Jamaican Stew Peas

This Jamaican stew is made using red beans, meat and is cooked an aromatic coconut milk broth with Jamaican spices and spinners . A hearty Island stew. Despite the name, this stew does not contain peas at all. It actually has kidney beans, which are called red peas in Jamaica. You can start by cooking them from scratch, which would take you some time or just go with canned beans.  

The Stew Peas recipe is a very popular Jamaican dish and it’s traditionally plated with white rice. Growing up in Jamaica this was one of my favorite dish and no one made it better then my mom.  As a young child I most confuse I use to request for my mum to cook me this dish at least ones a week. There was also a traditionally (I don’t know how it started) that the local restaurants and cook shops had it on their memu on a Wednesday as a special item. 

The dish however, as been adjust over the years by many to suit the plate of non port eaters and even vegans. In this blog I will be showing you the three different ways in which you can cook this dish. 

Ingredients: 1 lb pickled Pig's tail cut in 1" pieces 1 lb Beef round cut in 1" cubes 1 lb Pork cut in 1" cubes 1 lb Red Kidney beans 1/4 stick of Butter 1/2 Lrg. Onion, chopped 2 stalks Escallion, chopped 1 sprig Thyme 1 whole Green Scotch Bonnet pepper 2 cloves Garlic, crushed and chopped 16 ozs Coconut Milk 1 tsp Dried Pimento berries Salt to taste 

Spinners (small elongated dumplings) 1 Cup Flour 1/4 Cup Water 1/2 tsp Salt 

Method: 1. After the Pigs tail has been cut into 1" pieces put them in a pressure cooker half filled with water. 

2. After 10 minutes, dump the water replace with fresh water and add the dried red kidney beans, beef pieces, pork pieces and a clove of garlic. Set to pressure for 20 minutes.

3. Add salt to the flour and mix thoroughly before gradually adding the water to the mixture. Knead the dough and set aside in the bowl covered.

4. Once the meat is tender the mixture can be transferred to a dutch oven pot or the stew can be finished in the pressure cooker depending on your choice.

5. Add the coconut milk and pimento to the pot and set on medium heat.

6. Once the pot is up to a bowl, start making dumplings that should be the size of a pinkie finger or smaller, and then added them to the pot. Allow to bowl for 10 minutes.

7. Add pepper, thyme, onion, rest of garlic, butter and eskellion to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to stir the pot to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Cover and simmer until the stew thickens.

Due to the inclusion of a pickled meat in this dish make sure to taste before adding additional salt to the dish. Also, if there is an intense smell of pepper at anytime thorough the cooking process, remove the pepper as it has burst and if left in the pot will give the stew too much heat. 

NON PORK RECIPE 

INGREDIENTS : 2 cups red peas ½ lb salt beef 1 lb stew beef  1 scotch bonnet pepper 2 stalk escallion 3 sprig thyme 2 cups coconut milk(or 1/4 box) 6 pimento seed 3 cloves garlic salt and pepper to taste spinners (See Recipe Above) METHOD: 1. Boil and drain salt beef twice, in a medium size pan.

2. Place peas, meat and garlic together in the pan, boil until peas are tender, about 1 ½ hour. Add coconut cream, spinners, and seasoning, cook for about an hour.

3. Season to taste.

4. Thicken the mix with 3 tablespoons of flour combined with 1/4 cup water. Strain the mixture into the stew.

5. Boil until it thickens. Serve with rice.

VEGAN RECIPE 

Ingredients:

2 cups dried kidney beans 

6 cups water 2 cups coconut milk 1 onion, minced and/or 2 scallions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 carrot, diced 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste 1 sprig thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper (with stem intact) 1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger grated(optional) 1/4 teaspoon ground all spice optional 1 recipe for dumplings (spinners see recipe above)  

Directions: 1. Soaking beans night before 

2. Sort and wash beans, soak in water overnight or for at least 8 hours. The following day discard water and rinse beans. 

3. place in a saucepan with water and bring to boil, lower heat to simmer until tender for about 1 hour. 

4. Add coconut milk, carrots, onion, garlic, and continue simmering. 

5. Add spinners and thyme and other seasonings, simmer for another 30 minutes or until sauce is thick. 

6. Discard pepper before serving. Delicious served with brown rice and salad!