Stew peas is a
Jamaican stew prepared using coconut milk, beans and
salted meat. It is a common dish in Jamaica.
Overview
Stew peas is a
Jamaican stew dish prepared using
coconut milk, gungo peas (
pigeon pea
The pigeon pea (''Cajanus cajan'') is a perennial legume from the family Fabaceae native to the Old World. The pigeon pea is widely cultivated in tropical and semitropical regions around the world, being commonly consumed in South Asia, South ...
s) or red peas (
kidney beans), uncured meats and
salted meats such as pork and beef as primary ingredients.
Additional ingredients can include onion, garlic,
escallion
''Allium fistulosum'', the Welsh onion, also commonly called bunching onion, long green onion, Japanese bunching onion, and spring onion, is a species of perennial plant, often considered to be a kind of scallion.
The species is very similar ...
s,
pig tail, herbs and spices.
In addition to being a main ingredient, the beans also serve to
thicken the stew.
Pinto beans are more commonly used in the dish in Spanish-speaking areas of the Caribbean.
Canned beans can also be used to prepare stew peas, and the dish can be prepared using a pressure cooker.
It is sometimes prepared without the use of meat.
In Jamaica, stew peas is often prepared using flour
dumplings known as "spinners" in Jamaica.
Stew peas is commonly served atop rice or with a side dish of
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...
.
Rice is typically not included in the stew itself when it is cooked, and the stew serves to moisten and complement the separately-prepared rice.
Stew peas contains a considerable amount of protein.
Stew peas is available in many areas of the Caribbean, is very popular in Jamaica, and has been described as a
national dish of Jamaica.
The dish is prepared in various unique ways by Jamaicans, and has been described as a staple dish in Jamaican homes and restaurants.
In September 1992, the Jamaican newspaper ''
The Gleaner
''The Gleaner'' is an English-language, morning daily newspaper founded by two brothers, Jacob and Joshua de Cordova on 13 September 1834 in Kingston, Jamaica. Originally called the ''Daily Gleaner'', the name was changed on 7 December 1992 to ' ...
'' declared stew peas with rice as "the best dish made in Jamaica" in its Home, Living and Food Guide.
History
Stew peas has been a dish in Jamaica since at least the 1940s, and recipes for it began to appear in cookbooks in the 1970s.
See also
*
List of bean soups
*
List of Jamaican dishes and foods
*
List of dishes made using coconut milk
This is a list of notable dishes made using coconut milk. Coconut milk is the liquid that comes from the grated meat of a coconut. The color and rich taste of the milk can be attributed to the high oil content. Most of the fat is saturated f ...
*
Oil down
Oil down is a salted meat and vegetable stew that is the national dish of Grenada.
Description
Oil down is a stew of breadfruit, salted meat, chicken, dumplings, callaloo, and other vegetables stewed in coconut milk, herbs, and spices. The name ...
– a
Grenadian stew prepared using coconut milk and salted meat
*
Rice and peas
Rice and peas (or peas and rice) is a traditional food within the West Indian Caribbean islands. The 'peas' are traditionally pigeon peas, but more often substituted with kidney beans, and the dish is frequently served with curry goat.
In 19 ...
– a common dish in the Caribbean
*
Run down – a Jamaican stew prepared using reduced coconut milk and meats
References
External links
Jamaican Stew Peas and Rice Recipe Cook Like a Jamaican.
{{Soups
Jamaican stews
Bean soups
Foods containing coconut
Meat dishes
Australian soups