Stamp and go

Step 1: Desalt the fish: either soak 7 oz boneless salt cod overnight in the fridge in plenty of cold water, changing it twice, or put it in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, drain, then repeat with fresh water. Taste a flake: it should be pleasantly salty, not harsh.

Step 2: Drain, cool under the cold tap, then flake the fish finely with your fingers, checking for any stray bones or skin.

Step 3: Whisk 5 ½ oz plain flour and 1 tsp baking powder in a bowl, then add ¾ cup water little by little, stirring, until you have a batter like thick pancake batter.

Step 4: Stir in the flaked fish, ½ onion, 3 spring onions, 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, ½ Scotch bonnet chilli, 1 tomato and ½ tsp ground black pepper.

Step 5: Heat 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil 1 cm deep in a frying pan over a medium-high heat until a drop of batter sizzles straight away. Drop in tablespoons of batter and flatten each a little with the back of the spoon.

Step 6: Fry until the edges are lacy and the underside is deep golden, about 2 minutes, then turn and fry 1–2 minutes more until crisp all over. Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm while you fry the rest.

Step 7: Serve hot, on their own or with hard dough bread.