If you're looking for a healthy ackee recipe, why not try this vegan ackee stir fry with ginger, chilli and garlic? It's full of flavour and a great way of enjoying some Caribbean flavours.
For the past couple of years, whenever I go into the supermarket near my work, I've enjoyed looking at the Caribbean section. There are various sauces, dried salt fish and tins of ackee. It's the ackee that has most intrigued me - I just couldn't imagine what it tasted like.
What is Ackee?
The Ackee in this stir fry recipe is the fruit of the Ackee tree which grows in the Caribbean, although the tree is native to West Africa. Ackee is traditionally served with saltfish in Jamaica and is actually poisonous until it is ripe.
Can Ackee kill you?
Well, I don't want to scare you before you even read the recipe! Tinned ackee is perfectly safe to eat and as long as you don't pick and eat it before it has ripened you're safe!
It may sound a little scary and maybe that's why I just looked at it for two years.
One of the delicacies of Jamaica
Even so, I love trying new foods and after reading Levi Roots describe ackee as, one of the delicacies of Jamaica and a very special food in Caribbean Food Made Easy I knew I had to try it. Indeed, it was clearly a sign that I need to be a bit more adventurous.
As I was cooking ackee for the first time I followed Roots' recipe. The colours are supposed to represent the colours of the Jamaican flag. Could I get more Jamaican than that?
Well, only if I'd chosen to serve it with salt fish!
What ingredients do you need for ackee stir fry?
To make this vegan ackee recipe you'll need:
- Tinned ackee - this is often available in the supermarket these days in the world food section
- Root ginger - this adds so much flavour
- Garlic
- A chilli pepper - Ideally use scotch bonnet chillies but if you can't get hold of them then any chillies will work as an alternative
- Red pepper
- Soy sauce
- Spring onion
- Lime juice - It's always best to use a fresh lime if you can
- Peanuts - Plain raw peanuts are fine or use dry roasted ones for extra flavour
- Fresh coriander (cilantro)
What does this ackee stir fry taste like?
What did I think of this vegetarian ackee recipe? Well, the texture was very soft, a bit like lumps of soft scrambled egg and the taste was also very delicate. The ackee took on the flavours of the lime, the soy sauce and the coriander without having much of its own flavour.
Overall, I'd say ackee is not a vegetable I could love, but not one I could dislike either. I'd happily eat it again but whether I liked the dish or not would probably depend on what it was served with and the flavours of the other ingredients.
So, do you eat ackee? And if so, how is it prepared?
Can you adapt this ackee recipe?
Feel free to add your own touch to this recipe. You could add some peas or sweetcorn. Diced red onion would go well too. You could also add some cooked kidney beans or black beans
What can you serve with this stir fried ackee recipe?
I served this with rice but you could wrap it all up in a flatbread or stuff it in a pitta. You could even serve it on toast so it's like the scrambled eggs that it looks like!
More Caribbean Recipes and Caribbean Inspired Recipes
You might also like my mung bean sprouts stir fry!
Recipe
Ackee Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 10 g root ginger sliced into thin batons
- 1 clove garlic thinly sliced
- 1 chilli pepper sliced
- 1 red pepper sliced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 280 g tin of ackee drained and rinsed
- 1 spring onion sliced
- ½ lime juiced
- 1 tablespoon peanuts raw or dry roasted, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon coriander (cilantro) chopped
Instructions
- Heat a little oil in a wok and add the ginger, garlic, chilli and red pepper. Stir fry for a couple of minutes.
- Add the soy sauce. Stir then add the ackee. Be very careful with the ackee so that it doesn't fall apart. Turn the heat down and cover the wok for about 4 minutes so the ackee is heated through.
- Drizzle with the lime juice, top with the chopped coriander, spring onions and chopped peanuts.
- Serve with rice.
Notes
Nutrition
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Katerina
I have never tried ackee before! It is the first time I hear it Corina! So, I have no experience at all, but your dish looks very colorful and exotic, just like Jamaica!
Juliana
Oh Corina, I had ackee when in Jamaica and love it and yes, I had it with slated fish...I wish I could find this here...Looks delicious!
Thanks for bringing me memories of my vacation in Jamaica.
Hope you are having a great week 🙂
Corina
So glad it brought back good memories for you. I'd love to go to Jamaica one day and try some real Jamaican food. In the meantime I've bought some saltfish and am planning to use it soon!
Chandani
ackee that is a new one for me. Well as u mentioned the side effects I might stay away from it until I am obsoletely sure. Thank you for visiting my blog.
Corina
Luckily I think it's safe as long as it's canned and not fresh!
janet @ the taste space
Way to go with the Jamaican challenge! I haven't ever eaten ackee but your post makes me want to try, even if you didn't adore it.
natashya
Interesting! I have seen ackee in my local markets but have never tried it - how brave of you to go outside your comfort zone!
Laura@howtocookgoodfood
I have always wanted to try saltfish & ackee, it is a vegetable I am really intrigued by. The way you have cooked it looks so appetising I will have to hunt some out!
Couscous & Consciousness
I've not ever even heard of ackee - not something that's available here in New Zealand - so I just can't imagine what it is like. But the dish certainly looks beautifully colourful, and from the list of the ingredients it seems like a flavourful dish. I'm guessing from the way you've described it that this is a vegetable that would really pick up the flavours from whatever it is served with. Maybe it would be good in a curry.
Thanks for sharing this with Cookbook Sundays.
Sue 🙂
Corina
yes, I think it would be good in a curry, but it would have to be put in near the end because if it was in too long or if the curry was stirred it could just break up or turn to mush!