Red Kidney Beans Soup Recipe - Jamaican Red Peas Soup
By Cardisa
Here I am having a bowl of soup while I play bejewel blitz......er.....I mean work.
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This Jamaican style red peas soup is loved by all Jamaicans. It is made vegetarian style or meat lovers style. In Jamaica we call the red kidney beans red peas and it is used to make so many dishes but the three dishes the red peas is known mostly for are the Jamaican style rice & peas, the stewed peas and the infamous red kidney bean soup. Red kidney bean soup is hearty and healthy and in some households it is made every Saturday. I remember when I was growing up my aunt would make soup every Saturday. Some of the soup dishes were chicken soup, beef soup, gongo peas soup and of course the red peas soup.
This version of the red kidney bean soup (red peas soup) is made with salted pigs tail. Now I know when Rasta1, my good friend sees this hub he is going "bun fiah pon me" (burn fire on me is a phrase we use to reject something we don't agree with. It's like burning an unwelcome letter).
In Jamaica we just throw our ingredients together, but yesterday while I made the red kidney beans soup I decided to take note of all the measurements for the purpose of this hub. The other thing I want to point out is that Jamaicans love a rich, very red, red peas soup so the redder the peas the better. Personally I like using the round red for my rice and peas and soup but I got the regular kidney beans yesterday and they weren't that red.
Here is what you need for your red kidney beans soup!
- 1/2 lb dried red kidney beans (red peas)
- 1 lb cured/salted pigs tail (optional - omit for vegetarians)
- 1 lb yellow yam
- 1/2 lb white potatoes
- 1/2 lb cocoyam
- 1 cup flour and 4 tablespoons cornmeal (for making dumplings)
- pinch of salt for dumplings
- 1 large bunch fresh thyme
- 2 stalks scallion
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 heaping teaspoon pimento seeds
- 1 green scotch bonnet pepper
- a very large pot
- water
The following are optional for flavor
- 1 Maggi noodle soup mix
- or a Grace noodle soup mix
- or 1 teaspoon coarsely ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground coriander seeds (my preference)
Method:
Make sure there are no foreign bodies in your peas. Wash carefully and pour 4 to 6 cups of water along with peas in a large pot. We use what we call a dutch pot, it's similar to the ancient kettle pot but without the handle and the feet.
Put your peas to boil on medium high, add smashed garlic and pimento seeds and cover pot. Let peas boil for about 20 minutes than add another cup of tap water (we call this sinking the peas). As the peas boil and the water is reduced add more. Keep checking the peas so you know when they are tender but nut fully cooked.
While the peas is being cooked put 3 cups of water to boil. Cut your pigs tail into chunks (cut them in the joint) and wash them briefly under running water. Don't cut them too small or too big. When the water boils place pigs tail in a heat proof container and pour on the boiling water and cover. Let sit for about half hour or until you need it.
When the peas are tender but not soft, drain the pigs tail and add to peas. Let cook until both pigs tail and peas are cooked. Pigs tail should be firm not mushy. Refill water to 3/4 way in pot if needed and bring to a boil again.
Peel your yam, cocoyam, and potatoes. Cut them into chunks and add to pot. Cover pot and bring to a boil again. Meanwhile make dumplings by combining flour, cornmeal and a small pinch of salt. Pour water in small amounts, using your hand bring dough together. Keep adding water until dough is formed and firm, not sticky. Kneed with heals of hand for 5 minutes then pinch of a golf ball size piece, roll to make a ball then flatten to 1/2 inch thickness and add to boiling soup. Continue adding dumplings until dough is used up.
Add your washed thyme, smashed scallion and your green scotch bonnet pepper to your pot and cover. Bring to a boil then turn flames down to medium. Before adding any seasonings please taste your soup. I personally prefer without the soup mixes. I like the cumin and coriander option or plain depending on the flavor of the pigs tail.
If salt is needed flavor to taste. You must let soup simmer for another 30 - 45 minutes, stirring consonantly. Don't worry if the potato has mashed that will make the soup thicker and richer.
You will know when the soup is done when it is rich and thick and all the flavos have come together.
ENJOY!
Red peas soup bubbling away on the stove!
Comments
This looks like a good meal except I have never eaten a pigs tail and not sure I want to. I love beans however, so I would probably try the vegetarian style.
I printed this one. My wife loves soup!
Hi J.S., thanks for the compliment. I love fava beans. I tend to make stuff sound cultural...lol. I can't help it.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Hi Pamela, you can use smoked chicken or some other cured meat if you like. Thanks for reading.
Hi Will, she is going to love this. Thanks for reading.
This recipe sounds really good! Do pig tails taste like smoked ham hocks? Sounds really good! Thank you for sharing and I will look forward to reading more of your recipes!
Looks beautiful and the ingredients are interesting and tasty choices! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Hazelwood,
The pigs tail is salted and cure but doesn't really have the smokey flavor. You can used the smoked hock too, that will give a great flavor!
Hi Sholland,
Yes it's a very tasty soup sometimes we add coconut milk too, to make it more creamy!
Soup YUM! I may have a problem finding a cured pigstail but I'll asked my local butcher. The cocoyam I am not familiar with and not sure I've ever seen one. I just noticed a comment you wrote about using smoked hock. This I know I can find. This soup looks delicious. Have bookmarked it and will try to find those cocoyams. Maybe my son can find them in Toronto for me.
Susan, just ask a Jamaican in Canada to find the ingredients for you. You may know the cocoyam by another name or you can leave it out. You can also use other kinds of firm yam if you like. Smoked meats are great to use. You can used cured beef as well.
Oh I'd love to try this out.. It's been ages since I've tried red beans :)
Will certainly give it a try this weekend - I got a whole week to get red beans!!
Hi, J.S. shared this on Facebook. This is definitely the season for soup. Voted up and useful.
