A light Dominican fish broth — fresh fish simmered with green banana, dasheen, coconut milk, and herbs into a clean, restorative soup, traditionally a weekend or 'pick-me-up' dish.
Fish broth — 'fish water' or 'fish tea' — is a light Caribbean soup of fish and provisions perfumed with herbs, long considered restorative and even an aphrodisiac. Quick and clean, it is the islands' everyday tonic.
Spoon up Dominica fish broth — a clean, golden, lightly coconut broth with flaking fresh fish, soft green banana, and dasheen, brightened by lime and chive. Bite: delicate and savory, the fish fresh and clean, the provisions starchy and soothing, a gentle scotch-bonnet warmth. Light and restorative — the Nature Isle's weekend pick-me-up soup.
A light broth (not a thick stew) lets the fresh fish and provisions shine; the green banana and dasheen release some starch to give body without heaviness. Coconut milk softens it and lime brightens — the delicate fish is added late to poach gently and stay intact.
Variations
With more provisions (chunky). With dumplings. Spicier. Without coconut (clearer). With pumpkin. With a whole fish.
On the Palate
Where Dominica Fish Broth sits in the Dominica flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 25 min active + 25 min waiting
- 15 min
Fry 1 chopped onion, garlic, and thyme in oil in a pot.
- 24 min
Add 800 ml water, a whole scotch bonnet, and a squeeze of lime; bring to a simmer.
- 316 min
Add 2 peeled green bananas and 200 g dasheen (taro) in chunks; simmer 15 min.
- 43 min
Add 600 g cleaned fish pieces (snapper or jackfish).
Watch outSlide the fish in gently and stop stirring — poke it around too much now and the delicate pieces break apart.
- 511 min
Pour in 150 ml coconut milk; simmer gently 10 min until the fish is just cooked.
Watch outKeep it at a bare shiver, never a rolling boil — the fish is done the moment it turns opaque, about ten minutes.
- 62 min
Season with salt, black pepper, and chopped chive.
- 71 min
Remove the whole pepper.
- 82 min
Serve hot with extra lime.
