Jamaican Fish Tea Soup Recipe
Jamaican Fish Tea Soup is an aromatic and flavorful soup that is not only delicious but also easy to prepare. This soup is best enjoyed piping hot, served in generous bowls. Fish Tea is very comforting it’s a perfect choice for chilly evenings. Jamaicans usually have this soup at gatherings with friends and family.
The funny thing about this soup is that I was never a huge fan of it until I met my husband. I just never met anyone who made it as good as him! No, I’m not being biased because I’m married to him but his Fish Tea Soup is the best I’ve ever had!
What is Jamaican Fish Tea made of?
Fish tea is a yummy soup in Caribbean cuisine and Jamaican cuisine. Jamaican fish tea typically includes a variety of fish such as snapper, parrotfish, or grouper. Other key ingredients include scallions, thyme, garlic, scotch bonnet peppers, and Jamaican allspice (pimento).
These ingredients are combined with ground food like yam, pumpkin, coco yams, potatoes, and green bananas, cooked and simmered in a flavorful broth, resulting in a fragrant and hearty soup.
Where did Jamaican Fish Tea Originate?
Jamaican fish tea can be traced back to the influences of African, European, and indigenous Taino cultures. This dish is believed to have originated during the time of slavery when African slaves were brought to Jamaica.
They combined their traditional cooking techniques and spices with locally available ingredients to create a soup that would sustain and nourish them.
What is the Cultural Significance of Fish Tea?
Jamaican fish tea is not just a culinary delight; it also holds cultural significance. It is often enjoyed as a comforting meal during special occasions, such as family gatherings, holidays, and celebrations.
The process of preparing and sharing fish tea has become a cherished tradition, passed down through generations, and symbolizes unity and togetherness. This soup is a must at Jamaican Parties!
Health Benefits of Jamaican Fish Tea Soup
Aside from its cultural significance, Jamaican fish tea is also known for its health benefits. The combination of fresh fish and aromatic spices creates a soup that is delicious and packed with nutrients.
We all know that fish is an excellent source of lean protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and essential vitamins and minerals, making Jamaican fish tea a nourishing and wholesome dish.
Is fish soup healthy?
Due to its high nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids and quality proteins so consuming fish in moderation is recommended this applies to younger children and also pregnant women.
Is drinking fish soup healthy?
Fish soup is also known for its health benefits. The combination of fresh fish and aromatic spices creates a soup that is not only delicious but also packed with nutrients and this Jamaican fish soup does just that!
Fish is an excellent source of lean protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and essential vitamins and minerals, making Jamaican fish tea a nourishing and wholesome dish.
Did Jamaican Fish Tea Soup evolve?
Over time, Jamaican fish tea has evolved, with different regions and households adding their unique twists and variations. Some variations include adding vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and okra for added texture and flavor.
Additionally, the use of different fish species can alter the taste and character of the soup, allowing for a diverse range of flavors.
What are the key ingredients of Jamaican Fish Soup?
The hallmark of Jamaican fish tea soup lies in its robust and aromatic flavors. Key ingredients include fresh fish, such as red snapper or grouper, which infuses the soup with its delicate sweetness.
Additionally, the soup features a medley of vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onions, which add depth and texture to the broth.
The use of scotch bonnet peppers provides a fiery kick. Let’s face it no Jamaican dish is complete without that scotchy! The soup is then balanced by the earthy notes of thyme and the brightness of scallions, just to name a few.
Serving and Enjoyment of Jamaican Fish Tea
Jamaican fish tea soup is best enjoyed piping hot, served in generous bowls with a side of fried dumplings for dipping.
Whether enjoyed as a starter or a main course, Jamaican fish tea soup is mouthwatering and will transport you to the sunny shores of Jamaica with each spoonful. We hope you love it as much as we do!
Jamaican Fish Tea Soup Ingredients
- Fish: The type of fish you use is up to you we use snapper, (parrotfish or grouper are great options)
- Ground Food: CocoYam, ChoCho (chayote), yellow yams, pumpkin, green banana, potato.
- Essential Ingredients: Orka, carrot, scotch bonnet pepper, scallion, onion, corn, garlic, thyme, pimento (allspice).
- Seasoning: Complete seasoning, black pepper, adobo, fish mix, and pumpkin mix.
- Grace Fish Mix
How to Make Jamaican Fish Tea Soup
Prepare the Fish
- Soak the fish in vinegar, lime, or lemon cold water for 5 mins. Then rinse in cold water drain and set aside.
Prepare the Soup Base
- In a large pot, add water, snapper fish, scallion, thyme and pimento.
- Boil until the fish is soft. This will take at least 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the fish and set aside to cool.