Lobobrandon, I guarantee you will love it. You can make your own variation too.
Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Ann, thanks for stopping by. I am sure you will like this one, it's definitely the season for it.
Yup :) I can't wait to try it out :D
...sounds and looks yummy Miss C - and you always present us with a world class hub when it comes to food preparation and the enjoyment of it - although to be quite honest I would prefer to have you in my soup!
lake erie time 4:12pm
Hi Epigramman, I am honored that you would like me in your soup, that soup would be very spicy indeed....lol
Nice to see you Epi.
..yes I was kind of concerned for you - the other day - when you said you were tired - hope you're okay Carolee.
lake erie time 4:23pm
I got some rest. Still a little tired but doing better. Trying to take it easy so not taking on too much writing this week. Last two weeks were hectic with writing some short stories for a client.
That story I wrote using your theme, am going to send you a copy for you to read. I wrote it for a client and he loved it.
I love soup and I am always working on a new recipe, don't know if I could make the same one twice, lol. Like you I don't measure and I love red beans and no meat soup but never had red beans in soup, just know it will be good. I think I will leave out the pig tail though! Maybe a little bacon instead? Mom use to add bacon to cook beans. Ah when the snow starts falling and soup boiling and bread baking. It is almost heaven! Great hub, thanks so much!
Polly
I think I'll try the vegetarian version of this even though I'm not a vegetarian. I don't know abut pig's tail....
Polly, any cured meat will do or none at all. The beans are nutritious all the same.
Polly all those smells make me want it to snow here so I'll have an excuse to bake and cook soup all the time!
Flora, you can leave out the pigs tail or use any meat of your choice. You can use canned kidney beans for a quicker soup.
Looks like I am going to have to expand my repetoire, this looks delicious. Had to bookmark to try this weekend
Mljdgulley354, you can write on anything you want, that's what I do. This soup is one of my favorites. My fiance loves when I make this. You can add coconut cream for a creamy texture.
I love soup. I've never had this kind but i love any kind of beans, so' soups on' Cheers
Looks delicious! OK, I'm a vegetarian, so I will follow your suggestion to omit the pig's tail. I'm a big bean fan, so I'm sure I will like this. Finding cocoyams will be tough, although I think I've seen them in local Asian markets. Scotch bonnet peppers are also difficult to find outside the Caribbean, although maybe habaneros can be used as a substitute (similar heat and color).
Sounds good. I would love to try it. Can you use salt pork or bacon in place of the pigs tails? What are cocoyams? Is there another name for them that I might recognize?
Hi Ruby, 'soup's on'. I know you are just going to love it!
Hi Livelonger. Try for a pepper that wont make the soup spicy. Our green scotch bonnet is used for flavor not heat and we don't break the pepper. When the soup is done you can remove, unless you like spicy stuff. If you can't get cocoyams you can try dasheens if you can get it. Or just use 2 or 3 different kinds of firm yams.
Thanks for stopping by.
Hello Rjsadowski. In Jamaica we call them coco, I can't think of another name. But you can sub with a firm tuber. Use hard yams instead. Any cured/salted meat will do great. You can also add a bit of smoked meat if you like.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Great Hub Cardisa! I just finished eating a bowl of red peas soup for lunch!! This is definitely one of my favorites...
Susan In Canada the yams can be found in most grocery stores in Ontario as yellow yams. If in Toronto go to China Town or stop by any west indian store and they will most likely be available. They're not hard to find at all. Enjoy!
Cardisa: In that case, I'll opt for the humble jalapeno, which is spicy but definitely bearable. Didn't know the term 'dasheen' but it looks like we call that taro root - we can definitely get that here. Thanks for the substitution advice!
Genesis, you are a Jamaican at heart! Wow I made it last Saturday and am still craving it now. I can't get the flavor out of my mind. I think I'll make again this coming Saturday and update the photos here.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Livelonger, Dasheen is another type of tuber similar to the cocoyams. The other name for the cocoyam is 'taro root'.
This is a really cool recipe. When I make this, I am going to feel like I'm eating something really authentic :) You never know what you're getting in a restaurant, and I don't have any Jamaican friends to point me in the right direction. This hub has been bookmarked, and voted up! Also let me say that I like the way you write it as a recipe with the included photos.
Thank you so much Stephanie.
I believe when writing a recipe as an article it should include some information about the recipe. I used to just post the recipe but have learned to do it right.
You just made my husband's day! He loves beans and is always looking for recipes. This looks like one I want to try. I just love soups this time of year. I hope I can get all the ingredients here. There are not a lot of Jamaican families around here. I knew one family but unfortunately, have lost touch as our families went separate ways. Claudette is a Dr and I am not sure where she practices now. Harvey was in Ohio, a basketball coach. I am not sure what Paulette and Everton are doing. I miss them they were great friends.
Hi Dardia, if you can't get all the ingredients just substitute. Use a different kind of yam and smoked or cured meat instead of pigs tail. It's gonna be okay.
Tanks for stopping by.
Another great recipe Cardisa! You spice up HubPages! Thanks
Thank you 2Bsure. I hope you try this, one of my favorites!
loving it,i can smell that thyme on the plate from here. thank you
Hello Nieve1279, thyme is really a very aromatic herb and I use it in almost every thing. Thanks for stopping by.
J.S.Matthew 5 months ago
I really like how you can weave Jamaican culture into this recipe. That is quite a talent and creates an interesting article Cardisa! I like most bean varieties and enjoy Red Kidney Beans. I also like pea soup, but the Green kind. Have you ever heard of (Portuguese) Fava Beans? They can be fried or baked and lightly salted. They are very delicious. I am sure I will enjoy your recipe. Thanks for sharing on Google+. Voting up and sharing.
JSMatthew~