Description
Trinidad Corn Soup is a hearty, flavorful Caribbean street-food favorite made with sweet corn, split peas, vegetables, coconut milk, and soft gluten-free dumplings. This comforting one-pot vegan soup is packed with warming herbs and spices, making it a satisfying meal for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 chives (scallions), sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 3/4 cup presoaked split peas, drained
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato, chopped
- 4 sprigs thyme, stems removed
- 1/4 teaspoon chadon beni, chopped (or cilantro/coriander)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon pink salt
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 3 cups warm water
- 1 (14 oz / 400 ml) can coconut milk
- 5 ears of corn, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup corn kernels, preferably organic (optional)
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1 cup pumpkin, chopped
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper
- Additional black pepper and pink salt, to taste
- For the dumplings
- 1 cup gluten-free flour
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/4 teaspoon pink salt
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, chives, garlic, and celery. Sauté until softened and translucent.
- Add the drained split peas, red bell pepper, and sweet potato. Stir, then season with thyme, chadon beni, black pepper, and pink salt.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and warm water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the split peas are soft enough to mash easily with a fork or spoon.
- Remove the lid and use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot.
- Add the coconut milk, corn pieces, corn kernels if using, carrot, pumpkin, and whole Scotch bonnet pepper.
- Make the dumplings: Combine the gluten-free flour and pink salt in a medium bowl. Gradually add the warm water, kneading until a large dough ball forms.
- Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll each piece between your palms into a long, thin spinner-shaped dumpling.
- Carefully add each dumpling to the soup. Continue simmering for another 20 minutes.
- Taste and adjust the black pepper and pink salt as needed.
- Remove the Scotch bonnet pepper before serving.
Notes
- Cut the corn cobs into roughly equal-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- The extra corn kernels are optional. Some kernels may naturally fall off the cob as the soup cooks.
- This soup is vegan and gluten-free when prepared with gluten-free flour and suitable vegetable stock.
- If you cannot find chadon beni, substitute cilantro or coriander. Chadon beni is also known as spirit weed or long coriander.
- The soup may thicken as it cools or sits overnight. Add a splash of water when reheating to loosen it.
- Scotch bonnet peppers are very hot. Keep the pepper whole and avoid piercing or cutting it if you want its flavor without adding too much heat. Remove it before serving.
- In Trinidad, scallions or green onions are sometimes referred to as chives.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Caribbean, Trinidadian