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Meat & Poultry

Grandma’s Split Peas And Dumpling Soup.

2 Comments on Grandma’s Split Peas And Dumpling Soup.

This is as classic a Caribbean soup can get, as it’s loosely based on a thick dhal (yellow split peas) and dumpling soup my grandmother would make on a Saturday (have you heard of Soup Saturday?). Truly simplicity at it’s best! My grandmother would usually flavor hers with bits of Salted Cod, but we’ll be using salted Pig tail in this version.

You’ll Need…

1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil (any oil you like using)
1 large onion (diced)
5 cloves of garlic (smashed)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
3-4 lbs salted pig tail (prepped)
1 1/2 cups yellow split peas (washed)
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups coconut milk
5-8 cups water
5 medium potatoes (1/4)
1 large carrot (cut into 1/4 inch coins)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon brown sugar
pinch of salt (for dumplings)
3/4-1 cup water for the dumplings
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)

  • You can replace the salted pig’s tail with salted Cod fish. Smoked bones or turkey will work just as great. Or feel free to rock it without any of those and keep it vegetarian.

Start by prepping the salted pig’s tail. Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (you can ask your butcher to do this). Give it a good rinse with cool water, then into a deep pot with water (cover). Bring to a boil and simmer for 40-50 minutes. This will make it tender and remove most of the salt it was cured in. Drain and set aside for now. or Feel free to boil for 30 minutes, drain, add new water, bring back to a boil and cook another 30 minutes if you want.

Put your huge soup pot on medium flame, add the oil followed by the onion, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper (use and pepper you may have on hand and in the amount you can handle). Turn the heat down to low and let it gently cook for 3 minutes.

Add the pre-cooked salted pigtails, black pepper and Caribbean Green Seasoning, followed by the washed split peas. Stir well.

Now add the coconut milk and 4 cups of water. Turn the heat up and bring to a boil. Then reduce it to a gentle boil and cook until the peas are fully cooked and falling apart. About 1 hr and 15 minutes.

Turn the heat to medium, then add the potato and carrots. Bring back to a boil (add more water if it’s too thick). I added 2 more cups of water at this point as when you add the flour dumplings it will further thicken.

As it comes back up to a boil, lets make the dumplings. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar and salt, then add half of the water and make a soft dough. Add more water if needed and if it’s too wet, add a bit more flour. Knead for 3-5 mins, then set aside to rest for 5 minutes. I did place a damp paper towel over it to prevent the dough from forming a skin.

On a flour dusted surface, roll out the dough ball as if you were making a pizza or Sada Roti. I like my dumplings (following how grandma would do it) thin and flat. After the dough is about 1/8 of an inch, use a sharp knife or pizza cutter and cut into 1 inch squares.

Twenty minutes after adding the potato and carrot, add these completed dumplings to the pot, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick together. It will only take about 5 minutes to cook.

Some housekeeping. Pay attention to the thickness of the soup and add more water accordingly, as it will thicken considerably as it cools. Taste for salt and adjust to your liking… I didn’t add any salt to this pot as the remaining salt in the salted pig tail was enough. The scotch bonnet pepper we used can be spicy so be mindful of that and if you don’t have scotch bonnet or prefer something like a Habanero or Jalapeno.. rock that! Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling hot peppers.

Toss in the parsley and enjoy

An incredible soup with some basic ingredients. While this is very TASTY, for some reason it could never taste as good as my grandmother’s. Side Note… there were times she would add eddoes and yam to the soup.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Side Dishes Vegetarian

25 Minutes Red Lentil Dhal.

3 Comments on 25 Minutes Red Lentil Dhal.

I LOVE Dhal.. that rich and thick yellow split peas soup we make in the Caribbean, based on recipes brought to our shores by Indentured Laborer’s from India almost 200 years ago. However, since I dislike using a pressure cooker, I find that I don’t have the patience to wait the 1.5 hours needed. This brings us to Red Lentils, if you enjoy the taste and texture of yellow split peas Dhal, but want in in under 30 minutes.. stay tuned.

You’ll Need…

3 cups red lentils
1 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
9 -11 cups water
2 small scallion (chopped)
3/4 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8-10 cloves garlic (smashed – divided)
1/2 medium onion (diced)
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon geera (cumin) seeds

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Bring the water to a boil in a deep pot on a high heat.

In the meantime wash the lentils by rinsing in cool water, drain and repeat until the water runs clear.

As the water comes to a boil, add the washed lentils, followed by the tumeric and bring back to a boil.

When you got that bubble going, skim off that froth at the top and discard.

Reduce to a rolling boil and add the black pepper, scallions (adds a lovely touch), salt, onion, scotch bonnet pepper (optional or any spicy pepper you like or have access to) and 5 cloves of the garlic.

