The Betty Black Blog

So the Holidays are over. The leftovers, though for many of us not as much as usual, are all gone. There’s nothing left but a pathetic looking ham bone. If you’re Jamaican you know exactly where that bone is going and it definitely is not in the garbage!

Traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day, Gungo Peas Soup is a highly nutritious follow up to the over indulgence of the Christmas Season. Gungo Peas, Cajanus cajan, are also called Pigeon Peas or Congo Peas. They are popular all over the Caribbean from Trinidad and Tobago to Barbados to Puerto Rico and, of course, Jamaica. Gungo peas have been cultivated for millennia; supposedly travelling from the Indian sub-continent to East Africa and then to the West Indies. A true legume, the gungo bush can sometimes grow up to ten feet tall and different varieties will bear annually or biannually. The plants generally live for three to five years but are often rooted out after two years as the yield falls off. The plants are then shredded and tilled back into the soil as, like all legumes, they are an excellent green manure and will enrich the poorest soil. They are also very drought tolerant and will grow in the driest areas. They are an excellent source of protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals and in the herbal medicine of some cultures, tea made from the leaves is used to treat swelling of internal organs and some cancers. Though dried peas are available throughout the year, in Jamaica, gungo usually bears in December and January and fresh green gungo are a must for Christmas Dinner rice and peas and of course: Ham Bone Soup Ham bone ½-1 lb pigstail or salt pork (optional) 1 qt (4 cups) fresh green gungo (or 3 tins green gungo) 2 tsp allspice berries or 1 tsp ground allspice 2 sprigs thyme 3 stalks scallion, chopped 1 med onion, chopped Salt & black pepper to taste 1 whole unbroken green Scotch Bonnet pepper 2 cups coconut milk (or 1 tin) 1 lb yellow yam, peeled and cut into chunks Flour for dumplings If bone is large, saw into 2 or 3 pieces, the bone from a picnic ham can usually be left in one piece. If the meat remaining on the bone appears to be less than 2 cups add pig’s tail or salt pork and use less salt. Place all ingredients except coconut, yam and dumplings in a 5-6 quart pot and cover with water to about 2 inches from the top. Bring to boil then cover and lower heat and simmer for about 1 hour until peas are tender (20 minutes in pressure cooker). Take out pepper and discard. Remove bone and cut off meat. Return meat to pot along with yam and dumplings, adding more water if necessary,  and cook for a further 30 minutes (10 minutes in pressure cooker). Add coconut milk and adjust seasoning. Return to stove and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes. Happy New Year!

For more about Jamaica visit Jamaica-Allspice.com