Ingredients
Porridge
- 250 gfine yellow cornmeal
- 1 litrewater
- 200 gokra, sliced
- 1 tspsalt
- 40 gbutter
To serve
- saltfish
- stewed fish
- gravy
Directions
- Boil the sliced okra in 500 ml of the water for about 8 minutes, until soft and the water has gone visibly slippery.
- That slipperiness is the whole purpose of the okra. It is what makes fungi smooth and gives it the texture that separates it from plain cornmeal porridge.
- Whisk the cornmeal into the remaining 500 ml of cold water until completely smooth.
- Cold slurry first, always. Cornmeal tipped into boiling water lumps on contact and no amount of beating afterwards will clear it.
- Bring the okra and its water back to the boil with the salt.
- Pour in the cornmeal slurry, stirring hard with a wooden stick or spoon.
- Cook on a low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring and beating continuously.
- Now turn it. Beat and fold the mass against the side of the pot until it is stiff, smooth and pulls away cleanly from the sides.
- Beat in the butter at the end.
- Wet a bowl, press the fungi into it to shape a smooth ball, and turn it out onto a plate.
- Serve immediately with saltfish or stewed fish and plenty of gravy.
- It is the starch base of Kittitian and Nevisian cooking, descended from West African cornmeal dishes.
Technique
- It has nothing whatsoever to do with mushrooms. The name is unrelated and the coincidence causes endless confusion.
- It stiffens as it cools, so shape and serve it immediately.
- Okra is not optional. Without it this is coo-coo’s plainer cousin and the texture is quite different.
Substitutions
- Frozen sliced okra, which works perfectly well.
- Coarse cornmeal, cooked ten minutes longer.
Variations
- Coo-coo, the same dish under its Barbadian name.
- With more butter for a richer, softer porridge.
- Made without okra, which is quicker and noticeably drier.
History
The starch base of Kittitian and Nevisian cooking, descended from West African cornmeal dishes.
Frequently asked questions
What is Fungi?
Fungi is a salad & side from Saint Kitts and Nevis: stiff cornmeal and okra porridge turned in a pot and served with saltfish. The starch base of Kittitian and Nevisian cooking, descended from West African cornmeal dishes.
How long does Fungi take to make?
Fungi takes 10 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Fungi?
Yes, within limits. Frozen sliced okra, which works perfectly well. Coarse cornmeal, cooked ten minutes longer.
What is the most important thing to get right in Fungi?
That slipperiness is the whole purpose of the okra. It is what makes fungi smooth and gives it the texture that separates it from plain cornmeal porridge.