It will cook on that rolling boil for 20 minutes with the lid slightly ajar… or until the lentils are falling apart.

I used a traditional swizzle stick (see image), but you can use a whisk or stick blender and get it smooth and silky. If using a stick blender, I’d recommend that you pulse or if you go continuous it will go frothy. BTW, I turned off the stove at this point as it was fully cooked.

Once smooth, taste for salt and adjust to your liking, then it’s time to chunkay (temper) the dhal to give it that finishing layer of flavor.

Heat the oil in a small pan on a medium flame, add the garlic and cumin seeds. Heat until the garlic burns (yes the only time I’ll recommend burning garlic) and you see smoke from the hot oil

All you have to do now is pour that oily mixture into the pot with the dhal, then stir. You’re done. Quick right?

An amazing side to rice and curry dishes or as I normally do.. as a cup of soup that warms my soul. I always make a big batch and freeze into containers for those nights I get my Dhal craving.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Vegan

The Ultimate Split Peas Dhal (kale & spinach) #Vegan

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This island boy luv me some dhal.. that rich thick soup packed with tropical flavors, but made with very simple and cheap ingredients. Great on it’s own (cup of dhal) or as a side to rice and curry dishes. Dhal is very comforting and so simple to make.  Here’s my take on this iconic dish with added spinach and kale, instead of the traditional use of “poi bhagi’ aka Malabar Spinach. Basically I’m using ingredients which are readily available to me here in Canada.

You’ll Need…

4 cups yellow split peas
1 tablespoon turmeric
12-14 cups water
3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust)
1/2 medium onion (diced)
8-10 cloves garlic (divided)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 cups baby spinach
2-3 cups baby kale
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

Important! Please go though the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your #Vegan #GlutenFree and/or Vegetarian dietary requirements. If you find that it gets too thick, feel free to add a bit more water. No, don’t use stock as it will ruin (IMHO) the flavor.

Bring the water to a boil in a LARGE pot. As this happens, it would be a great time to wash the split peas (watch the video below). Basically all you’re doing is rinsing the peas in cool water, while using your hands/fingers to massage the grains. This will create cloudy water.. drain and repeat until this water runs clear.

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As the water comes to a full boil, add the washed split peas and turmeric and bring back up to a boil. Then skim off any frothy stuff at the top and discard. After-which you can add the onion, 1/2 the garlic, black pepper, salt and scotch bonnet pepper. (use as much spicy pepper as you can handle and remember to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after)

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Reduce to a simmer and let that cook for about an hour and twenty minutes or until the peas are tender and start falling apart. It’s now time to make sure the dhal is smooth. I used a wooden swizzle stick to achieve this. Feel free to use a wire whisk or electric immersion blender. If using the blender may I suggest that you “pulse” as if it goes continuous it will add too much air to the dhal and it will take on a frothy texture.

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Now ad the washed (and drained) baby kale and spinach to the pot and stir well. The residual heat in the pot will be enough to fully cook the greens. Take the pot of the stove and set aside.

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In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil (high heat) then go in with the remaining garlic and the cumin seeds. Cook until almost burnt.. then pour over the dhal (this is called “chunkay). This step will add a lovely layer of further flavor. You MUST do this or your dhal will be lame. Stir well to incorporate everything.

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Taste for salt and adjust… ENJOY!

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I forgot to mention, this is a HUGE pot of Dhal, so I usually freeze the rest for use later in the week when I need my next hit of Split Peas Dhal. If you do freeze, reheat on a very low heat on the stove top.. add a bit of water to the pot.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

 

 

Meat & Poultry

Caribbean Salted Beef Soup.

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saltbeef-soup-1

One of my favorite soups to look forward to on “Soup Saturdays” was when mom would have a massive pot of saltbeef (salted beef) soup, packed with ground provisions bubbling away on the stove. Due to the price and the fact that sourcing ‘good’ salted beef was difficult, we didn’t have saltbeef soup often. I still get a chuckle when I do thick heavy soups during the summer months here in Canada and people would say “isn’t it too hot for soups?”. For the most part the Caribbean is always hot and it’s tradition throughout the Caribbean that on Saturday’s we enjoy a piping hot bowl of soup.

You’ll Need…

1 lb salted beef
8-10 cups water
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 1/4 cups yellow split peas
1 large carrot
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4-6 sprigs thyme
2 scallions
4 small potatoes
4-6 eddoes
1 large Taro (or dasheen)
3 sweet potatoes
Yam and green bananas optional
1 scotch bonnet pepper

* The salted beef I used had bones so I got my butcher to cut it into pieces for me. I then washed and boiled in water for about 25 minutes before I got to cooking the actual soup. This will help remove some of the salt and start tenderizing it a bit.

