Learn how to make this delicious one pan dish. Sauteed saltfish with okra that is lightly fried in herbs and spices. This is definitely the perfect low carb Caribbean dish for anyone who loves seafood.
When I was a child like most people I used to loathe okra. Any recipe that my family would prepare with okra was a no no for Charla.
As I got older I learned to appreciate okra and now I eat it quite often. To the point where I want to share that enjoy with you all right now.
Have you ever wondered why people HATE okra so much? It's simple, it's that slimey texture.
I know lots of people who simply cannot tolerate the slime and as an adult they refuse to give okra a chance.
How to eliminate the slime from okra
Removing the slime from okra is very simple if you know how. All you need are 2 ingredients (I kid you not!) some vinegar and pink salt.
Along with some water, the okra needs to be boiled slightly (in other words parboiled) so that the slime is omitted.
When you are ready to use the okra, in this case we are frying it, any remaining slime will dissipate once the frying is commenced.
Reasons to make this dish
- It's a taste of the Caribbean.
- It's grain free and doesn't take time to make.
- It doesn't take very long to prepare/cook.
- You can use my D.I.Y saltfish which is healthier than store bought.
- A great balance of protein and moderate carbs
The steps
- Add the olive oil to a frying pan/skillet on medium heat.
- Saute the onion (scallion if using) and garlic until soft and translucent.
- Add the okra and bell peppers then proceed to cook until the vegetables are soft.
- Fold in the saltfish and the scotch bonnet and continue to cook for a few minutes.
- Now add the tomatoes and the tomato paste then continue to stir for about a minute.
- Proceed to season the contents with the seafood seasoning, thyme, black pepper and salt to taste (do a taste test, as the sodium levels will vary)
Frequently asked questions
Yes, feel free to freeze down any leftovers in a freezer friendly container.
Simply because homemade saltfish is made using pink salt which is unrefined and hasn't been processed.
On the other hand, what's in the stores is highly processed and not good for us to eat.
Thankfully, as okra is widely eaten, it shouldn't be too difficult sourcing it. Most supermarkets will sell it and if you are in the UK, Tesco sell theirs already chopped.
If you don't mind the slimey texture then you don't have to do this.
Notes and tips
- To remove the sliminess, be sure to parboil the okra in 2 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 teaspoon pink salt then drain off the water and blot the okra dry before cooking.
- Always do a taste test once cooking is finished and adjust seasoning if required.
- The amount of scotch bonnet you use is subjective, I used half which is quite spicy, leave out the scotch bonnet if you don't care for any spiciness.
- To keep this recipe low carb/high protein, serve with a medley of vegetables, cauliflower rice or some green banana.
- You can use whole okra if you don't want to use chopped.
- For a more healthier option, I would highly recommend using my D.I.Y version of saltfish
- It's okay to use frozen bell peppers/okra as both are much cheaper.
- You can prepare the saltfish and chop the vegetables in advance to save yourself some time.
Other saltfish recipes to try
- Ackee and Saltfish
- Green Fig and Saltfish
- Jamaican Saltfish Fritters
- Saltfish Buljol
- Saltfish Turn Cornmeal
- Cabbage and Saltfish
- Saltfish and Callaloo
- Saltfish Fried Rice
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Okra and Saltfish
Ingredients
- ½ - 1 lb saltfish (226g-450g) see post for my homemade version
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 scallion sliced, optional
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup okra (100g) parboiled, chopped see notes
- 1 cup mixed bell peppers (100g) chopped
- 1 large tomato chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (15g)
- 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (15g) see notes for recipe
- 6 sprigs of thyme stems removed
- scotch bonnet chopped, use the amount according to your preference
- 4 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil (60g)
- pink salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a frying pan/skillet on medium heat.
- Saute the onion (scallion if using) and garlic until soft and translucent.
- Add the okra and bell peppers then proceed to cook until the vegetables are soft.
- Fold in the saltfish and the scotch bonnet and continue to cook for a few minutes.
- Now add the tomatoes and the tomato paste then continue to stir for about a minute.
- Proceed to season the contents with the seafood seasoning, thyme, black pepper and salt to taste (do a taste test, as the sodium levels will vary)
Notes
- To remove the sliminess, be sure to parboil the okra in 2 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 teaspoon pink salt then drain off the water and blot the okra dry before cooking.
- Always do a taste test once cooking is finished and adjust seasoning if required.
- The amount of scotch bonnet you use is subjective, I used half which is quite spicy, leave out the scotch bonnet if you don't care for any spiciness.
- To keep this recipe low carb/high protein, serve with a medley of vegetables, cauliflower rice or some green banana.
- You can use whole okra if you don't want to use chopped.
- For a more healthier option, I would highly recommend using my D.I.Y version of saltfish
- It's okay to use frozen bell peppers/okra as both are much cheaper.
- You can prepare the saltfish and chop the vegetables in advance to save yourself some time.
Jewel Carmen says
This recipe is truly authentic and it was easy to follow and prepare. The result was a fabulous dish!!!
Charla says
Aww thank you so much Jewel.