I must mention a couple of things before we get started. This is a refresher on the Caribbean Peas Soup I shared in 2016. And we need to acknowledge that while I’m saying this is a Jamaican recipe (in the title), it’s made throughout the Caribbean, in variations.
You’ll Need…
2 cups Red Kidney Beans (soaked)
2 lbs salted pigtails (1.5-inch pieces)
1 lime or lemon (juice)
1 medium onion (diced)
3 scallions (chopped)
8 cloves of garlic
8 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
1 Scotch Bonnet pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
6-10 allspice berries (pimento seeds)
3/4 teaspoon smoked pimenton (paprika)
1 pack coconut milk powder (1.76 oz – see note below)
9 -12 cups of water
1 cup flour (dumplings)
1 teaspoon salt (dumplings)
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt (adjusting)
Notes! Please follow along with the video below, as much more about the recipe is discussed there, including personalizations you may add to it, why I used coconut milk powder, and why it’s important to keep the recipe somewhat traditional.
Tip! If you forgot to soak the red beans overnight, you can bring water to the boil, turn off the stove, and empty the beans/peas into the pot and let them sit for 2 hours. Drain and use.
Serves 5-6 people.
Yes, the ‘peas’ in this recipe are indeed Red Kidney Beans, which are washed and soaked overnight. They will almost double in size. In the video, I explained how to pre-boil the salted pigtail pieces for 35-40 minutes. I washed them with lemon juice and cool water before pre-boiling.
With this simplified recipe, we only need to add everything to the pot and let it simmer for 2-3 hours.
I added the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, black pepper, Scotch Bonnet pepper, Pimento berries (aka allspice), scallions, and smoked pimento (not traditionally used, but I enjoy the slight kiss of smoky flavor it adds) to the pot.
While I used coconut milk powder, you may use 2 cups of coconut milk (liquid) instead (just cut back on the amount of water you use). Top everything with water until covered and bring to a boil. I used 9 cups of water to start.
Reduce to a simmer and cook until everything is tender, at least two hours, or 2.5 hours in my case.
During that time, you’ll need to skim off (discard) any foam at the top and add more water accordingly. I needed an additional 2 cups of water. Yes, you can use a pressure cooker to cut back on the time needed, but I prefer low and slow cooking like my ancestors did.
Make a dough with the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and something which may seem strange, brown sugar (a tip my Bajan friend’s mom shared with me many years ago). Start with 1/3 cup of water and add more if necessary. Then shape the dough into ‘spinners’, small, cigar-shaped dumplings, and add them to the pot. Continue cooking for another 25 minutes.
Remember that this Jamaican stewed red peas will thicken further as it cools, so taste and adjust the salt to your liking. I added 3/4 teaspoon since the residual salt from the salted pigtail pieces was present.
Add more dumplings if you want, and you can most certainly play around with the dough by adding grated coconut, cassava, or anything else you like in your dumplings. Serve as a stew or as a side to rice.
The beans will be fork tender, the salted pigtail pieces will melt in your mouth, and the dumplings will be pillowy soft, especially when reheated the next day.
