water to lubricate bowl to flip. If no water left, butter can be used
Keep boiled water to the side to top up gravy and cou-cou if needed.