Bajan Fish Cakes
intro
Crispy, savory salt cod fritters seasoned with aromatic herbs and warm spices, a beloved portable Bajan street food perfect for outdoor sharing.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep and poach cod
Rinse 225g salted cod under cold running water to remove surface salt. Place in a small pot, cover with cold water, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain fully, then flake cod into small pieces, discarding all skin, bones, and tough connective tissue. Set flaked cod aside.
Combine dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 180g all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for 30 seconds until fully evenly combined, breaking up any small lumps of baking powder to ensure even leavening.
Add cod and aromatics
Add the flaked poached cod, 60g finely diced yellow onion, 1 teaspoon minced seeded scotch bonnet pepper, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley to the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon for 1 minute until all solid ingredients are evenly coated in flour.
Mix fritter batter
Create a small well in the center of the flour mixture, then pour in 1 beaten large egg, 180ml whole milk, and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice. Stir gently just until combined into a thick, scoopable batter—do not overmix (a few small lumps are ideal, as overmixing creates tough fish cakes). Let batter rest for 10 minutes at room temperature to activate the baking powder.
Heat frying oil
Pour 500ml neutral canola or sunflower oil into a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or deep saucepan, and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches a steady 175°C (350°F), measured with a clip-on candy thermometer. Adjust stovetop heat as needed to hold this temperature through frying to prevent burnt or greasy cakes.
Fry cakes in batches
Carefully drop rounded 1-tablespoon scoops of batter into the hot oil, frying 4-5 cakes per batch to avoid overcrowding the pot (which drops oil temperature quickly). Fry for 3-4 minutes total, flipping each cake halfway through cooking with a slotted spoon, until deep golden brown and crispy on all sides. Remove cooked cakes to a paper-towel lined wire rack to drain for 2 minutes before serving.
Tips
2.Never overcrowd the frying pot, as this causes oil temperature to drop sharply and results in soggy, oil-soaked fish cakes instead of light, crispy ones. Let oil return to 175°C (350°F) between batches.
3.Serve warm with Bajan hot sauce or extra lime wedges for authentic flavor; the cakes stay delicious at room temperature for up to 4 hours, making them ideal for packing and taking on the go.
OMG these were SO good! I brought them to my neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were begging me for the recipe before I even left. I used cod like the recipe said, added a tiny extra scotch bonnet because my household loves heat, and they came out perfectly crispy on the outside, fluffy inside. Total game changer for quick weeknight appetizers! Side note, the 45 minute cook time is totally accurate even for a beginner like me, no weird fancy steps.
My kids loved it! I was worried the fish flavor would be too strong for my picky 7 and 9 year old, but they ate three each and asked if we could have them for their school lunch next week. I made a quick mango dipping sauce to go with them and it paired perfectly. Super easy to throw together after work too, no long prep marathons.
Added these to my Sunday meal prep rotation! They reheat really well in the air fryer at 375 for 5 minutes, no sogginess at all. I did have one quick question — can I freeze the uncooked patties to fry up later on busy weeks? Would love to stock a batch in my deep freezer.
Tried these when I visited Barbados a couple years ago and have been chasing that exact flavor ever since. Let me tell you — this is the real deal! The balance of herbs, the crispy batter, that subtle kick? It took me right back to that beach shack I ate at outside Bridgetown. Worth every minute of prep, no cap.
Wait, has anyone tried making these with canned salmon instead of fresh cod? I have a bunch of canned salmon in my pantry I’m trying to use up and I’m curious if it would work, or if the texture would be off. I know traditional is salted cod but I’m working with what I’ve got right now lol.
Super easy recipe even for someone who burns toast half the time lmao. I was nervous about frying at home because I always make a huge mess with splattering oil, but the tip to keep the oil at 350 degrees was a game changer — barely any splatters, and the cakes cooked evenly all the way through. Only thing I messed up was not chopping the thyme fine enough, had a couple woody bits, but that was 100% my bad not the recipe.
Made these for my book club meeting last night and everyone went crazy for them! I served them with the hot pepper sauce recommended in the recipe notes and it was chef’s kiss. The only heads up I’d give is to make a double batch — I thought 12 cakes would be enough for 8 people and they were gone in 10 minutes flat.