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Stew peas with spinners
Kidney beans slow-cooked in coconut milk with thyme, pimento, mushrooms and little flour dumplings (soak the beans overnight)
Stew peas is a thick, comforting Jamaican one-pot of red kidney beans simmered in coconut milk until creamy, studded with 'spinners', small hand-rolled dumplings. It's a classic Wednesday or Saturday dinner across the island, usually cooked with pig's tail and salt beef. Here mushrooms browned hard and a little smoked paprika bring the savoury depth instead, so nothing is missing. Serve over plain white rice. Chef's tip: when the beans are soft, crush a ladleful against the side of the pot. Stew peas should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and the crushed beans give that body without any flour.
- Total time
- 95 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the stew
For the spinners
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Drain and rinse the soaked 14 oz dried red kidney beans. Put them in a large heavy pot with 1.5 litres water, 5 cloves garlic and 8 allspice (pimento) berries. Bring to a hard boil and boil for 10 minutes; raw kidney beans contain a toxin that only this fierce boil destroys, so don't skip it.
15 minStep 2: Lower the heat, partly cover and simmer for 45–60 minutes, until the beans are completely soft and crush easily between your fingers. Top up with hot water if they peek above the liquid.
55 minStep 3: Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add 9 oz chestnut mushrooms in one layer and leave them for 3 minutes before stirring, then cook 3–4 minutes more until deeply browned and squeaky-dry. This browning gives the meaty flavour, so don't stir too soon.
7 minStep 4: Lower the heat to medium, add 1 onion, 3 spring onions and 5 sprigs fresh thyme to the mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes until soft. Stir in 1 tsp smoked paprika for 30 seconds, then tip everything into the beans.
5 minStep 5: Make the spinners: mix 4 oz plain flour and ¼ tsp salt, then add ¼ cup cold water a little at a time to make a firm, smooth dough. Knead for 1 minute. Pinch off pieces the size of a small grape and roll each between your palms into a thin 5 cm 'spinner', tapered at both ends.
Step 6: Add 1 ¾ cups coconut milk, 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper to the pot, lay 1 scotch bonnet pepper on top whole, and bring to a simmer. Keep it whole for flavour and mild warmth; split it open only if you want real heat.
Step 7: Drop in the spinners one at a time, stirring so they don't stick together. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring often so the bottom doesn't catch, until the spinners are firm and cooked through (cut one open: no raw dough in the centre).
15 minStep 8: Crush a ladleful of beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in. Simmer a few minutes more until the stew is thick and creamy, like a loose gravy. Remove the scotch bonnet and thyme stalks, taste for salt and serve over rice.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 82 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 20 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does stew peas with spinners take?
- About 95 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 80 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of chestnut mushrooms?
- Aubergine, diced, same weight.
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