Learn how to make some fish tea, this is a light broth using red snapper with some light vegetables, herbs, spices and my homemade fish tea soup mix making it suitable for those who are gluten free.

I love seafood and I always look forward to making some fish tea because although to some it might look very complex it really isn't.
Granted it does have quite a few ingredients, however it does come together relatively easy.
For the most part it's a recipe that you litterally put everything into the pot, in 2 parts and let it simmer down.
It is one of the easier Caribbean soup dishes to make and a great entry level recipe for anyone who loves seafood and Jamaican food.
What is fish tea?
In short, it is a light broth made from fish, traditionally red snapper or doctor fish is used because both species of fish have a distinct flavour and are ideal for flavouring the broth.
Although you can use any type of fish, the fish is first boiled in water and then removed and de-boned.
Once de-boned the fish is transferred back into the pot along with a few chosen vegetables such as carrots, okra, cho cho, green banana along with some herbs (thyme) and spices (pimento, salt (I use pink salt), black pepper) and fish soup mix to enhance the taste.
Then the broth is simmered down for a short period of time, until the vegetables have softened before it is served.
Is fish tea the same as fish soup?
No, it's not. "tea" is a light broth or a flavoured liquid that is made by simmering the fish and then de-boning it.
Also, as it is a light hearted broth, it typically doesn't contain heavy vegetables such as cocoyam, potatoes, pumpkin, cassava, yam, dasheen and dumpling or spinners.
On the other hand, fish soup isn't light it's more on the dense side because it contains a lot of the heavier vegetables that I mentioned above.
Some recipes choose to add dumpling/spinners and some of the heavier vegetables however that's not the method of fish tea that I am familar with.
I respect how others make theirs but I prefer to continue in the path that my family taught me and that is what I am sharing with you.

Recipe preparation
There are a few things that I want to point out in this recipe. First of all, I feel red snapper or doctor should be used.
I do understand not everyone can get hold of this type of fish but I will say the results are more magical when the aforementioned is used.
I keep the fish whole during the initial stages because I find it easier to shred and de-bone the fish in its whole state.
However, chop the fish into chunks when you are simmering and then de-bone and shred in chunks instead.
Also, keep the fish on the lighter side in terms of vegetables especially for those who want to loose weight or keep on the right side of calorie intake.
The heaviest vegetable that I include is green banana, anything more than that will make the broth, key word here is broth meaning light, will make it too heavy.
I suggest following the exact or similar format as me, adjust a few ingredients i.e some people don't care for okra so omit it and so forth.
I don't rely on the storebought soup mix because it contains MSG and isn't gluten free so please use my homemade version, you will only need a few tablespoons to enhance the taste.
As always, I do recommend doing a taste test and adjusting according to your preference.
Ingredients you will need

- Fish - As mentioned any type of fish can be used although red snapper or doctor fish is what is traditionally used.
- Water - A large quantity of water is used and needed to make the broth.
- Onion/scallion/garlic - Those are the base ingredients that you will find in most broth/soup.
- Cho cho/carrots/okra/green banana - These are the selection of vegetables that are more on the lighter side and recommended that you use.
- Thyme - Make sure to use fresh NOT dried thyme.
- Pimento berries - Just a few berries are needed.
- Fish Tea Soup Mix - Refer to my homemade version
- Black pepper and pink salt - To enhance the taste.
The steps

- Place the fish on a chopping board and remove the fins and tail (it's easier to do this with sterlised kitchen scissors) then discard.
- Place the fish in a colander and rub/squeeze the entire fish with the chopped lime. I use salt not vinegar but at this stage you can pour vinegar onto the dish to clean it.
- Thoroughly rinse it off with water.

- Bring 10 cups of water to the boil in a large stock pot.
- Add the red snapper to the pot then reduce to medium, cover the pot in a lid and simmer for 25 minutes.
- During the given time, check the pot incase any foam develops, if it does, skim it off and discard.

- While the fish is cooking, slice and peel the green banana, then put the slices in water with one teaspoon of pink salt to prevent discoloration and set aside.
- Remove the lid, then use a slotted spoon or egg spatula to carefully remove the fish (it might break in half which can happen just work with it). Also check the liquid levels, you want them to be at the same level as when you first started simmering the fish so add more water if needed.

- Use 2 forks to shred and de-bone the fish (discard the bones and scrap off the skin as you work).
- Set the fish aside in a small bowl or on a plate.
- Add theonion, scallion, garlic, cho cho, carrot, okra, green banana (drain and rinse them off first), thyme, pimento berries, fish tea soup mix, black pepper, pink salt and scotch bonnet.

