Trini Corn Soup

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup yellow split peas, washed
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 1 lb english potato, peeled and quartered
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1/3 cup fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1/3 cup chives, chopped
• 6 ears corn, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 congo hot pepper
• 2 pimento pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (optional)

For dumplings

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. 1

   for dumplings: Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and rub the butter into the flour until the mixture is grainy, slowly add the water and knead into a stiff dough. Cover and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Divide the dumpling dough into two pieces,roll each dough into a long rope about 12 inches in length and cup into 2 inch lenghts.

3. 3

   Drop into the boiling soup.

4. 4

   Soup: In a large soup pot, heat the oil.

5. 5

   Saute onions and garlic until fragrant.

6. 6

   Add potatoes, carrots, chives, celery, peminto peppers and thyme and cook for about 5 minutes.

7. 7

   Add split peas and broth, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and bring to a boil.

8. 8

   Add the Congo pepper and coconut milk, then cover and simmer for about 1 hour until the peas are soft.

9. 9

   Puree the soup to a thick and creamy consistency, return to the pot.

10. 10

    Add corn and dumplings and continue to cook for a further 20 minutes until the dumplings float to the surface.

11. 11

    add the cilentro, remove from the heat, adjust the seasonings to taste.