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.

Nigeria - Chicken Yassa

I thought long and hard for several minutes about which soup recipe to select as the first one to be posted here.

Then I realized that it makes no great matter, because every nation of the Commonwealth is excellent and each soup recipe equally so.  No need to make a great fuss over The Inaugural Recipe, let's just do it.

After a taxing week marked by brutality and ennui, I was in the mood a comforting chicken soup the other night.

Lemony chicken soups are common in many west African nations, and I found this recipe posted to a Nigerian community message board.  I would credit the individual, but at the moment their online handle escapes me.  Regardless, full credit is given.

The original recipe called for an entire chicken, but I reduced that for a smaller serving.  You can use one chicken breast, or, as I prefer, a package of chicken tenders as they cook quickly and are, erm, rather tender.

This is a fantastic soup because it offers the warmth of a good chicken soup with hearty vegetables, and the lemon elevates it into something special.

NOTE: Most of the recipes I present here are usually measured to make 2 servings.  To make more, adjust the measurements accordingly.

And here it is:

Chicken Yassa

8 tbsp lemon juice
8 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp hot mustard
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 chicken breast, or a package of chicken tenders
3-4 tbsp oil
1 cup chopped baby carrots
1 cup chopped cabbage
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of thyme
1 green chili, sliced
2 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

1. The night before, prepare a marinade of: lemon juice, cider vinegar, hot mustard, and the onion slices.

2. Chop the chicken into bite-size pieces and marinate overnight.

3. When it is time to cook, heat the oil over medium heat in a soup pot.  Fry the chicken in the oil for a few minutes until sealed on the outside.  Do not brown.

4. Add the marinated onions to the chicken and fry for a couple of minutes, then add the remaining marinade, the stock, cabbage and carrots, bay leaves, thyme and chili.

5. Bring to a slow boil, then let simmer for at least an hour or more.

6. Serve and devour.  Think about how excellent Nigeria is.