← Nouns Cooking · Caribbean

Ingredients

• 200 g yellow split peas, rinsed
• 2 l water or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp Coconut oil
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 3 Spring onion, chopped
• 4 sprigs Thyme
• 1 Carrot, diced
• 250 g Pumpkin or squash, diced
• 4 corn cobs, cut into 4 cm rounds
• 200 ml Coconut milk (optional)
• 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, left whole
• 1½ tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander (or chadon beni)
• 60 g plain flour, for the dumplings
• 30 g fine cornmeal, for the dumplings

Method

1. Simmer the split peas in the water in a large covered pot for 30 min, until they start to fall apart.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and soften the onion, garlic, celery and spring onion for 5 min. Tip them into the soup with the thyme, carrot and pumpkin.
3. Simmer for 15 min, then whisk or blend briefly so the peas and pumpkin thicken the broth.
4. Mix the flour and cornmeal with a pinch of salt and 3–4 tbsp water into a stiff dough. Roll into thin ropes and pinch off 2 cm pieces.
5. Add the corn, coconut milk (if using), whole scotch bonnet, salt and dumplings to the pot. Simmer for 15 min, until the corn is tender and the dumplings float and are cooked through.
6. Remove the pepper, stir in the coriander and serve piping hot, with pepper sauce on the side.

Tips

• Stir the bottom of the pot often once the peas break down, as the thick soup catches easily.
• Street vendors often add salted pig tail; simmer it with the split peas if you want the meaty version.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Simply Trini Cooking Alica's Pepperpot CaribbeanPot.com