Stew Peas served with white rice is one of my all time favorites. It is an essential and authentic Jamaican recipe that should be part of any Caribbean food-lover’s gourmet repertoire. I will eat it any day any time. The traditional Stew Peas recipe has pig-tails but recently “non-pork” lovers have been substituting it with smoked turkey neck. While there is nothing wrong with making that substitution, for me it is not Stew Peas without pig-tails. Try my Simple Jamaican Stew Peas Recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 Salted Pig Tails, to be soaked overnight (cut in 2-inch pieces)
• 1 cup  Dry Kidney Beans, to be soaked overnight
• 1 pound  Stewing Beef, cut in cubes
• 1 Tablespoon Butter (or Margarine)
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 2  Tablespoons Red and Green Bell Peppers, finely chopped
• 2-3 slices Scotch Bonnet Pepper
• 2 Scallion or Green Onion (white parts only)
• 2-3 sprigs Fresh Thyme (or 1 tsp Dried Thyme)
• Black Pepper as per taste
• 1 teaspoon Pimento seeds (optional)

Spinners (spindle shaped long dumplings)

• 3/4 cup Flour
• pinch of Salt

Mix the flour and salt together. Prepare soft dough by adding water and kneading it well. Keep it aside.

The red beans and pig tails need to be rinsed in cold water and then need to be soaked overnight in 4 cups of water and 6 cups of water each respectively.

Directions

1. Drain the pig tails and place them in a pot.
2. Fill the pot with some cold and fresh water and put it to boil for 4-5 minutes. Once done, drain the water and fill it again with some more fresh and cold water (around 6 cups) and boil it again.
3. Once it comes to a boil, put the red beans (without draining them) and the stewing beef in it.
4. Cook it covered for an hour or so till the meat is cooked (keep on adding water occasionally)
5. While this happens, place a pan over medium flame and melt some butter in it. Add the onions and sauté them till they turn transparent. Add in scallions and peppers and sauté them too.
6. Transfer the contents of the pan to the pot along with the remaining scallions, thyme, some pimento and bonnet peppers.
7. Sprinkle some salt and black pepper, as per taste and continue to stir for few minutes.
8. Remove the bonnet peppers from the pot when desired.
9. Prepare spinners (spindle-shaped small dumplings) from the dough and add them to the pot. Continue to cook it covered till the spinners are well cooked and the stew has reached the desired thickness.
10. Just before serving, remove the un-chopped scallions, thyme sprigs and pimento (if used).
11. Serve it hot with fried plantain or a dish of your choice.