Grilled Flying Fish with Cauliflower Cou-Cou and Spicy Bajan Greens

About this meal

A Barbadian-inspired dinner featuring seasoned and grilled flying fish, served atop a low-carb twist on classic cou-cou made from cauliflower, accompanied by sautéed spicy Bajan greens. This meal offers all the savory flavors of the island traditions, while being low-carb and lactose-free to support weight loss and prediabetes management.

Ingredients

• Flying fish fillets — 4 fillets (about 400g)
• Fresh lime juice — 2 tablespoons
• Garlic — 2 cloves, minced
• Thyme — 1 tablespoon, fresh
• Scotch bonnet pepper — 1/2, finely chopped (optional for spice)
• Sea salt — 1/2 teaspoon
• Black pepper — 1/2 teaspoon
• Olive oil — 2 tablespoons
• Cauliflower — 1 large head, cut into florets
• Okra — 6 pods, sliced
• Fresh chives — 2 tablespoons, chopped
• Spinach — 2 cups, loosely packed
• Pak choi (or local greens) — 2 cups, chopped
• Onion — 1 small, diced
• Turmeric powder — 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin — 1/2 teaspoon
• Bayleaf — 1 leaf
• Fresh lemon juice — 1 tablespoon

Steps

1. Marinate flying fish fillets with lime juice, garlic, thyme, chopped scotch bonnet, salt, and black pepper for 15 minutes.
2. Heat a grill pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Grill fish fillets for about 3 minutes per side until cooked through and slightly charred.
3. For the Cou-Cou: Steam cauliflower florets until soft (8–10 minutes). Drain well, then blend or mash until smooth. Sauté okra in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 2–3 minutes with a pinch of salt, then mix into mashed cauliflower with chives.
4. In another pan, heat olive oil and sauté onion, spinach, and pak choi with turmeric, cumin, and bayleaf until wilted and fragrant. Remove the bayleaf and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.
5. Serve grilled flying fish over cauliflower cou-cou with spicy Bajan greens on the side.