Cou-Cou — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A smooth, firm porridge of cornmeal cooked with sliced okra and butter, the Grenadian cousin of polenta, traditionally paired with stewed fish or saltfish.

Ingredients

2 cups fine cornmeal
6 okra, sliced thinly
3 cups water
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp butter
Salt to taste
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

1 Boil water with sliced okra and salt until okra is tender, about ten minutes.
2 Mix cornmeal with coconut milk to form a smooth slurry, ensuring no lumps.
3 Slowly pour cornmeal mixture into the boiling okra water, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
4 Reduce heat to low and stir vigorously for fifteen minutes until the mixture is thick, smooth, and pulls away from the pot.
5 Stir in butter and thyme. The cou-cou should be firm enough to mould but still creamy.
6 Wet a bowl, press cou-cou into it to shape, then unmould onto a plate. Serve with stewed fish or saltfish.

Did You Know?

The traditional cou-cou stick is a long wooden paddle passed down through families, and stirring cou-cou is considered an arm workout and a rite of passage for young cooks.