Add the pre-cooked salted beef to your soup pot and place it on a medium flame. I didn’t need any veg oil as the pieces of salted beef I had was rather fatty. Then go in with the smashed garlic, diced onion, thyme and black pepper. Turn the heat down to low and let it gently cook for about 5 minutes.

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It’s now time to add the split peas (washed), along with the carrots and  5 cups of water and bring to a boil (turn up the heat).

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When it comes to a boil, reduce it to a rolling boil and allow it to cook for 45 mins – 1 hr. Basically until the beef and peas are somewhat tender. I also added the scotch bonnet pepper chopped, but if you don’t want the raw heat of the Caribbean Sunshine, you can float it whole. Just be sure to not break it as the soup cooks. Then fish it out near the end and discard. Always wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers.

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While things bubble, I like peeling my ground provisions and potato. Try to cut them the same size so they cook evenly and if you’re doing so in advance, simply place them in a bowl covered with water so they don’t discolor. If you see any sort of foam accumulating at the top, skim off and discard.

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After the 1 hr or so, add all the other ingredients (including the chopped scallions), top with water and bring to a boil. If you notice any froth/scum at the top, skim off and discard. Cook for 25 mins or so on a rolling boil, or until all the ground provisions are tender. This will depend on how thick you cut them. You’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt to this soup as the remaining salt from the beef will be enough, but you can certainly adjust to your liking near the end.

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You can leave the pot open or have the lid slightly ajar as it boils.

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While I must admit that the quality of salted beef I get here in Southern Ontario is not as good as the ones we’d normally get on the islands, this is still a TASTY and comforting soup. This sort of meal takes me back to a time and place I wish I could relive often. Such a fun time to be a kid on the islands! Remember if you wanted you can add some flour dumplings the last 10 mins of cooking and it will take the comfort level over the TOP!

Meat & Poultry

A Classic Caribbean Split Peas And Salted Pigtail Soup.

22 Comments on A Classic Caribbean Split Peas And Salted Pigtail Soup.

This is a take on a basic but extraordinary soup my grandmother would make with simple ingredients like yellow split peas, herbs, salted cod instead of salted pig tail and tons of dumplings. She lived her entire 99 years without ever touching pork. However I love pork on my fork, so in my version I’ll be using pieces of salted pig’s tail for added flavor and that true Caribbean vibe in the pot.

 

You’ll Need…

2 cups yellow split peas
2 lbs salted pig tails
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 tablespoon veg oil
1 large onion
4 sprigs thyme
4 large potatoes
3-4 cups coconut milk
6-8 cups water
2 scallions
4 cloves garlic
1 cup flour + water for dumplings

 

Note: If you don’t dine with the swine, you can easily use salted beef or bits of salted cod for the same flavor base. Additionally, you can make this split peas soup fully vegetarian and leave out the pork. Just add about 2/3 teaspoon salt in cooking.

Have your butcher cut the salted pig tail into one to 1.5 inch pieces for you or use a heavy Chinese clever to do so. Anything else and you’ll ruin your good knives. Rinse with cool water, place in a deep pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn it down to a simmer and let it go for about 45 minutes. The goal is to remove most of the salt the pork was cured in and to help tenderize it so when cooked in the soup it will be falling off the bones.  Then drain and set aside.

As the vegetable oil heats on a medium flame in a deep soup pot, prep the ingredients. Dice the garlic, onion and scallions and peel and cut the potato into quarters.

The oil should be hot now, so toss in the garlic, onion, scallion and thyme and reduce the heat to low. After about 3-4 minutes, go in with the black pepper and then toss in the pre-cooked pieces of salted pig tail. Raise the heat to medium and give it a good stir. Wash and drain the split peas (place in a strainer and run cool water while running your fingers though the grains), then add it to the pot.

It’s now time to add the water, coconut milk and potato to the pot and bring to a boil. Then lower to a simmer and drop in the scotch bonnet pepper ‘whole’! This will give us a ton of flavor but not the raw heat. Near the end you can remove the springs from the thyme as well as the whole scotch bonnet pepper. Or if you want that Caribbean sunshine, you can burst it for real fyah!

After about 50 minutes of simmering (remember to keep stirring) the pieces of pigs tail should be tender and the split peas should start to dissolve. A sign that it’s time to add the flour dumplings. In a bowl place the flour and enough water to make a soft but firm dough (tip – add a pinch of sugar to the dough) , then work with a fork then go in with your hands to make the dough ball. Let it rest for about 5 minutes, then start pinching small pieces off and shape into a sort of cigarette shape (spinners). Add to the pot and cook for another 8 minutes.

Now taste for salt (adjust accordingly) as we didn’t add any salt with the hopes that the remaining salt from the salted pig tail would be enough to season the pot accordingly, remove the pepper if you so desire and don’t forget to also get rid of the springs from the thyme.

