Fish Tea (Fish tea)
Overview
Fish tea is a spicy Jamaican fish soup, thin enough to be sipped from a cup like tea. Whole fish or fish heads, such as snapper or parrotfish, are boiled for a long time to make a rich broth, then the bones are strained out. Ground provisions such as yam, pumpkin, cassava, potatoes and green bananas, and cho-cho or chayote and carrots, are cooked in it until very soft, so they partly break down into the soup. It is seasoned with thyme, scallion, garlic, pimento, black pepper and a whole Scotch bonnet pepper, and sometimes enriched with coconut milk and butter.
History
Fish tea is a favourite at Jamaican beach stalls, parties and night events, where it is sold in cups as a warming starter. Some people believe it is an aphrodisiac, and it is the subject of various legends and jokes. Big batches are cooked for gatherings, and every cook has a favourite mix of fish and provisions.
Main ingredients
Fish, yam, pumpkin, green bananas, cho-cho, scotch bonnet. The soup is built on fish broth and is usually served hot. Diet: pescatarian; usually gluten-free.
Explore: Fish and seafood soups · Pumpkin and squash soups · More soups from Jamaica
Recipe
Method
- 130 min
Boil the fish in 2.5 l water for 30 minutes, then strain, keeping the broth and the flaked flesh.
- 2
Add the yam, pumpkin, bananas, cho-cho and carrot to the broth.
- 3
Add the thyme, scallions, garlic, pimento and the whole pepper.
- 445 min
Simmer for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft.
- 5
Return the fish, add the butter, season and serve in cups.
- ✓
Serve. About 1h 50m from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
