Moru (Salted Codfish or Bacalao)

Salted Codfish is commonly used in Caribbean and South American recipes. With the influx of Caribbean people in many areas of the United States this salted fish is more readily available to those who seek it.  You can now go to almost any supermarket and find it is on display.  This fish recipe blends well with cooked cornmeal or polenta and slices of avocados.  It is easy to prepare and can be eaten at any meal.


1 or 2 pieces of dry salted codfish

(A piece about the size of 1/3 of a dinner plate. 
It will curl and shrink.  You may wish more.)

1 large onion sliced into 1/2 inch rings

1/2 cup of olive oil or other oil

2 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
or 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

2 tbsp of tomato paste

1/2 a lime or lemon

*2 or 3 small pieces of Scotch bonnet or other pepper

(You may want to substitute hot pepper sauce instead.
I often use Matooks Hot Sauce/Salsa Picante West 
Indian style.)

Place the pieces of fish in a medium bowl and rinse by pouring cold water over it  until the fish is fully covered. Let it soak for about five minutes until you notice a lot of the salt has washed off. Pour out the salt water while rinsing under tap water.  Place your salted fish in a 2 quart saucepan and fill with water until the fish is fully immersed.  Add a squeeze of  lime or lemon juice at this point. Boil on medium high heat for at least 5-7 minutes.  Turn off the fire and drain the water and rinse the fish once again.  Some people choose to boil once again, but since you have rinsed the fish thoroughly it may not need it.  It might be a good idea to taste a tiny piece to see if the fish is too salty and if it is tender enough to be broken up into pieces.  Now that your fish has been desalted break it up into small pieces about the size of a quarter or a little larger.  Make sure you check for bones at this point.  Some fish do have lingering pieces of bones and set aside.

Place a skillet on medium heat. Add oil and sauté onions rings, garlic and *hot pepper. Cook until the onions are soft and a clear consistency. Stir in your pieces of fish and the rest of your spices into this mixture. Squeeze a tad more of your lime juice into the mixture and add your tomato paste according to taste.  You may not want all of the tomato paste in the mixture.  This is according to taste.  Some people to not eat it with tomato paste at all if it is too acidic.  Stir constantly until the tomato paste is dissolved and mixed in coating the fish.  I like to add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water and mix it in. Some people do not.

This may be eaten with cornmeal, polenta, boiled plaintains or white rice and avocados on the side.


*Some people may not like hot pepper this is optional or to your taste.