Fry Bake and Saltfish
Today, we had fry bake and salt fish for dinner. Salt fish is a favorite in Trinidad and Tobago because of its versatility in many of the dishes we prepare. Salt fish is curried with bodi, potato, string beans etc., it's used in buljol and in accra, it also makes a perfect side dish with ground provision (dasheen, eddoes, tannia, yam, green fig, cassava etc.), and you just can't forget a good plate of dumpling and saltfish. Salt fish also goes great with another popular dish called “Oil Down” when you don't have any other meat or you just want something different for a change.
Salt fish, also called bacalao or bacallao, bacalhau (to the Portuguese), is dried Pollock (Cod) or sometimes Shark preserved with salt. Here in Trinidad salt fish could either be bought at the market by the pound (lbs.) or at the supermarket in packets or in trays.
Saltfish in trays: this one is the Pollock
Saltfish in a pack: this one is the Shark(notice the difference in the texture)
How could someone fry bake? Do you fry then bake? Ha Ha Ha !!! ...... For us in Trinidad, a bake is a type of flat bread that we cook on a Platin or tawah (griddle) or a pot. Another variety is the fried bake (I intentionally put the title as "fry bake" to reflect how we really pronounce it) that is, of course, fried in a little bit of oil and not deep fried.
FRY BAKE AND SALT FISH
Salt fish:
½ lb. Salt fish
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small onion, chopped finely
¾ lb. tomatoes, chopped
½ tsp. chive, chopped
½ tsp. thyme, chopped (Spanish or fine leaf)
2 tbsp. olive oil or coconut oil (to fry the saltfish)
1 small hot pepper, finely chopped (optional)
Bake:
3½ cups flour
½ cup wheat flour
4-5 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1½ cups water or slightly more
1 tbsp. sugar
Oil for frying (bake)
Salt Fish:
Boil the salt fish for about 10 minutes to remove some of the salt.
Remove skin and bones; wash and squeeze the saltfish and break into small pieces. 
Cook the onions, garlic, tomatoes, chive and thyme in oil until slightly brown.
Add the flaked salt fish and hot pepper and allow it to cook for 10 minutes. 
The salt fish is now ready
Fry Bake:
Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add salt and sugar and mix well
Add the water all at once, if dough is still dry when mixed,
Cover with a damp towel and allow to relax for ½ hour .
Divide dough into small balls (makes about 12 balls).
Fry in hot oil (do not deep fry),turn once and drain on kitchen paper. Serve cool.
Fry bakeWell that's it for another post. If you don't want to fry you could also try roast bake with the saltfish. It tastes just as well and you don't have to deal with hot oil but rather a hot tawah. Bye for now and do enjoy your fry bake and saltfish.
February 13, 2008 7:47 PM
Just discovered your blog - love what you're doing. And of course the Trini dictionary!
February 16, 2008 9:26 AM
I thank you for your comment. Come back soon I have lots more local recipes to come.
March 31, 2008 1:17 PM
Hello,
I love this site you have, I have marked it under my favorites.
My boyfriend is from Trinidad and has been craving saltfish and provision for a while now. I have made other trini dishes, today I am going to attempt to use your recipe.
Thanks so much!
Nikki
April 1, 2008 5:07 PM
Hello,
Just wanted to let you know how everything went! He LOVED the saltfish and was amazed I made it so good, the first time around.
Thanks again for your recipe, I will be using it all the time.
Would love to try more of your recipes.
Nikki
April 3, 2008 11:18 AM
Nikki, you make me smile. I am glad to be of some help. hope you visit again.:)
April 3, 2008 4:38 PM
I love this site. it brings back so many memories when i was a teen in Trini. I want to go live in the bush rite now because of this site. Great recipes too. All da best...
October 2, 2008 12:24 AM
Hi I truly ador ethis site, Can you please try to help me with two treats, the famous spponge cake like tanty use to make and the trini chinese chicken, the one with the five spice and oyster sauce. Keep up the inspiring site
THANK YOU,
October 2, 2008 3:41 PM
Thank you Chedee for your comment I will see what I could do about the sponge cake and chinese style chicken but keep in mind I have a long list of other recipes to post.
September 8, 2009 5:16 PM
Not everyone can make fry bake and I am one of them. I am studying in Brasil and I was just dying for some fry bake. I called my mother to get the recipe from her but she forgot to email it to me. So I risked a search on google and was overjoyed to find this. I love the way you presented everything. I just came back from the grocery with my ingredients, so that is my diner right there. My brasilian friends find it funny that we eat saltfish throughout the year. Here they eat it mainly as a Christmas dish. Also saltfish is really expensive here, so they see it as some kind of luxury to eat saltfish. I dont know how the prices are in trini though.
Thanks again
September 8, 2009 7:55 PM
Actually It's not that expensive here in Trinidad. And being a true Trini I always have a pack or two :-) Thanks for writing.
February 3, 2010 8:47 AM
What about adding ocro to the mix, I have seen this being done before!
February 3, 2010 4:22 PM
@sassymatts You can if you want to. This dish is very versatile.