IMPORTANT!  This split peas soup will thicken drastically as it cools so be sure to add more water if needed.

Turn off the heat and serve HOT! You can always add carrots, green bananas and ground provisions to the pot if you desire, but I find that it’s not really necessary! However our grandmother would always include yam if it was in season. Also bear in mind that this is not like a North American soup, but more like a thick stew and it will (no matter how hard you try) turn out to be a very large pot of soup.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. Oh yea! Leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Meat & Poultry

Split Peas Dhal With Salted Pigtail.

11 Comments on Split Peas Dhal With Salted Pigtail.

Dhal is one of those thick soup-like dishes we make in the Caribbean, especially those islands where there’s an East Indian influence. Basically split peas soup, enhanced with turmeric and in some cases… salted meats, as we’ll be using today. Very similar to the traditional dhal recipe and the lentil peas mixed dhal recipe I shared a while back, this one is just as tasty but not vegetarian as those two earlier versions.

Though nothing beats a good serving of dhal, rice and tomato choka, I do enjoy a hot bowl of  dhal, cooked with pieces of salted pig tail… especially when I’m home sick and miss my boyhood days on the islands.

 

You’ll Need…

1lb salted pigtail
2 cups yellow split peas
4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (saffron)
8 cups water
1/2 small onion
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (I used 2 bird peppers)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon toasted geera seeds (cumin) * See notes below
2 tablespoon vegetable oil

* Notes: You can soak the split peas overnight in cool water for faster cooking time. Traditionally at the end of cooking toasted geera (cumin) seeds are added to the dhal for an enhanced flavor. I’m not a fan of geera, so you’ll notice that I didn’t add any to my pot of dhal. The salted pigtial should be enough to ‘salt’ this dish, but do taste near the end of cooking and adjust accordingly.

The first thing we’ve got to do is to remove some of the salt from the pieces of pig tail (trust me, salted pig tails are very salty). BTW I cut the pieces of pig tail into 1-1.5 inch pieces, then placed them in a pot with water. As it came to a boil I reduced the heat and allowed it to go on a rolling boil for about 20-25 minutes. The idea is to get the pieces a bit tender and remove some of the salt it’s been cured with. Drain, rinse under cool water a couple times and get ready to add to the main pot with the other ingredients.

Now it’s time to prep everything else and get the dhal cooking as it will take a while to simmer and get tender.. unless you’re using a pressure cooker (I don’t own one).

In a deep pot, put the 8 cups of water to boil. As this comes to a boil, place the split peas in a bowl and rinse with cool water.. drain and repeat. Try to work the peas between your fingers (massage), as to remove any sort of grit.

The water should be boiling at this point, so gently add the washed split peas, pieces of salted pig tail which be pre-boiled earlier, turmeric, the sliced onion, black pepper, scotch bonnet pepper and 2 cloves of the garlic (sliced thin). Bring that to a boil.. as it boils you will notice some frothy residue form at the top of the pot. Skim that off and discard. Now reduce to a very gentle simmer, cover the pot (leave a small crack open) and allow to cook for at least 1.5 hrs. Be sure to stir every 10 minutes or so.

After 1.5 hrs you should have peas which are starting to melt away and create that thick goodness dhal is famous for. You can now use a whisk or as I did.. a swizzle stick and break down the full peas a bit (refer to the video below). I’m sure you can use one of those electric immersion blenders, but try not to over do it or risk the dhal going foamy/frothy. Additionally, you’ll have to remove the pieces of slated pig tail from the pot before using the electric blender.

You should now have a thick soup-like consistency, that’s ready for the final step. Turn off the burner as it’s done cooking now.

In a small frying pan, heat the oil until it’s about to smoke, then add the other 2 cloves of garlic (sliced) and allow to cook for a couple minutes. The garlic will go golden, then proceed to go a bit black.. that’s what were looking for. Here is where you would also add the cumin seeds if you want to give it that unique (traditional) flavor. Now (be careful as you’re adding hot oil to liquid) add the heated oil with the cooked garlic slices to the pot with the cooked split peas (should be off the burner now). I use the lid of the pot as a shield with one hand and pour the heated oil with the other.

This step of adding the hot oil with cooked garlic to the pot with the cooked split peas is called “chunkay”. Now you can tell your friends that you’ve chunkayed dhal (smile). Stir the pot good and pour yourself a big bowl.. you deserve it! Remember we didn’t add any salt to this dhal as the pieces of salted pig tail should have been enough to give it enough flavor. However your tolerance for salt will be different than mine.. so taste and adjust accordingly.

The pieces of burnt garlic will look a bit weird (if you’ve never had dhal before) floating on the surface of the pot, but I assure you that this is normal and you’ll love the extra roasted/smokey sort of garlic flavor for it all.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.