📝 About This Recipe
This soul-warming soup is a cornerstone of Caribbean comfort food, blending earthy pigeon peas with a vibrant medley of 'ground provisions' like sweet potatoes and pumpkin. Simmered in a rich, coconut-infused broth seasoned with fresh thyme and scotch bonnet pepper, it offers a perfect balance of savory and aromatic flavors. The addition of hand-rolled 'spinners'—dense, chewy dumplings—makes this a hearty one-pot masterpiece that tastes like a warm island embrace.
🥗 Ingredients
The Soup Base
- 2 cans Pigeon Peas (15oz each, drained and rinsed; or 2 cups fresh/boiled)
- 1 can Coconut Milk (full-fat for richness)
- 6 cups Vegetable or Chicken Stock (low sodium preferred)
- 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
- 1 Yellow Onion (finely diced)
- 4 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 3 stalks Scallions (bruised and chopped)
Ground Provisions & Aromatics
- 2 cups Calabaza Pumpkin or Butternut Squash (peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 large Sweet Potato (peeled and cubed)
- 2 medium Carrots (sliced into rounds)
- 4 sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 1 whole Scotch Bonnet Pepper (kept whole to avoid extreme heat)
- 5 Allspice Berries (Pimento) (crushed)
For the Spinner Dumplings
- 1.5 cups All-purpose Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 cup Water (cold, added incrementally)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions, garlic, and scallions for 4-5 minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
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2
Stir in the crushed allspice berries and the pigeon peas. Let them sauté with the aromatics for about 2 minutes to develop a nutty depth of flavor.
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3
Pour in the stock and the coconut milk. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
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4
Add the pumpkin, sweet potato, and carrots. Toss in the thyme sprigs and the whole scotch bonnet pepper. Be careful not to puncture the pepper unless you want intense heat!
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5
While the soup simmers, prepare the dumplings. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
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6
Gradually add cold water to the flour, a tablespoon at a time, kneading until a stiff, smooth dough forms. It should not be sticky.
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7
To make 'spinners', pinch off a small piece of dough (about the size of a marble) and roll it between your palms to create a long, thin tapered cylinder.
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8
Check the pumpkin in the pot; once it starts to soften (about 15-20 minutes of simmering), use a wooden spoon to mash a few pieces against the side of the pot to thicken the broth.
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9
Gently drop the dumplings into the bubbling soup. They will sink at first but will eventually float as they cook.
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10
Cover the pot and simmer for another 15-20 minutes. This allows the dumplings to cook through and the flavors to meld into a rich, velvety consistency.
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11
Taste the soup and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Remove the thyme stems and the whole scotch bonnet pepper before serving.
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12
Ladle the thick soup into deep bowls, ensuring everyone gets plenty of peas, provisions, and at least 3-4 dumplings.
💡 Chef's Tips
For an even thicker soup, mash half a cup of the pigeon peas before adding them to the pot. If you can't find calabaza pumpkin, butternut squash or Hubbard squash are excellent substitutes. Always keep the scotch bonnet whole and remove it carefully; the flavor is in the skin, but the fire is in the seeds! Do not over-knead the dumpling dough, or they will become tough rather than pleasantly chewy. Leftovers taste even better the next day as the starches from the dumplings and potatoes further thicken the broth.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of buttery Jamaican hard dough bread for dipping. Pair with a cold glass of Sorrel or Ginger Beer to balance the savory spices. A squeeze of fresh lime juice just before eating can brighten the heavy flavors. Top with fresh cilantro or extra chopped scallions for a pop of color and freshness. Serve as a main course on a rainy Sunday—the ultimate Caribbean tradition.