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Fish and Fungi

Fish and fungi is so popular in the Virgin Islands that it could be called the unofficial national dish. While most visitors to the island are familiar with a variety of fish dishes, fungi is unfamiliar. Fungi can best be described simply as a stiff cornmeal mush. It is made from fine milled cornmeal. The trick is to stir the fungi properly so that it is velvety smooth, not lumpy. Fungi can be served plain or with the addition of okra.

On a historic note, fish and fungi’s roots lead back to the days of slavery. Danish Law allowed each slave six quarts of Indian meal and six salt herring per week. Occasionally, there were other foods thrown into the ration like yams. But the mainstay of cornmeal and fish led the African women to the creative result of fish and fungi.

Today, fungi is usually served with boiled local fish and topped with gravy.

Okra fungi
10 ounce package frozen cut okra
2½ cups boiling water
1½ cups fine yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon salt pepper, to taste

Method
Place frozen okra in boiling water. Cook until just barely tender.
In a medium saucepan, bring 2½ cups water to a boil. To make fungi that is free from lumps, mix about ¼ cup of the cornmeal with ¾ cup water in a separate small bowl. Then, add this mixture back into the larger pot of boiling water. Then, add the rest of the cornmeal into the pan in a slow steady stream, while stirring constantly.
Add hot cooked okra to cooked cornmeal. Stir well. Stir in the butter, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes more. Serve piping hot with Boiled Fish West Indian Style.

Makes 8 servings. Per Serving: 132 calories, 3 grams fat, 7 milligrams cholesterol and 98 milligrams sodium.

Source: http://stjohnlinks.com