Stew or Soup? In the Caribbean what we call “soup” is usually very hearty and in places like Canada and the US they would be considered “stews”. A great meal in one pot! Last fall I put this one together with the help from my mom (my personal recipe book) over the phone. Her original version did contain salted meat.
Ingredients.
25g / 1 oz butter or margarine
1 onion, chopped.
2 garlic cloves crushed
2 carrots, sliced
1 – 15g / 4 oz seeded, peeled pumpkin, chopped
1 Christophene, peeled, stoned and chopped (same size as the pumpkin)
Hearty Pumpkin Stew With Pigeon Peas and Christophene.
1 – 15g / 4 oz pigeon peas (that’s about a 1/3 of a normal can)
600 ml / 2 1/2 cups of vegetable stock.
2 sprigs of thyme (dried if you can’t get fresh)
1 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves chopped.
25-50 g / 1-2 oz coconut cream (liquid or solid)
2.5 ml / 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
hot pepper
salt
Fun Fact : The chayote (Sechium edule), also known as sayote, tayota, choko, chocho, chow-chow, christophene, mirliton, and vegetable pear, is an edible plant that belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae along with melons, cucumbers and squash.
Step 1.
Melt the butter or margarine in a large saucepan and saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes until the onion is soft. You may want to cook the onion a bit before adding the garlic, since garlic is know to burn fast and become very bitter. .
Step 2.
Stir in the carrots, pumpkin, christophene, pigeon peas, stock and thyme at this point. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Step 3.
Add the coriander, coconut, cinnamon, hot pepper and salt (to taste). Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is reduced and thick (agin to your liking.. I like mine thick) . Serve hot… garnish with coriander.
Here’s a peek at the finished product…
Do you have another version of this recipe? We welcome you to post your comments or submit your recipe and be featured on one of the fastest growing websites dedicted to Caribbean culinary culture.
Chris…
I love this recipe! I had to google christphene, only to find out that is what we call cho cho in Jamaica lol.
I’m gonna add salted pigs tail to this though! yum!
Very awesome! Thanks for inspiration!
Good Day Chris
Excellent recipe as usual. Thanks again.
This looks wonderful!
I had to Google Christophene (at first I thought maybe it was something special that you named after yourself, Chris! LOL!).
Christophene is also called chayote, which is what I usually see it labeled as here in the U.S. Wikipedia says it is similar to summer squash (zucchini or yellow squash), but it is much more firm like an apple. It works really well as a pickle! 🙂
Chris, what no corn meal dumplings?
Can I substitute sweet potato instead of pumpkin? I hate pumpkin.
you can also use butternut squash.. if you use the sweet potato, be mindful of the slight sweetness.
must try
Hi cristobal I made the chick pea and potato with coconut milk and my family enjoyed very much thanks you cristobal (chao)
Looks delicious.
miss your video for cooking or any recipes video is awesome
This is very similar to my own recipe and as a soup lover I could eat this everyday [and have! LOL]. I also add pureed cooked split peas for more protein and body, as well as some tiny dumplings & ground provisions cubes (yam, sweet potato, dasheen etc] for a heartier meal.
I love this recipe , it’s delicious especially when you are starting to diet.
I am a soup lover its on my next menu
As always your recipes are GREAT. I will be trying it in the near future.
Hi Chris,
I tried your soup and loved it, its very healthy and I loved the idea of putting cinnamon in soup, its gives a good kick to it. Its great for these cold days we are experiencing. Thank you. God Bless!
Just in time for the coming cold days. My daughter and her family are vegetarian and I can see them all enjoying this. I will definitely be making this in batches and freezing.
Chris, Re: Pumpkin, pigeon peas, Christophene soup…quantity for “1 pumpkin”…4 oz. equates to 113g, not 15g, as you have indicated…
Hope this helps…
Chris
Hi, Chris:
Thank you for your recipes! They are so easy to follow and to make, and taste so good! I hope you are having a wonderful day. Here, for some reason we are having very unusual cold days with rain. Of course is cannot be compared to Canada, but you just feel like staying in bed. This recipe comes just at the right time, and it sounds so scrumptious, that I know it will warm you up all over! Thank you again, and God bless!
Yours truly,
Jean.
Hi Chris,
Love ur recipes, especially your oven curry goat.
Hi Chris
I did not receive issue #4. Please send it thanks.
Sharon
Hi Chris! I am from Trinidad, tried this recipe with two additional ingredients, a pinch of ginger powder and a finely minced green pimento and i did half veg stock and half beef stock. It was great! When i buy christophene i hardly know what to do with this is a weekly addition to my menu, warms you up when the rain falls….
Dear Chris, I love soup and this one I will try.
Dear Chris,
Today is a day for soup. Thank you Chris.
Made the curry shrimp recipe tonite and was impressed by my husband who is not a big curry lover! Thanks Chris! I will make it again for sure!
