The West Indian corn soup is perfect for fall, as the weather starts to change and gets a bit colder. Here’s how to make it:
“West Indian corn soup” Ingredients
2 tbls. vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 lb. potato, peeled and quartered
2 carrots, diced
1⁄3 cup chives, chopped
1⁄4 cup celery, finely chopped
1⁄3 cup fresh thyme, chopped
3⁄4 cup yellow split peas
2 pimento pepper (optional)
8 cups chicken stock
1 scotch bonnet pepper or 1 habanero pepper, left whole
1⁄2 cup coconut milk (optional)
6 ears corn, cut into two-inch pieces
8 dumplings (or more)
1⁄4 cup cilantro, chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
Flour for dumplings
Method
In a large soup pot heat oil. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, thyme and pimento peppers and cook for about five minutes stirring constantly. Add the split peas and stock.
Add salt and black pepper to taste. Add the scotch bonnet pepper and, if using, the coconut milk.
Cover the pot and simmer for about an hour until peas are soft.
Use an immersion or ordinary blender and puree soup to a thick and creamy consistency and return to the pot. Add corn and dumplings and cook for a further 20 minutes until corn is cooked and the dumplings float to the surface.
Dumplings can be added to the soup in the last 10 minutes, a mix of flour, water and sugar, made into small balls and dropped into soup.
Add cilantro, remove from the heat, taste and adjust seasonings.
If soup is too thick at any time, add water.
Serve hot.
