Ackee, a favourite

Excellent links for how to prepare an Ackee Dish
If you are planning to have a truly Jamaican breakfast ackee is essential. This fruit was brought to the Caribbean from West Africa during the 1700s. The name is derived from the Akan language and the plant belongs to the Sapindaceae family.

The fruit of the ackee tree grows in pods. When ripe, the brightly coloured yellow-orange pods open displaying the creamy yellow fruit with black seeds. Unlike most fruits, ackee must be cooked before eating. When cooked it looks very similar to scrambled eggs.

Mixed with small strips of salted cod, the otherwise bland flavoured ackee has a pleasing flavour. Incidentally ackee and saltfish is Jamaica’s national dish. There are several ways of preparing ackee for breakfast, as well as other occasions. Creatives cooks use it as a topping for pizza, filling for savoury pastries and as finger food.

A local brewery even makes wine with ackee. You can find it in tins at Caribbean and West African stores. Here are a few website links on different ways of preparing ackee. Enjoy!

Website links:

New Food Discovery Ackee Fruit

Jamaican salt fish and ackee

Also visit our art gallery for contemporary Jamaican/Caribbean fine art EJ Art Gallery

Updated August 2020

January 2018