Jamaican Stew Peas with Pig's Tail

Ingredients

• 1 lb Salted pig's tail (cleaned and chopped into pieces)
• 1 lb Red kidney beans (dried, washed thoroughly)
• 4 Garlic (cloves, chopped)
• 8 cup Water (as needed for boiling)
• 1 cup Coconut milk (rich, full-fat)
• 2 Scallion (crushed or tied in a bundle)
• 3 sprig Fresh thyme
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (kept whole to avoid excessive heat)
• 6 Pimento seeds (allspice berries)
• 1 tbsp All-purpose seasoning (or to taste)
• 1 cup All-purpose flour (for dumplings)
• Salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Wash the red kidney beans (peas) thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris.

2. 2

   Place the washed beans in a large pot with water and the chopped garlic. The garlic helps tenderize the beans as they cook.

3. 3

   Wash the salted pig's tail to remove excess salt. If the meat is very salty, you may want to boil it separately for 10-15 minutes and discard the water before adding it to the beans.

4. 4

   Add the pig's tail to the pot with the beans and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.

5. 5

   Cover the pot and allow the mixture to simmer slowly until the beans and meat are tender. This typically takes between 1.5 to 2 hours. Ensure the beans have released their color and the liquid has thickened slightly.

6. 6

   Once tender, add 1 cup of coconut milk, the scallion, fresh thyme, whole scotch bonnet pepper, and pimento seeds to the pot.

7. 7

   Season the stew with all-purpose seasoning, salt, and black pepper to taste. Be careful with salt as the pig's tail is already salty.

8. 8

   Prepare the spinner dumplings by mixing flour, a pinch of salt, and a small amount of water in a bowl. Knead until a tight, firm dough ball forms.

9. 9

   Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll them between the palms of your hands to create long, tapered shapes (spinners).

10. 10

    Drop the dumplings into the simmering stew. Stir gently to ensure they don't stick together.

11. 11

    Cover and allow the stew to simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the dumplings are cooked through and the sauce has reached a thick, creamy consistency.

12. 12

    Remove the scallion stalks and thyme sprigs before serving. Serve hot over plain white rice.

Notes

If you do not eat pork, you can substitute the pig's tail with salted beef or turkey neck. To save time, you can use a pressure cooker to cook the beans and meat, which will reduce the initial cooking time to about 30-40 minutes.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Jamaican
• stew
• comfort food
• pork
• beans
• slow-cooked
• dinner