Breadfruit Cou-Cou

Name: Breadfruit Cou-Cou
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Barbadian
Ingredients: 1 large breadfruit; 8 okra, sliced; 2 tbsp butter; 1 onion, finely diced; 2 stalks chive, chopped; 1 sprig fresh thyme; Salt and pepper; 1 cup water

Breadfruit Cou-Cou (BRED-fruit KOO-koo)

Mashed Breadfruit with Okra

⏱ Prep Time 50 min

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 302 kcal

A smooth mash of roasted breadfruit and okra, stirred with butter and seasoning, an alternative to the traditional cornmeal cou-cou.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 5.0g

Carbs 48.0g

Fat 10.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ dairy

Equipment Needed

roasting pan heavy pot wooden spoon or cou-cou stick

Presentation Guide

Vessel: round serving plate

Garnishes: butter pat, chopped chive

Accompaniments: stewed flying fish, gravy

Ingredients

1 large breadfruit
8 okra, sliced
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, finely diced
2 stalks chive, chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
1 cup water

Instructions

1
Roast whole breadfruit in oven at 200C for forty-five minutes until skin is charred and flesh is tender.
2
Boil sliced okra in salted water for ten minutes until soft and slimy.
3
Peel and core the roasted breadfruit. Mash the flesh while still hot.
4
Add butter, sauteed onion, chive, thyme, and the cooked okra with its liquid.
5
Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or cou-cou stick until smooth and well combined.
6
Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot as a starchy side alongside stewed fish or chicken.

💡

Did You Know?

Captain Bligh brought the first breadfruit trees to Barbados from Tahiti in 1793 aboard HMS Providence.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

roasting pan
heavy pot
wooden spoon or cou-cou stick

Garnishing

butter pat, chopped chive

Accompaniments

stewed flying fish, gravy

The Story Behind Breadfruit Cou-Cou

Breadfruit was introduced to Barbados specifically to provide cheap food for enslaved workers on sugar plantations. Captain Bligh successfully transported breadfruit saplings from Tahiti after his infamous failed first attempt on the Bounty. The trees thrived in the Caribbean climate, and Barbadians developed numerous ways to prepare the starchy fruit. Breadfruit cou-cou represents the creative adaptation of this transplanted ingredient into the existing African-influenced tradition of making smooth starchy sides.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed weekend lunch 📜 Origins: Post-emancipation Barbadian

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