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Bajan · Caribbean

Bajan fish cakes

Non-vegetarian

Light, puffy fritters of salt cod and herbs in a spiced batter, deep-fried until golden — Barbados' favourite snack, eaten with hot pepper sauce or in a 'bread and two' (salt bread roll).

Bajan fish cakes is a Bajan finger food from Barbados, ready in about 55 minutes and made with salt cod and all-purpose flour. It serves 6 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
35 min
Total
55 min
Serves
6
Level
Intermediate
Calories
348

Plus soaking the salt fish for several hours or overnight.

Ingredients

6 servings (about 30 fish cakes)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Soak the salt cod (opens in a new tab) in cold water for several hours or overnight, changing the water twice. Drain, then simmer in fresh water for 10 minutes. Drain, cool and finely flake, removing any skin or bones.

    • 15 min
    • medium heat

  2. Step 2

    Whisk the flour and baking powder (opens in a new tab) in a bowl. Add the fish, onion (opens in a new tab), spring onion (opens in a new tab), thyme (opens in a new tab), parsley (opens in a new tab), chilli, garlic (opens in a new tab) and black pepper (opens in a new tab).

    • 5 min
    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Stir in enough water to make a thick, sticky batter that drops from a spoon. Fry a tiny test fritter until golden, taste, and add salt only if needed.

    • 3 min
    • medium-high heat

  4. Step 4

    Heat the oil to 175 °C. Drop in heaped teaspoons of batter, a few at a time, and fry 3–4 minutes, turning, until puffed and golden. Drain on paper towels.

    Food safety: Fill the pan no more than a third with oil, keep a lid nearby and never leave hot oil unattended.

  5. Step 5

    Serve hot with pepper (opens in a new tab) sauce.

    • 1 min
    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Barbados · Commonly attributedSalt fish fritters are eaten across the Caribbean (accra, stamp and go); this herby, airy style is classic Bajan.More food from Barbados
Dish
Snack · Breakfast · Lunch · Finger food · Appetizers & starters · Street food
Cooking method
Boiled, Deep-fried
Taste
salty, savoury, herby, spicy (chilli heat)
Diet
Pescatarian · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
Without the optional extras: No added sugarWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Street food · Portable / lunchbox · Festive & celebration
Cook more with
Salt cod · All-purpose flour · Baking powder · Onion · Spring onion · Thyme (fresh)
Techniques
Deep-frying · Boiling · Simmering

Allergens

  • Contains: Fishfrom salt cod
  • Contains: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour, baking powder
  • Contains: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour, baking powder

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

348 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 161 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 33%
  • Carbohydrate 41%
  • Fat 26%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy348 kcal217 kcal
Protein28.4 g17.7 g
Carbohydrate35.2 g21.9 g
Net carbohydrate33.4 g20.8 g
Sugars1.1 g0.7 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1.8 g1.1 g
Fat9.7 g6 g
Saturated fat0.9 g0.5 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol57 mg35 mg
Sodium2894 mg1801 mg
Salt equivalent7.2 g4.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
660 mg
Calcium
174 mg
Iron
3.4 mg
Magnesium
66 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
27 µg
Vitamin C
8 mg
Vitamin D
1.5 µg
Vitamin B12
3.8 µg
Folate (DFE)
142 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: chilli sauce (sriracha-style).
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Small spoonfuls cook through without browning too fast.

Common mistakes

  • Not soaking the fish enough — the cakes end up far too salty.

Serve with

  • Tuck two into a split salt bread roll for a 'bread and two'.

Storage

  • Best freshly fried; refrigerate leftovers for 2 days.

Reheating

  • Re-crisp in a hot oven or air fryer for 5 minutes.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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