The Bahamas - Curried Plantain Soup

I may not know much about the Bahamas, but they make a damn fine soup there.

Plantains and curry are two staples of Caribbean cuisine and go well with many things, but this is the first time I've enjoyed them together in one dish.  Not certain if this is a traditional dish or something that has been fancified by a clever chef using local ingredients.  Either way, it is very delicious and filling.

Three good sized plantains are good enough for this recipe, but if you may add another one or two for an extra thick soup, if that is more to your liking.


And here it is:

Curried Plantain Soup

1 small onion, or, 2 shallots
2 stalks celery, both ends trimmed off
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 one-inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsps light vegetable oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 plantains
2 tbsps curry powder
1 tbsp cider vinegar
4 cups chicken stock or water
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
nutmeg and finely chopped cilantro to garnish

1. Peel the plantains and chop them.  Chop all the other vegetables and keep separate from the plantains.

2. Heat the oil in a large pot.  Sauté the onion/shallots, celery, garlic and ginger until lightly browned.

3. Stir in the brown sugar and carmelize lightly.  Add the curry powder and plantains and mix well.

4. Add the cider vinegar and chicken stock, stir well, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 10 more minutes.

6. Remove from heat and blend the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender.

7. Serve and garnish with a sprinkling of nutmeg and chopped cilantro.  Devour.

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.