National Dish

Try the Fish and Fungi U.S. Virgin Islands Style recipe, it is a famous national dish in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Fish and Fungi dates back to the days of slavery.

Fungi can best be described simply as a stiff cornmeal mush. It is made from fine milled cornmeal and an okra side dish that accompanies fried or boiled local fish dinners topped with gravy.

Most tourist that visits the U.S. Virgin island is familiar with a variety of fish dishes, fungi is unfamiliar. Fungi
can best be described simply as a stiff cornmeal mush. It is made from fine milled cornmeal.

Recipe

Okra Fungi

Ingredients

1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups fine yellow cornmeal
10 ounces package frozen cut okra

Method

Place the frozen okra in 2-1/2 cups of boiling water. Cook until just barely tender. In a medium size saucepan, bring 2-1/2 cups of water to a boil. To make fungi that is free from lumps, mix about 1/4 cup of the cornmeal with 3/4 cup water in a separate small bowl.

Then, add this mixture back into the larger pot of boiling water. Let cornmeal cook for about a minute, Then, add the rest of the cornmeal into the pan in a slow steady stream, while stirring constantly.

Add hot cooked okra to cooked cornmeal. Stir well. Stir in the butter, salt and pepper for flavour. Simmer for about 5 minutes more. Serve piping hot with Boiled Fish West Indian Style.

Makes 8 servings. Per Serving: 132 calories, 3 grams fat, 7 milligrams cholesterol and 98 milligrams sodium.

Recipe

Broiled Fish West has its ingredients listed below and these allow a serving of six people. The combination of fish and fungi, a cornmeal polenta-like mixture flecked with okra, are the unofficial national dish of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Broiled Fish West Indian Style:

Ingredients:

1 Tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon Vinegar
1 teaspoon Accent
2 cups water
2 teaspoons Margarine
2 medium onions, cut up
3 tablespoons Lemon or Limejuice
4 1/2 pounds fish, scaled and gutted

Method:

Place fish will all ingredients into a saucepan and cook gently until fish is cooked, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with sliced lime.