Peas and Dumplings – Caribbean Style

This is my mother’s recipe and one of my favorite dishes. My mother usually makes this at Christmas time. However, I usually request this every time I go home to visit.

½ package green or brown (dried) pigeon peas
2 or 3 clove sticks
Fresh garlic
1 medium onion – sliced or chopped
Green herbs – thyme, green onion etc.
1-2 teaspoons sugar
Salt to taste
Water

For dumplings
1-cup flour
½ tsp. Salt
Water to make firm dough

Boil peas in water until soft. You can use a pressure cooker for this. If you don’t have a pressure cooker soak peas overnight in hot water and then boil in regular pot until soft.

While peas are boiling make dumplings. Mix flour salt and water together to make firm dough. Set aside in bowl.

Add the cloves, fresh garlic, onion, green herbs, sugar and salt to the peas. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for a few minutes. Form dumplings by taking small pieces of the dough and rolling them between your palms. Add to peas. Continue to simmer until dumplings are cooked. Turn off and serve.
This is delicious by itself or as a side dish with a meal

Ginger Beer

This is a drink that is very popular in the Caribbean during the Christmas season. It is very easy to make and also very refreshing.

1 lb fresh ginger (that is the ginger root)
~ 2 pints hot water
White Sugar to taste
Clean bottles to store.

Peel and grate the ginger. Put into a large bowl and pour the hot water over it. Cover and leave overnight. Next day strain into another bowl. I usually use a clean towel to do this as it works best to keep all the ginger pieces from getting into the strained liquid. Sweeten to taste. Pour into clean bottles and store in the fridge. To serve pour over ice. If the ginger beer is too strong you can add more water or some club soda

Punch -a- Cream

This is one of the traditional Caribbean Christmas drinks. It is absolutely our favorite drink at Christmas. It's similar to eggnog but soooooooooo much better. We drink it cold (over crushed ice), not hot.

1 can evaporated milk
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
2-3 laurel (bay) leaves
Nutmeg to taste (grated)
White rum to taste

Simmer the evaporated milk with the bay leaves for 30 min. Remove bay leaves and mix evaporated milk, condensed milk and egg in blender. Add grated nutmeg and rum (a little or a lot). Bottle, allow to cool and refrigerate. Serve over crushed ice. (Note – shake bottle before serving as the grated nutmeg tends to settle to the bottom)
This quantity should make about 2 liters (~half gallon