Chris, I think the pumpkin and pigeon pea measurements are not displaying correctly. On my screen I see 1-15g / 4 oz., instead of the correct conversion of 4 oz = 115g.
How about a fudge recipe and a bread recipe
i went home this year in july and i tasted a cheese paste it was the bomm it was well seasoned it even had a little hint of bandania and pimento peppers in it i could not stop eating it or by the way home is Trinidad i live in the BVI Tortola.
i love all your recipies i reminds me oh home and my mother cooking. i especially love the green seasoning its a great help in the kitchen.
I love soup and this is one that I will try . I like all the vegetables that go into making this soup. Thank you for sharing this recipe. You should also blog on Google+
Chris, this soup is great. Made mine with oxtail stock. Cook the oxtail with green seasoning
My oldest son has been a vegetarian for the past 5 years so for family get-together, I am always thinking of new dishes for him. And I will definitely be making this over the holidays. We are also a party/parang family and I could see this on a morning after menu:
Thanks,
Definitely will try it this weekend.Thanks again.
I will definatly try this soup. I'm a great soup lover. All ur recipes are just great. Finall I have found a place that gives u step by step instructions and pics of how it should look when complete. Since I'm not from the Caribbean but really enjoy the food and have Caribbean friends I would like to know what to serve these recipes with when they are cooked. Here u tell to use crusty bread. Thanks Chris for all the lovely recipes. Have a blessed day.
Thanks Chris, as a working mother this will ensure we heartily and in a lot less time than normal!!! Oh and it looks very tasty!!! Will definitely try this tomorrow….
Yummy looking and I BET it is absolutely delicious! Thanks Chris,..
Hey Chris, the soup looks like something i will enjoy so i am planning on trying it soon. Happy Cooking.
Thanks Chris for your mouth- watering recipes. Showing a picture of each step of the cooking process including the finished product is not only a great idea, but also motivational. This motivates the viewer to try these delicious recipes.
Great job Chris on Foodnetwork. Let them bring one of the Iron Chefs on, on cooking Caribbean cooking and guess who will win, of course Chris
Thank you Chris for all the lovely recipes. well I am from Trinidad and I make my soup basically the same as you but as everyone has different tastes our methods will vary. I fry minced onions and garlic first in the pot then I add either beef seasoned with green seasoning or pig tail if I am using them, then I add provisions yams/cassava/eddoes/dasheen what ever in season, then I put in coconut milk or just plain water if coconut milk not available, I always use coconut milk ( I grate my coconuts and bag them and drop them in the freezer and put it in hot water to thaw when I need it ) after about half an hour I put in sweet potato/pumpkin/carrots and dried peas/blackeye/lentil/dhal ……that has been precooked, if I am using them (and if I am using chicken as the meat I add it at this time also)….. Also if I am using green figs I put it in when the provisions are nearly done together with additional water or coconut milk and the dumplings. I always use dumplings ( flour, corn or cassava) :0 It's a must in my home, soup is not soup if it dont have dumplings,either flat or rolled. I add a little golden ray butter at the end of the cooking time. I like my soup thick but not too thick. To make it with only vegetables you just leave out the meat which I do at times
I also make a dhal soup which is a favorite with my kids the dhal is boiled just like when you are making dhal ( as in dhal and rice) and you add whatever meat or provisions you want, but my kids like the dumpling alone in this.
You are right, I am a Trini too and love to put in a little salt meat or smoke meat in the soup
Hi Chris, Did I win the cookbook? Did you get alot of gifts for your birthday? YEAH, YEAH!
keep cooking Chris, and I will add dumplings .
would not enjoy this type of soup even if i am a soup lover. my soup must have dumplings and any kind of provision like dasheen potatoes green fig plaintain and sweet potato
Hi Chris ,just want to say thanks for the recipes,i think what you are doing is great,send me the recipe for roti,never made it before.please continue ,keep up the good workk.not a christian but god blessing to caribbean pot.
Hi chris. This soup looks so enticing, i have to try it some time soon. my son and my husband will love it. :->
Hi. This looks great but I don't think we can buy pigeon peas in Brisbane Australia – can you suggest an alternative?
Thanks Chris i will try out that recipie
This will work great on those cold nights in England, and I absolutely love christophene. Thanks for the recipe.
Chris, perfect timing, thank you for this recipe. The pidgeon peas are just starting to ripen in Carriacou,Grenada and I’m anxious to try this recipe with fresh pidgeon peas.
I agree with the above comment – it would be great just to be able to print the receipe only and not the comments if possible.
Select (highlight) recipe and print.
looks good
Thanks for this recipe Chris, I'm definitely gonna try this soup very soon
I know what we will be having on Saturday 😉 I love soup so does my daughter, but not the Hubby..he don't know what his missing…Chris thank you for all the recipes, I can no longer cook because of ill health..now Hubby and Daughter can cook and know how much to put in and what…instead of me saying (just put some or just put enough) and soo many recipes to choose from…how lucky are we,again a big THANKS..
