Does anyone have any good authentic recipes for Jamaican Pumpkin Soup? Any suggestions or pointer from anyone who has made it is much appreciated....
Thanks!
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Does anyone have any good authentic recipes for Jamaican Pumpkin Soup? Any suggestions or pointer from anyone who has made it is much appreciated....
Thanks!
I'll be following this one.... Love me some pumpkin soup.
Me too! I saw the title and got excited and clicked on it
Now I want pumpkin soup! (But to clarify, I am not sure that is different than any other time of the day)
Yummmmmmmmm
You might want to take a look at this one?
http://www.jamaicatravelandculture.c...mpkin_soup.htm
But can you get that same kind of pumpkin here? ISnt the JA pumpkin different?
I was told that a Jamaican Pumpkin is a Butternut Squash in the US. Anyone know if this is correct?
I use 1/2 chicken consomme and 1/2 heavy cream and a dash of cayenne. Not for veggies obviously. Add the cream last. I use rice instead of flour to thicken. Tizz , any root vegetable works. Experiment. Try carrot, turnip, potato, squash (pumpkin) alone or in combination. Serve with butter and a fresh baquette et voila!
I use a butternut squash. I tried a US pumpkin and almost cut my fingers off trying to cut it up. I find it's best to cut the squash in half and bake it about 30 min or till soft so you can scoop it out instead of peeling. I don't really have a recipe so when I make it I do a search online and use what sounds good to me. I boil chicken (with bones) in water with bay leaf, thyme, pepper, carrots and maybe some other stuff but can't remember. I would add onion but my husband doesn't eat them. I remove the chicken and take it off the bones and cut it up. Slice the carrots. Strain the broth and mix it with the cooked squash. You may have to use a mixer to blend it. I usually add some milk or half and half. Add the chicken and carrots and simmer maybe 30 minutes. It's a chunky soup like Alfred's but if you like it smooth you could puree it in the food processor.
I use an immersion blender to puree in the pot. I find onions change the flavour drastically and avoid. But that's just my taste.
I think butternut squash is the most readily available subsititute we have to Caribbean pumpkins. If you have access to them, Dickinson pumpkins are a good option too (that is what most canned pumpkin in Canada/US is made from), as are buttercup, hubbard, calabaza and long neck squash.
Thanks for all the pointers.. Keep'um coming.
From what I can remember I thought the soup was darker in color More orange/brown than yellow like you would get with a butternut squash.
I'm gonna try a Canadian pumpkin..will keep you posted. Did the Jamaican soup have a hint of curry to it?
I have tried many recipes and non are quite the same as JA pumkin soup. As mentioned a combo of a few things made the closest version. I don't like any sweetness (ha) to mine so regular pumkin or can pumpkin is out for me. Even butternut can be too sweet for me. Don't like nutmeg either. Here is the best recipe I have found so far:
http://jsprat.wordpress.com/2012/02/...with-spinners/
Excellent....good info.
I'm going to try this sometime. I was thinking that the pumpkin soup at ivans had almost a hint of cinnamon?? Would that be nutmeg sweetness? I'm so bad at trying to identify ingredients lol
The first weekend of November would be a good time "to try this sometime."Quote:
Originally Posted by TizzyATX
LOL, sure you want me to experiement on you Boog?
I've made that soup before using calabaza pumpkin, which can be found at any West Indian or Latin grocery store in the States. I don't think butternut squash would work as well if you are looking for that authentic Jamaican flavor. I have also made butternut squash soup before and it tastes nothing like the Jamaican style pumpkin soup. Hope that helps. Now you have me thinking about making some!
not sure Tizzy - all I know is I LOVE pumkin soup in JA - I have made it there and its perfect using JA pumpkin. Just hard to re-create here. I love soup so I still enjoy it. Maybe soon I will have a Jamaican in the house and he can perfect a US version :cool: maybe even by November
weeeeeeeeeeeeeehew....you know i'm prayin for that :) YEAH MON then I'll be off the hook. hahaha
So I have one more ? I suppose different folks have a differnt way of doin things but I'm seeing pics of soup with chicken and broth and chunks of stuff....the pumpkin soup i had was like a puree. So, I guess I dont really have a question. Just making an observation. lol
Hi Tizzy, I used one of those immersion blenders (stick blenders) and blended it right in the pot (after it was cooked) to puree it. I happen to prefer it to be a really smooth consistency, but I guess you could always leave it chunky too if you like. Also, as the soup cooks, the squash pretty much falls apart and gets really mushy so it practically gets pureed consistency on its own.
Here's the recipe I use:
Jamaican style pumpkin soup
1 medium onion diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1/4 cup of butter (about 1/2 a stick)
1 Tablespoon turmeric
1 Tablespoon curry powder
3 cups Calabaza pumpkin – peeled and chopped into cubes
1/4 cup cream
water (about 3-4 cups)
salt (about 1/2 teaspoon)
black pepper
dash of Nutmeg - (optional)
Melt butter on medium heat in a deep pot (on high heat the butter will burn very quickly). Then add the onions, carrots, garlic and celery to the pot. Allow this to cook until the onion is tender (about 3-5 minutes). Then add a dash of black pepper, curry powder and turmeric, and allow to cook for about 3 minutes while stirring.
