Okra Fungi is a traditional British Virgin Islands recipe for a classic stew of boiled okra in a cornmeal porridge served as an accompaniment. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British Virgin Islands version of: Okra Fungi.
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Everyone who sees this recipe is constantly surprised that it contains no mushrooms. In fact, 'fungi' is a local term for the oatmeal pap (porridge) in which the okra is cooked. This dish hearkens back to the traditional orka and millet flour 'paps' of West Africa as well as being quite similar to cassava flour or rice flour 'fufu'. Served alongside fish, this is part of the national dish of the British Virgin Islands.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp chilli pepper flakes
210g fine yellow cornmeal
360ml boiling water
300g okra, sliced into fine rings
salt, to taste
Method:
Add the okra to a large pan of boiling water and cook until just tender (about 12 minutes).
Meanwhile, begin preparing your fungi. In a bowl whisk 40g of the cornmeal into 180ml of the water, combining until smooth. Add this mixture back to the remaining 180ml of boiling water, again whisking to combine. Transfer to a pan and heat gently. Whilst whisking continually add the remaining cornmeal in a single steady stream to the pan.
Now drain the okra and add to the fungi. Cook, stirring constantly until the fungi reaches your desired consistency. Finally stir-in the butter and chilli flakes then season to taste with salt.
Traditionally this is served hot as an accompaniment to boiled fish.
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