Learn how to make this delicious low carb version of Jamaican seasoned rice. Ackee and salt fish paired with cauliflower rice and vegetables. This is the perfect tasty weight loss Caribbean style dish.
If you're Jamaican then you will already know that Ackee and Salt fish is the national dish and one that held in high esteem.
There are lots of contemporary recipes that have a modern day spin on ackee and salt fish and you can browse them all over social media.
Jamaican seasoned rice is a household favourite with many homes making this dish in their own unique way.
Typically you will find some ackee, salt fish (none if you are vegan), rice and vegetables such as callaloo, pumpkin, carrots and so fourth.
Some people even add coconut milk to give the rice a rich and creamy texture.
You can add or omit whatever you like but the star of the show is typically the ackee, salt fish and rice.
The preparation
This recipe is fairly straight forward, you will need a medium sized cauliflower (not large) because that's the perfect size for this recipe.
Use a food processor to breakdown the cauliflower down into the finest consistency possible.
Then the "rice" needs to be cooked along with the okra, spinach and seasoning to take the raw/edge off the cauliflower.
Then the ackee and salt fish needs to be cooked, using almost the same method as you would cook the national dish - sauteing the onions first, bell peppers, salt fish seasoning then combining with the cauliflower rice and ackee.
Ingredients you need
- Ackee - Fresh ackee is ALWAYS best, it is more firm with a fresh taste to it. However, canned ackee is a great substitute just make sure to rinse the brine.
- Saltfish - I use my homemade version of salt fish, but if you are using store bought be sure to soak and flake the fish in advance.
- Callaloo (I'm using spinach instead), okra and bell peppers - these vegetables are on the lower carbohydrate spectrum.
- Onion, scallion and garlic - These are the base ingredients.
- Tomato and tomato paste - I like to use both for a hint of colour and flavour.
- Thyme, parsley, paprika, all purpose seasoning, black pepper and pink salt - herbs and spices used for seasoning.
- Scotch bonnet pepper - Gives the dish some heat.
- Cauliflower - A fresh head of cauliflower is needed to make the low carb rice.
- Olive oil - For sauteing.
The steps
- Remove the leaves from the cauliflower (and discard) and then wash and blot dry with kitchen towel.
- Chop the cauliflower into small pieces.
- Add the cauliflower florets to a food processor (you may need to do this in batches) fitted with an S blade.
- Pulse until the cauliflower resembles rice, then remove and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat.
- Saute the okra for a few minutes until it becomes crispy.
- Add the cauliflower and spinach (callaloo, if you are using it) to the frying and cook for several minutes. During the given time season with parsley, all purpose seasoning, garlic granules, onion granules, and pink salt.
- Once cooked remove from the frying pan and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil to a frying pan on medium heat.
- Saute the onion until soft and translucent.
- Add the bell peppers and chopped tomatoes and cook until they are soft, this should take several minutes (you can cover the frying pan with a lid during the given time).
- Add the tomato paste along with the salt fish, thyme, scotch bonnet and paprika.
- Continue to cook for a few minutes.
- Fold in the cauliflower rice followed by the ackee (try not to fold the ackee too much if you want it whole as canned ackee is soft compared to fresh).
- Put the lid on the frying pan and leave to cook through for 5-10 minutes (there should be enough moisture in the pan).
- After the given time, remove the lid and sprinkle in the black pepper and do a taste test and add pink salt if needed.
Notes and tips
- The scotch bonnet gives the rice a slight kick so feel free to omit it, if you want to.
- Any leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- You can freeze this meal (up to a month) but it is best to serve immediately or keep refrigerated.
- Remember, if you want your ackee whole, don't keep stirring the rice.
- This is the Homemade All Purpose Seasoning which I used for the recipe.
- The brand Grace/Dunns River is the best ackee to use (if using canned).
- I'm using my own DIY Saltfish for this recipe however, if you are using the store bought salt fish, you will need to de-bone, soak, boil off the salt and flake in advance.
- Cook the okra in the beginning stages to omit the sliminess.
More recipes to try
- Okra (Ochro) Rice
- Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup
- Ackee and Salfish
- Roasted Ackee Salad
- Shrimp and Cabbage
- Buljol
- Jamaican Beef Soup
- Guyanese Chow Mein
- Jamaican Fried Chicken
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Jamaican Seasoned Rice
Ingredients
To make the cauliflower rice
- medium sized cauliflower
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (28g)
- ⅓ cup okra (33g) sliced (optional)
- 1 cup spinach (30g)(chopped or use fresh callaloo, if available) tightly packed
- 1 teaspoon parsley (1g)
- ½ tablespoon all purpose seasoning (4g)
- ½ teaspoon garlic granules (1.5g)
- ½ teaspoon onion granules (1g)
- ½ teaspoon pink salt (3g)
To cook the ackee and salt fish
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (28g)
- small onion chopped
- ½ red bell pepper sliced
- ½ yellow bell pepper sliced
- small tomato chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ lb salt fish de-bone, soaked/boiled and flaked (if using store bought
- 4 sprigs of thyme
- ½ scotch bonnet chopped
- ½ teaspoon paprika (1g)
- 19 oz canned ackee (540g) drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (2g)
- additional pink salt to taste, if needed
Instructions
- Remove the leaves from the cauliflower (and discard) and then wash and blot dry with kitchen towel.
- Chop the cauliflower into small pieces.
- Add the cauliflower florets to a food processor (you may need to do this in batches) fitted with an S blade.
- Pulse until the cauliflower resembles rice, then remove and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat.
- Saute the okra for a few minutes until it becomes crispy.
- Add the cauliflower and spinach (callaloo, if you are using it) to the frying and cook for several minutes.
- During the given time season with parsley, all purpose seasoning, garlic granules, onion granules, and pink salt.
- Once cooked remove from the frying pan and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil to a frying pan on medium heat.
- Saute the onion until soft and translucent.
- Add the bell peppers and chopped tomatoes and cook until they are soft, this should take several minutes (you can cover the frying pan with a lid during the given time).
- Add the tomato paste along with the salt fish, thyme, scotch bonnet and paprika.
- Continue to cook for a few minutes.
- Fold in the cauliflower rice followed by the ackee (try not to fold the ackee too much if you want it whole as canned ackee is soft compared to fresh).
- Put the lid on the frying pan and leave to cook through for 5-10 minutes (there should be enough moisture in the pan).
- After the given time, remove the lid and sprinkle in the black pepper and do a taste test and add pink salt if needed.
Video
Notes
- The scotch bonnet gives the rice a slight kick so feel free to omit it, if you want to.
- Any leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- You can freeze this meal (up to a month) but it is best to serve immediately or keep refrigerated.
- Remember, if you want your ackee whole, don't keep stirring the rice.
- This is the Homemade All Purpose Seasoning which I used for the recipe.
- The brand Grace/Dunns River is the best ackee to use (if using canned).
- I'm using my own DIY Saltfish for this recipe however, if you are using the store bought salt fish, you will need to de-bone, soak, boil off the salt and flake in advance.
- Cook the okra in the beginning stages to omit the sliminess.
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