Hi Chris,
I can't wait to try this soup. The ingredients brought back memories of grandma making Sancoche when I was a little girl back home in Trinidad. I've just started an Events Catering business and would love any recipes you may have for Caribbean canapes….I am especially looking for a recipe for little pies made with minced beef and hot pepper……. they were hot and super tasty.
Keep the recipes coming as English and Trini friend here in England love them.
I LOVE SOUP!
Chris,
As a military family we move around alot and I've had a hard time finding our caribbean "pumpkin" so I sometimes substitute it for acorn squash which is nice and sweet. Any other suggestions as substitution for pumpkin? By the way I love Christophene, can't wait to try this soup!
Am loving Caribbean tucker reciepies from ya ta m8
Thanks for this great recipe.
I am a soup lover; especially Caribbean style soups. I will surely try this one. I love chayote so much.
My wife abhors our soup day which is mostly saturdays.
jake
Love this soup recipe thanks.
Thanks Chris. I love soup & could eat soup every day of the year. In the past 2 weeks I've cooked oxtail soup & neck bone soup. Now I'm going to try this one. Keep the soup recipe coming 🙂
Thanks again
I MADE IT TONIGHT FOR A COLD NEW ENGLAND NIGHT, AND IT WAS VERY, VERY GOOD. 😉
Looking for a recipe for West Indian Bakes usually served with salt fish. Loved the pumpkin soup recipe, great flavor and texture.
Friend from Trinidad used to add ox tail (cow heels) to this. We don't get your pumpkin but have used our pumpkin in season in it's place and sweet potatoes…love the food from Trinidad. He also made what he called brown down chicken, lentils and bok (pok choy) choy served with rice .
This recipe represents a very good way to have one of my favorite i.e. pumpkin and a good way to encourage our kids to enjoy some healthy foods.
I fully agree.. but I can;t get my girls to come close to it though 🙂
Hi Chris,
Amazing again! My friend at work is vegetarian and I am going to give this recipe to her from you.
For diabetics, a small bowl would be considered 1 starch serving. Great source of dietary fibre and vitamin A and protein! Consider substituting coconut cream with coconut milk if you don’t want junk in your trunk.
Yummy!
Thanks for the sharing the info.
Chris what is christophene and what will be a good substitute?
Mary, great question. it’s also known as chuchu, sayote, tayota, choko, chocho, chow-chow, chayote, mirliton, vegetable pear, and pear squash is an edible plant that belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae along with melons, cucumbers and squash. Here’s a pic
It can be readily found at most supermarkets in the produce section and it’s a great addition to this dish. If all fails, check Asian and/or Latin grocery stores.
Mary, a good subsitute for christophene is green papaya if you can get it.
Hey Chris,
Let's do something about the comments, so, when i print a recipe, i get just the
the recipe and not all the comments.
The soup looks good
Dean Seon
Hey Dean gotta comment on your soup looks great guess you have become an even better cook now!. ALICE Cheers!! Your old pal.
Hello Chris – this looks absolutely delicious. I am a soup lover. However, it would be great if you could indicate how many people each of your recipes serves. For example, I would love to try out the recipe for the pumpkin, christophene, and pigeon peas soup, but the ingredients don’t sound like a lot. So I am wondering if this recipe serves one person, or six people. Hopefully you can add this information.
Faye, thanks for leaving your comment/question. As a starter this would serve about 4 people. But on it’s own, it’s enough for 2 people (gotta have some nice crusty bread to dip)
happy cooking
chris..
Christ,i certainly will be trying this mixture of soup,it
looks delicious.
Chris, this looks like something that will make you sit up straight if you’re feeling under the weather. Might put a little meat in mine along with a little pepper for some heat. Can’t wait to try it.
Christ your soup is looking delicious, i certainly will try this one
.-= Pauline says:´s last blog ..The simplicity and splendor of fry plantains. =-.
I will be trying this out soon. It looks delicious! Thanks, Chris
Hi chris man that soup looks grreat I am not a lover of soup but maybe I could try it myself. The ingredients are wonderful for mind body and stomach. So I must congratulate u on a fine receipe combination. From glenn
WOW
MY MOUTH IS DRIPPING
OH GOD I LOVE SOUP SOOOOOO MUCH
.-= yanique´s last blog ..Pineapple glazed grilled chicken. =-.
It sure looks good I have to try it soon.
Thanks Chris
Waw! Looks great!!
can’t wait to try out!!
i will be inviting u to my home soon
this soup looks amazing,guess what we’re having for dinner tonight Chris lol mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm :)))
[rq=4913,0,blog][/rq]Were we making ceviche all along?
Oh I must try this soup some time. I love the combo. I am generally not a soup person 🙂
Cynthia’s last blog post..Lunch in the Caribbean