Saltfish Hush Puppies- A spin on tradition Trini Accra
A cornmeal based batter, filled with salted fish and other seasonings before being fried. They can be eaten with or without a sauce and either way is equally satisfying.
In Trinidad, we have a popular finger food in the form of a fritter, with a special ingredient added; salt fish! We fondly refer to this as Accra, and if you think you do not like salt fish, then you need to try it at least once. It’s soft, crunchy, and has that background flavour of the salted fish mixed with fresh seasonings. So good! You can pair this with traditional tamarind chutney or eat it by itself like me :).
So let’s talk hush puppies! Hush puppies are a similar type of fried fritter, but it’s made using cornmeal as the base for the batter. I add prepared salt fish which produces a hint and a nudge to the traditional Accra which we are familiar with. The name “hush puppies” is speculated to have come from hunters or fishermen who made a basic cornmeal dough which they fried and fed to their dogs to “hush the puppies” during cookouts. Today, we like to make this for ourselves and serve it typically with seafood, but to me, it can be eaten alone.
Tips for making these:
Prepare the salt fish however you are familiar, but make sure and rinse it thoroughly since this can affect the saltiness in the dish. You can even add more saltfish if you want a more intense saltfish effect.
Do not overcrowd the pot when frying.
Do not let the oil get too hot! Because they will get browned too quickly and may not cook in the center.
Do not let the oil get too cool either. This will lead to them absorbing too much oil and get soggy.
I usually test fry 1 ball first to ensure the temperature is on point.
Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoon grated or finely chopped onion (about 1 small onion)
2 finely chopped pimento peppers
2 tablespoon finely chopped bhandania/chadon beni/ culantro
1 medium chive/scallion/green onion, chopped
1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
1/4 lb saltfish (about 1/2 cup)
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
Vegetable/canola oil for frying
Boiling water for preparing the salt fish.
Method:
Prepare the salt fish by either boiling for 5 minutes or soaking for 10 minutes in boiling water. Rinse about 3 times with cold water while breaking the pieces apart. For the final rinse, squeeze out all excess water from the saltfish pieces. Add to a medium sized mixing bowl.
Soaked salt fish.
Add all other seasonings and dry ingredients to the salt fish and combine thoroughly. Whisk the egg and buttermilk together and add to the saltfish mixture. Mix until fully incorporated. Allow to rest for 30 minutes
Heat about 2-3 inches of oil over medium heat (365 deg F). Drop 1/2-1 tablespoonfuls of the batter in the oil and fry until golden. Keep turning for even browning, drain on a paper towel and serve warm.
