What is Saint Lucia’s national dish of boiled green bananas and salted cod called?

Saint Lucia’s national dish of boiled green bananas and salted cod is called green figs and saltfish.

In Saint Lucian usage, “green figs” means unripe bananas, not the fruit commonly called a fig in many other countries. The bananas are boiled and served with saltfish, usually salt cod that has been soaked, flaked, and cooked with aromatics and vegetables. The contrast between the starchy bananas and seasoned fish is central to the dish.

The meal reflects Saint Lucia’s Caribbean ingredients and colonial-era food history, in which preserved salted fish became an important protein. It is sometimes confused with bakes and saltfish, another popular Saint Lucian combination that uses fried or baked dough instead of green bananas. Saint Lucia’s cuisine also includes provisions such as breadfruit, cassava, and sweet potato.