Chop up Ground Food and Vegetables
- Peel and chop up fresh pumpkin into small to medium pieces. Then add it to the pot and boil until it’s dissolved.
- While the pumpkin boils chop up your yams, chocho, coco yam, and carrot into medium bite-size pieces. Take the skin off the banana and (place them in cold water while you chop so it doesn’t change the color).
- Chop up potato and corn and add them to a separate bowl of cold water.
- Dice up some onions and set aside.
Debone Fish
- When your fish is cooled carefully debone it and set it aside.
Add the Ground Food
- Add the onions, yams, chocho, coco yam and carrot stir the ingredients to combine them (Cook them until semi soft about 10 mins).
- After 10 mins add in your corn, banana, okra, and potatoes. scotch bonnet pepper, black pepper, and complete seasoning along with the Fish soup mix – Stir the ingredients to combine them and allow the flavors to infuse the soup.
Make the Dumplings
- In a medium bowl, add the flour and salt.
- Add the ¼ cup of water and mix to form a dough.
- Knead until the dough is smooth
- Grab a small (golf ball size) amount of the dough and roll it into the palm of your hands to create “spinners”. To make regular-shaped dumplings form the doughball into discs.
Simmer the Soup
- Add dumpling to the pot then reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
Add the Fish
- Gently add the fish pieces to the pot, making sure they are submerged in the soup turn off the pot immediately after adding the fish.
Serve and Enjoy
- Remove the scotch bonnet pepper and thyme sprig from the pot.
- Ladle the hot Jamaican fish tea into bowls, making sure each serving has a generous amount of fish and vegetables.
How do you thicken fish soup?
Fish soup can be thickened using various methods: Choose the method that suits your taste preferences and dietary restrictions best, and adjust the thickness of the soup according to your preference.
- Vegetables: Adding starchy vegetables like potatoes or yams can naturally thicken fish soup as they break down during cooking, releasing their starches into the broth.
- Fish: Flaking some of the fish into smaller pieces and allowing it to cook longer in the broth can help thicken the soup as the fish disintegrates and blends with the liquid.
- Roux: Making a roux by combining equal parts of fat (butter, oil) and flour, then adding it to the soup, can thicken it effectively. Cook the roux until it turns a light golden color before adding it to the soup to avoid a raw flour taste.
- Cornstarch or Flour Slurry: Mix cornstarch or flour with cold water to create a slurry. Gradually stir the slurry into the simmering soup and let it cook for a few minutes until it thickens to your desired consistency.
- Cream or Coconut Milk: Adding cream or coconut milk not only adds richness but also thickens the soup. Be cautious not to curdle the dairy by adding it slowly and stirring constantly.
- Simmering: Allowing the soup to simmer uncovered can help reduce the liquid content and thicken the broth naturally.
What is the difference between fish stew and fish soup?
Fish stew and fish soup are both comforting and delicious dishes, the main differences lie in their consistency, ingredients, and preparation methods.
- Consistency: Fish stew is usually thicker and heartier compared to fish soup. It often has a thicker broth or sauce that coats the ingredients. Fish soup tends to have a lighter, more liquid consistency, similar to a broth or a thin sauce.
- Ingredients: Fish stew often contains a variety of ingredients such as fish, vegetables, herbs, and sometimes potatoes. Fish soup typically contains fish as the main ingredient along with vegetables, herbs, and sometimes grains, but the emphasis is more on the broth rather than a thick sauce.
- Preparation: Fish stew is usually cooked for a longer period to allow the flavors to meld together and to thicken the sauce. Fish soup is often quicker to prepare, as the focus is on creating a flavorful broth in which the fish and other ingredients are gently cooked.
- Cultural Variations: Fish stew and fish soup can vary widely in preparation and ingredients based on cultural influences. For example, fish stew in the Caribbean might include coconut milk and spices like curry, while fish soup in Scandinavia might feature a clear broth with root vegetables and dill.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What do you use fish broth for?
Since fish contain many essential nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids and high-quality proteins, moderate consumption. So use it in stocks for soups and the bases for your seafood dishes.
How to make fish soup with potatoes?
Jamaican Fish Tea Soup already contains potatoes so this is the perfect soup to satisfy your necessary needs.
What is the fish used in fish soup?
The type of fish you use is up to you snapper, kingfish, parrotfish, or grouper are great options
What is the liquid in a soup called?
The liquid in soup is generally referred to as the “broth” or “stock.” The broth is the flavorful liquid that forms the base of the soup, typically made by simmering meat, vegetables, herbs, and sometimes bones in water.
Stock is similar to broth but often made with bones and simmered for a longer period to extract more flavors and gelatin from the bones.
The terms “broth” and “stock” are often used interchangeably, although slight differences exist in their preparation and usage.
What does boiled fish soup do for you?
- A good source of high-quality protein.
