Bajan Salt Fish & Green Banana Hash with Spicy Pickled Cucumber

About this meal

A low-carb, savory Barbadian-inspired breakfast featuring flaked salt fish sautéed with onions, sweet peppers, fresh herbs, and tender green banana, served with a side of spicy pickled cucumber for brightness. Focused on traditional flavors while aligning with a weight loss and low-carb, insulin-friendly diet.

Ingredients

• Salt fish (desalted and flaked, e.g. cod) — 80g
• Green bananas (peeled and diced) — 1 medium (about 100g)
• Red onion (finely chopped) — 40g
• Bell pepper (green or red, diced) — 40g
• Fresh parsley (chopped) — 1 tbsp
• Fresh thyme (leaves) — 1 tsp
• Scotch bonnet pepper (optional, finely minced – for heat) — 1/8 tsp
• Garlic (minced) — 1 clove
• Black pepper — to taste
• Olive oil — 1.5 tsp
• Cucumber (thinly sliced) — 50g
• Apple cider vinegar — 2 tbsp
• Stevia (natural sweetener) — 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder — 1/4 tsp
• Sea salt — to taste (for soaking fish and pickles, rinse before cooking)

Steps

1. Place salt fish in a bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for at least 6 hours, changing water 2-3 times. When ready, drain, rinse, and simmer in fresh water for 10 minutes to finish desalting. Drain, flake into pieces, removing skin and bones.
2. Peel and dice green banana. Steam or boil until just tender, about 5-7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. In a pan, heat olive oil. Sauté onion, garlic, and bell pepper until soft. Add flaked salt fish and stir for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add steamed green banana, stirring to combine. Add parsley, thyme, optional Scotch bonnet, black pepper, and taste for salt (add little if needed). Cook for an extra 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. For spicy pickled cucumber: toss cucumber slices with apple cider vinegar, turmeric, stevia, a pinch of sea salt, and more Scotch bonnet if desired. Let marinate while preparing hash.
6. Serve the salt fish & green banana hash with the pickled cucumber on the side.