Tanzania - Coconut Black-Eyed Pea Soup

The United Republic of Tanzania is a fantastic nation.  An amalgamation of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, I should like to visit there someday, if only to express thanks to the local people for giving the world this delicious soup recipe.

Local cooks would make this soup as thick as possible, with more beans and rice than measured out below, to make it more like a stew and thus a main dish at mealtime.  You may do so of course, but I went with the recipe below, which resulted in a soup befitting Tanzania's fantastic status.

I used black-eyed peas, but you chefs at home can use any bean you like, such as red kidney beans, pigeon peas, etc.

And here it is:

Coconut Black-Eyed Pea Soup

1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 tbsp curry powder
3 tbsps butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup fresh chopped tomato, or one small can diced tomatoes with their liquid
1 large can black-eyed peas, or kidney beans, pigeon peas, etc.
2 cans coconut milk
1/2 cup cooked rice
1 tbsp lightly toasted shredded coconut

1. In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium heat.

2. Add the onion and green pepper and fry until softened, but not browned.

3. Add the curry powder, salt and pepper and stir.

4. Add the tomato, stir and let it cook for two minutes.

5. Add the beans and their liquid.

6. Add the coconut milk, stir until everything is nicely blended, then lower heat and simmer for at least a half-hour.

7. Add the cooked rice, and let simmer for 10 additional minutes.

8. Top each bowl of soup with the shredded coconut, serve, devour, and give some warm thoughts to the Tanzanian cooks who fed you so well.