Next add the cubed pieces of pumpkin and stir, then add enough water to cover the pumpkin, and bring to a boil, then turn back down to a simmer.
Add the salt, cover and let the soup cook on low heat for about 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is really tender. If you find that it’s becoming too thick or sticking to pot, you can add a bit more water. You can also add a dash of nutmeg if you like. I prefer to leave out the nutmeg, but it's good either way. Lastly, add the cream and blend or puree into a smooth soup. I used one of those immersion blenders to get the smooth consistency, but you can always use a blender, just be careful of splashing the hot soup. Enjoy!
Quote:
Originally Posted by TizzyATX
Thanks Eden :) yeah I like the smooth consistency too and it seems so simple. I'm going to try and find a Calabaza pumpkin like you mentioned!! Do you add anything else?
Quote:
Originally Posted by TizzyATX
Defintely try a West Indian or Latin grocery or veggie/fruit store. You will find it there. I actually added the recipe to my previous comment. Let me know if you end up making it! :-)
we are having the soup tonite for dinner for the first time which i purchased a bag of Maggi Jamaica Cock Soup Mix with Pumpkin we purchased from the Hi-Lo last feb for the first time, soon come
IF you want the soup to be more spicy, just add a WHOLE Scotch Bonnet while cooking. Take the pepper out before serving because you don't want anyone biting into that - LOL.
Tiz, Boogs and Sweetness.....I second (or third or fourth) the idea of you guys testing this out in early November....but may I suggest leaving out the onions please? Because someone (I know) can't eat them ;)
Our favorite pumpkin soup is at Rondel. I've tried a few times to make it, but it never came out quite right. There was always something missing. Last time we went to Rondel, I asked if there was a secret to the flavouring. The lady in the kitchen told us to add Cock Soup, which is chicken noodle soup to us. I also found that Guaram Masala (spelling?) helped achieve that flavour that was missing.
Thanks Eden, I saw the reciped... I was just having a real special moment. hahaha I'm gonna let you know when i try it!
Shauna, I'm good with no onions lol
SLP...highfive
I am so excited to try this! My mom and I are going to make this early next month. Hope we can find the right kind of pumpkin that you guys are talking about. Love all the suggestions and recipes. Thanks!!
Tizzy...we have a caribbean market here that sells "Carbbean pumpkin"
Wonder if you can bring it on the plane if you are flying within the US?
Bet you could!! We could try it out....Mmmmm just imagine
I'm game!
what's the name of the powdered milk (not coconut milk) in jamaica - that is added to soups to get that creamy texture and you don't have to worry about scum - it can be used in soups and peanut porridge - let me see if i can remember . . . and we didn't puree anything we cooked it until it was smooth
Lasco Instant Whole Milk Powder
http://store.nettrolley.com/image/ca...r-500x500.jpeg
That kind of pumpkin would work great Marley. And yes you can also fly within the US with it. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by marley9808
Awesome!!!
Thanks Eden!
I just made pumpkin soup combining several recipes that I found. I also had to make a few phone calls to some friends of mine in JA to ask for their advice. I had to use Butternut squash as I live in the mountains of Western Maryland and the nearest carribean market is about 150 miles away. Here is the recipe that I used.
3 1/2 cups butternut squash peeled and cubed.
42 oz (or so) of chicken broth
1/2 sweet onion
2 cloves garlic
4 scallions, sliced thin
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh thyme (I added a little more dried thyme because the fresh thyme didn't give it enough flavor)
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup (or more to taste) coconut milk. (I used a 1/2 packet of Grace powdered coconut milk and mixed in with 1/2 cup water).
Saute onion and garlic in a little oil in the bottom of a soup pot. Add the chicken stock, squash, scallion, thyme and bay leaf. Cook until squash is soft. I then used an old time potato masher and mashed the squash. After the squash was mashed I added the coconut milk. Then, pureed it in batches in a blender.
It was so delicious that I made my second pot of it within two weeks.
For those of you who do not have a caribbean market nearby, here is a website that I found that has the calabaza pumpkin as well as the Grace coconut milk, patties, Ting, Sorrel juice with ginger, and a lot of other greath things. The web address is as follows:
http://www.sams247.com
I'm not sure how they would ship the pumpkin. They shipped patties to me by FedEx 2 day ground and used dry ice. Had a great Jamaican lunch for my friends -- they love it.
yes i believe that is right? But there are a 1000 types of squash!
Is there a difference between coco milk and coco water?
Dash the milk is thicker and creamier and more flavor, the water is thinner and less flavor
Coconut milk is made from dry coconuts (grate the coconut flesh, add a little water to make a paste, then squeeze the mixture thru a strainer (or cloth) to extract the milk. The flavour and strength of the milk depends on the amount of water used. Nowadays a blender or food processor can also be used (or you can buy canned coconut milk or coconut milk powder) but the old fashioned method still tastes best!
Coconut water is the natural water inside a coconut (both dried coconuts or green coconuts) - the best tasting IMHO is from the young green ones with the bonus of eating the natural jelly inside (which eventually becomes coconut flesh in mature and dried coconuts). Coconut water is very good for you.