Jamaican run down is a dish made by simmering fish in coconut milk until the sauce becomes thick and reduced.
The name describes the cooking process: coconut milk is boiled down, concentrating its fat and flavor before fish and seasonings are added. Common versions use salted mackerel, although other fish can also appear in Jamaican cooking.
Typical ingredients include onion, garlic, tomato, thyme, and Scotch bonnet pepper. The finished sauce is rich, savory, and often served with rice, ground provisions, or boiled green bananas.
Run down is sometimes confused with Caribbean coconut-based stews from other islands. Jamaican run down is specifically associated with fish cooked in reduced coconut milk; the name is also written as “rundown” in English-language sources.