Fried cassava bammy topped with grilled fish, tomato and onion, a Jamaican coastal specialty turned into a hearty salad plate.
Bammy is a traditional Jamaican flatbread made from grated cassava, pressed into rounds and either fried or soaked in coconut milk before frying, a food with roots tracing directly back to the island's indigenous Taino people. Here it's paired with simply grilled fish and a fresh tomato and onion topping, turning what's often a side dish into more of a composed salad plate, the bammy's slightly chewy texture holding up well under the toppings. A common coastal meal in Jamaica, this combination showcases bammy's versatility, its neutral, slightly sweet cassava flavor providing a satisfying base for the bright, herby fish topping.
Serves 4
Soak the bammy rounds in coconut milk for 10 minutes to soften.
Soak the bammy in coconut milk before frying — this step is what gives it its characteristic soft interior with a crisp exterior once fried.
Fry the soaked bammy in hot oil, 3-4 minutes per side, until golden and slightly crisp; drain.
Season the fish fillets with lime juice and salt.
Grill or pan-sear the fish 3-4 minutes per side until just cooked through and flaky.
Toss tomato, onion and scallion with olive oil.
Top each fried bammy round with a piece of grilled fish and a spoonful of the tomato-onion mixture.
Serve warm.
Soak the bammy in coconut milk before frying — this softens it and infuses coconut flavor, giving it a much better texture than frying it dry.
Grill the fish just until it flakes easily, since overcooking dries it out quickly.
Use very fresh fish for the best results, since this simple preparation relies on quality ingredients over heavy seasoning.
A version with escovitch-style pickled vegetables instead of fresh tomato and onion adds extra tang.
Shrimp can substitute for fish fillets for a different protein option.
Adding a bit of scotch bonnet to the topping gives extra heat.
Best eaten fresh; bammy and fish don't store or reheat particularly well, losing their texture, so it's best prepared and eaten the same day.
Bammy has roots in Jamaica's indigenous Taino heritage, made from cassava, a crop cultivated on the island long before European contact, and it remains a beloved traditional accompaniment to fried and grilled fish today.
Look for it at Caribbean grocery stores, often sold frozen or refrigerated, ready to soak and fry at home.
A simple cassava or yuca flatbread can substitute, though bammy's specific texture is somewhat unique.
It likely wasn't soaked long enough in the coconut milk before frying — give it the full 10 minutes to soften properly.
Per serving (320g / 11.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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