- Bring the pot to a rolling boil then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
- During that time, again check for any foam and skim it off and discard.

- 5-10 minutes before the simmering time has finished, add the flaked fish and keep the lid off this time.
- After the given time, remove the lid and do a taste test, adding any additional black pepper and pink salt if needed.
- Remove the thyme stems and scotch bonnet pepper before serving.
Notes and tips
- Remember to keep the soup on the LIGHTER side, which means using very few ground provisions (vegetable).
- You will want the fish to be quite large/meaty about 2lb is suffice.
- I recommend using the fish soup mix and not rely on fish stock because the results won't be the same and taste very different.
- You will need a large stock pot that holds atleast 4 quarts/3 litres.
- I highly recommend using doctor fish or red snapper for this recipe.
- This is the recipe link that you need for my Homemade Fish Tea Soup Mix.
- Make sure to wash the fish prior to using it, please refer to my Meat Preparation guide on how to do this.
- Any leftovers should be refrigerated and consumed within 2 days.
- Adding the scotch bonnet whole will mean that the broth won't be spicy however, you can prick it if you want to release some of the heat to make it extra spicy.
- Remember to do a taste test during the cooking process and adjust with additional seasoning if needed.

Other fish recipes to try
- Coconut Prawn Soup
- How to Make Salt Fish
- Air Fryer Whole Fish
- Caribbean Baked Fish
- Green Fig and Salt Fish
- Caribbean Salt Fish Salad
- Caribbean Stew Fish
- Brown Stew Fish
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Jamaican Fish Tea
Ingredients
- 1-2 red snapper (2lb) de-scaled and gutted
- 10 cups water (2.37 litres)
- ½ onion chopped
- 2 large scallion sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cho cho chopped
- 1 large carrot chopped
- 8 okra chopped
- 3-4 green banana
- 6 sprigs of thyme tied together
- 1 tablespoon pimento berries
- 6 tablespoon fish tea soup mix
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon pink salt
- 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper
- additional black pepper and pink salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the fish on a chopping board and remove the fins and tail (it's easier to do this with sterlised kitchen scissors) then discard.
- Place the fish in a colander and rub/squeeze the entire fish with the chopped lime. I use salt not vinegar but at this stage you can pour vinegar onto the dish to clean it.
- Thoroughly rinse it off with water.
- Bring 10 cups of water to the boil in a large stock pot.
- Add the red snapper to the pot then reduce to medium, cover the pot in a lid and simmer for 25 minutes.
- During the given time, check the pot incase any foam develops, if it does, skim it off and discard.
- While the fish is cooking, slice and peel the green banana, then put the slices in water with one teaspoon of pink salt to prevent discoloration and set aside.
- Remove the lid, then use a slotted spoon or egg spatula to carefully remove the fish (it might break in half which can happen just work with it).
- Also check the liquid levels, you want them to be at the same level as when you first started simmering the fish so add more water if needed.
- Use 2 forks to shred and de-bone the fish (discard the bones and scrap off the skin as you work).
- Set the fish aside in a small bowl or on a plate.Add theonion, scallion, garlic, cho cho, carrot, okra, green banana (drain and rinse them off first), thyme, pimento berries, fish tea soup mix, black pepper, pink salt and scotch bonnet.
- Bring the pot to a rolling boil then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
- During that time, again check for any foam and skim it off and discard.5-10 minutes before the simmering time has finished, add the flaked fish and keep the lid off this time.
- After the given time, remove the lid and do a taste test, adding any additional black pepper and pink salt if needed.
- Remove the thyme stems and scotch bonnet pepper before serving.
Notes
-
- Remember to keep the soup on the LIGHTER side, which means using very few ground provisions (vegetable).
- You will want the fish to be quite large/meaty about 2lb is suffice.
-
-
- You will need a large stock pot that holds atleast 4 quarts/3 litres.
-
- I highly recommend using doctor fish or red snapper for this recipe.
-
- This is the recipe link that you need for my Homemade Fish Tea Soup Mix.
-
- Make sure to wash the fish prior to using it, please refer to my Meat Preparation guide on how to do this.
-
- Any leftovers should be refrigerated and consumed within 2 days.
-
- Adding the scotch bonnet whole will mean that the broth won't be spicy however, you can prick it if you want to release some of the heat to make it extra spicy.
-
- Remember to do a taste test during the cooking process and adjust with additional seasoning if needed.
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