Corn soup
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Serves 4
Full of veg and flavoured with fiery, fresh green seasoning, you'll find this Trinidadian soup all over the island, especially during carnival.
Ingredients
- split peas: 250g/9oz split peas
- : 1 vegetable or chicken stock cube
- coconut milk: 250ml/9fl oz coconut milk
- thyme: few sprigs thyme
- bay leaves: 3 bay leaves
- : 4 corn on the cob, each cut into 4 or 5 pieces
- carrots: 2 carrots, peeled and cubed
- potatoes: 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
- yam: small piece yam (approx.100–150g/3½–5½oz), peeled and cubed
- sweet potato: 1 sweet potato (approx.100–150g/3½–5½oz), peeled and cubed
- pumpkin: small piece seasonal squash or pumpkin (approx.100–150g/3½–5½oz), peeled and cubed
- black pepper: salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the green seasoning
- onion: 1 onion, roughly chopped
- garlic: 4 garlic cloves
- coriander: 60g/2¼oz coriander
- spring onions: 4 spring onions
- ginger: 10g/⅓oz fresh root ginger
- thyme: few sprigs thyme
- celery: 2 celery stalks
- Scotch bonnet chillies: 2 Scotch bonnet chillies, left whole
- vegetable oil: 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Method
Tip the split peas into a pan with 1.5 litres/2¾ pints water and the stock cube. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 35–40 minutes.
Whilst the split peas are boiling, make the green seasoning. Put all the ingredients in a blender with a little water. Blend to form a thick, textured paste. This will last for 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.
Add 2–3 tablespoons of the green seasoning to the split peas. Once the split peas are completely soft, whizz to a purée using a blender.
Pour in another 500ml/18fl oz water, along with the coconut milk, thyme and bay leaves. Leave to simmer for another 15 minutes until thickened a little. Season to taste.
Add the sliced corn, cover with a lid and cook for 5–8 minutes more. Add the remaining vegetables and cook for a further 10 minutes or until tender.
Ladle into warmed bowls and serve hot.
Recipe tips
Make sure all the vegetables are cubed to roughly the same size to make sure they cook evenly.
You will make more green seasoning than you need, add the rest to stews, curries or other slow-cooked dishes.
