Green Fig & Pigeon Peas Stew

Green fig or green bananas grow across Trinidad & Tobago but never seem to be popular in food conversations. We typically use rice, flour, potato, dasheen, cassava and other ground provisions for the starch component in meals. However, last year I started using more green fig in my everyday cooking as they are a great starch substitute. This green fig and pigeon peas stew is a great one pot meal. It utilizes basic ingredients and doesn’t take a long time to prepare. This is a quick and easy dish to whip up in no time.

Green Fig & Pigeon Peas Stew

Ingredients:

• 12 green fig peeled and cut into 1″ pieces
• 1 tin pigeon peas
• 1 medium onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 3 pimentos finely chopped
• 1 cup pumpkin diced
• 1/2 cup carrot diced
• 1 bundle chives finely chopped
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1 tbsp roucou
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pot then add brown sugar to begin caramelization process.
2. Once the brown sugar starts to melt use a wooden spoon and keep stirring until it becomes frothy.
3. Once the sugar goes from light brown to dark add pigeon peas, onion, garlic pimentos, pumpkin and carrot.
4. Season with salt then sauté for 3 minutes
5. Add green fig and nutmeg then cover and allow to cook on low heat for 5 minutes
6. Add roucou, bayleaf, coconut milk and scotch bonnet pepper then cover and allow to cook for 7 minutes
7. Add chives then sauté for one minute
8. Serve & Enjoy

Related Recipes

• Green Fig & Stewed Pigeon Peas
• Creamy Pigeon Peas Soup
• Christmas Pigeon Peas
• Curry Pigeon Peas & Cassava