Janice’s Jamaican Stew Peas with dumplings

 

(serves 6)

 

Ingredients

 

For the stew

1 tin of Kidney beans or if preferred two cups of home cooked kidney beans. If home cooked kidney beans are used add 11/2 cup of the cooking water from the beans.

 

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and sliced

1 small potato peeled and cubed

1 tbsp of vegetable or olive oil

1 clove of garlic crushed

 

1 tsp. heaped of cumin or grams masala

2 vegetable stock cubes

A sprig of thyme or winter savoury

½ tsp of curry powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Coconut cream or milk to taste (about 5/6 tbsp milk or 2 one inch square pieces if from a block)

 

For the dumplings

 

1 mug of Plain flour

6-8 Tbsp water

Pinch of salt if desired

 

Method dumplings

Put the flour in a deep bowl add salt if desired and slowly add the water a little at a time stirring thoroughly after each addition. When the flour mixture begins to hold together, use your hands or a spoon (remember to wash them first!) to knead the mixture. You want it to be very slightly sticky but holding together firmly and easy to remove from your hands. If it’s too dry add a little more water and if it is sticking to your hands and coming away from the mixture add a little flour. It should be like a slightly stickier version of dough and drier than an English dumpling mixture.

 

 

Put to one side for adding to the stew later.

 

 

 

Put the oil in a large frying pan or wide saucepan. Add the onions and fry until transparent. Add the garlic. Add drained contents of the tin of beans or cooked beans reserving the water for use later. (If you prefer you can reserve the liquid from the tin, but then try to get tins with no sugar or salt added.) Add the carrot and potatoes. Sprinkle all the seasonings on top and stir well.

 

 

 

Form the dough mixture into small dumplings - both round flat shapes, like saucers about an inch across and long oval shapes like thin sausages, about an inch and a half long and ¼ inch wide. Place them in the stew mixture. Add 2 and half cups of the reserved water use fresh water if there is not enough reserved water. Then add the coconut milk or coconut cream and stir in thoroughly. Cover; bring to the boil and then simmer until the dumplings and potatoes are cooked –approximately 20 minutes. The dumplings will feel firm when cooked and will retain their shape if pressed. Test by prodding with a fork or taking out of pot and cutting in half.

 

 

(Alternatively you can cook them in a saucepan of boiling lightly salted water for 20 minutes and add to the stew at the end or serve separately.)

 

 

TIPS

 

 

If a richer colour is preferred, especially if using tin kidney beans, you can add a tablespoon of tomato puree. Let it simmer without a lid to reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavours.

 

If you want the sauce to be thicker you can crush some of the potato into the sauce to thicken it further.

 

For a tastier and more colourful version cook the peas yourself until soft but not dissolving, following the directions on the pack. Remember Kidney beans should always be cooked properly and always boil by putting in cold water first never boiling water. Reserve the cooking water as it has a deep colour and gives a better flavour.

 

If you’ve cooked too many kidney beans, when they have cooled you can freeze them with the water for use another time.

 

You can also add other vegetables to this if you like or adjust the seasonings to suit your own taste.

Want to make this a part of a complete meal?

 

Why not have:

 

· Rita’s Jollof rice or plain steamed rice , · Crunchy Mixed leaf Green salad, · Fried ripe plantain

 

With Tropical fresh fruit salad and non alcoholic ginger beer to follow.