Lentil Peas Soup: Revitalize your senses

Lentil peas soup is a hearty thick soup that excites the senses on a drab, dreary long day after work. The smell of it revitalizes you, so much more for the soup itself. On those days when you don’t feel like cooking, try a nice pot of lentil peas soup. You won’t be disappointed at all.

A Hearty Lentil Peas Soup

Meat? Not necessary. Lentil peas contains enough protein to meet your daily requirements. These bad boys are packed full of protein. And, they’re good for you too. You get protein and fiber all wrapped up in one little pea. Yes! lentil peas are a good source of all these nutrients and, for the cook at home, it is easy to prepare.

The Benefits of a Good Lentil Peas Soup

For years lentils has been a staple in the Trini diet since it is cheap and goes a long way. We use it as a stew to go along with rice mostly. But, with the high interest in vegetarianism among our society, it has been getting more recognition. Do you know that lentil peas actually lowers blood glucose levels? It’s a fact. If you don’t believe me, do some research and you will see the evidence is out there.

In our case here in Simply Trini Cooking we have been using lentils in numerous recipes over the years. We did lentil patties, lentil peas and rice (our traditional meal) and lentil loaf; a vegetarian loaf that rivals any. Lately we realized we didn’t do another of our famous meals; lentil peas soup. As I said before, this soup is really revitalizing for a vegetarian type soup. And, as a professed meatitarian lol! I have given it my stamp of approval.

Of course, you can always do your own spin – and add any of the salted meats we use on the island…*I’m thinking of pigtail or smoked bone*.  You can also make it light – without any provision, just vegetables.  So without further ado here’s Lentil Peas Soup trinistyle.

1/2 cup dried lentil peas
3 cups water (to boil the lentil peas)
1 1/2 cups pumpkin, chopped
1/2 lg. sweet pepper, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
3 eddoes, chopped
1/2 lg onion, diced
2 pimento pepper, chopped
1/2 hot pepper, chopped
9 chadon beni leaves, finely chopped
1 big leaf thyme, finely chopped
6 cups water
2 tbsp. green seasoning
1 tbsp. tomato paste
4 boiled figs (bananas),diced
1/2 cup boiled cassava, diced
2 tsp. unsalted butter

Pressure cook the peas in 3 cups of water for 15 minutes, or boil for 30 minutes until soft.

(Some of the ingredients for the soup).

Chop the rest of the ingredients, and set aside.  Finely chop the chive and thyme.  Set aside also.

Have the green fig and cassava boiled, peeled, diced and set aside.

When the peas is soft, add the rest of water (6 cups) into the pot.

Add the onion, pumpkin, carrots, sweet pepper, eddoes and pimento pepper.

Add the unsalted butter.

Then the green seasoning…

…and the tomato paste. Stir.

Add the rest of the ingredients (boiled banana  and cassava) to the broth….

and cook for no more than 30 minutes, or until the carrots can be cut easily with a spoon – however, not to soft.

The lentil peas soup is ready to be served.  Enjoy 🙂