- Boiled fish is a low-fat food. A source of nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids.
- Maintain a healthy weight or reduce their risk of heart disease.
- Helps maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Is fish soup good for the liver?
Fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower the levels of fat in the liver and reduce inflammation.
Can diabetics eat fish soup?
Fish contains no carbohydrates, so it doesn’t cause blood sugar to spike. It stabilizes blood sugars and healthy weight targets which helps you reach diabetes management goals.
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How to Make Jamaican “Mannish Water” Goat Head Soup
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Jamaican Fish Tea Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Large Whole Snapper Fish ( or 5 snapper filets )
- 1 Grace Fish Soup Mix
- ½ lb Fresh pumpkin Cubed
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- ½ lb Yellow yam Cubed
- 1 Chocho (chayote) Peal and cubed
- 2 Corn (cut each corn into 5 pieces)
- 3 medium Medium carrots Peel and diced
- 1 cup Okra
- 1 medium onion Sliced
- 1 medium CocoYam
- 2 medium Potatoes
- 4 Cloves garlic crushed
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper
- 2 Scallions (spring onions) Chopped
- 5 spting thyme
- 5 Pimento berries (Allspice)
- ½ tsp Salt to your taste
- 2 tbsp complete seasoning (to taste)
- 2 tbsp adobo (to taste)
- 2 tbsp black pepper (to taste)
- 15-20 cups Water Depends on your sized pot
Dumpling Ingredients
- 1 cup Plain flour
- 1/4 cup Water
Instructions
Prepare the Fish
- Soak the fish in vinegar, lime, or lemon cold water for 5 mins. Then rinse in cold water drain and set aside.
Prepare the Soup Base
- In a large pot, add water, snapper fish, scallion, garlic, thyme and pimento.
- Boil until the fish is soft. This will take at least 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the fish and set aside to cool.
Chop up Ground Food and Vegetables
- Peel and chop up fresh pumpkin into small to medium pieces. Then add it to the pot and boil until it’s dissolved.
- While the pumpkin boils chop up your yams, chocho, coco yam, and carrot into medium bite-size pieces. Take the skin off the banana and (place them in cold water while you chop so it doesn’t change the color).
- Chop up potato and corn and add them to a separate bowl of cold water.
- Dice up some onions and set aside.
Debone Fish
- When your fish is cooled carefully debone it and set it aside.
Add the Ground Food
- Add the onions, yams, chocho, coco yam and carrot stir the ingredients to combine them (Cook them until semi soft about 10 mins).
- After 10 mins add in your corn, banana, okra, and potatoes. scotch bonnet pepper, black pepper, and complete seasoning along with the Fish soup mix – Stir the ingredients to combine them and allow the flavors to infuse the soup.
Make the Dumplings
- In a medium bowl, add the flour and salt.
- Add the ¼ cup of water and mix to form a dough.
- Knead until the dough is smooth
- Grab a small (golf ball size) amount of the dough and roll it into the palm of your hands to create “spinners”. To make regular-shaped dumplings form the doughball into discs.
Simmer the Soup
- Add dumpling to the pot then reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
Add the Fish
- Gently add the fish pieces to the pot, making sure they are submerged in the soup turn off the pot immediately after adding the fish.
Serve and Enjoy
- Remove the scotch bonnet pepper and thyme sprig from the pot.
- Ladle the hot Jamaican fish tea into bowls, making sure each serving has a generous amount of fish and vegetables.
Video
Nutrition
Comments (6)
Kiki
August 2, 2024 at 1:44 am
Hi Guys…totally excited to try your recipe! What would you recommend to use as seasonings to replace the “Grace fish tea soup mix”? I can’t seem to find it here where I live. Any good suggestions? Please 🙂
JERK TAVERN
August 5, 2024 at 4:43 am
I linked the fish mix on amazon in the recipe but you can use fish stock instead of water
Nancy
August 26, 2024 at 7:20 pm
Also…in your recipe you never mentioned when to use the 7 cloves of garlic. 🙂
Vonn Myers
October 27, 2024 at 4:57 pm
Thank you for the recipe. I’ve always loved fish tea, and now I’m planning to try to make some for my family this evening.
But thank you even more for your words at the end of your page!
Yah is great!! I’m a pastor, but I really needed to hear what you said.
This world can beat you down at times and you find yourself going backwards. Please pray for me. My name is Vonn Myers.🙏🏾🫶🏾😌
JERK TAVERN
October 29, 2024 at 2:48 am
You’re welcome 🫶🏾 please let us know how you like it. We are so happy you the wisdom helps you 🫶🏾🫶🏾 we will pray for you
Donna
January 19, 2025 at 3:50 pm
This recipe was an absolute 10/10! It came out perfect thank you!
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