Like many other cultures, chicken soup is a staple comfort food when you’re ill or even when you’re not. This version is filled with many healthy root vegetables affectionately known as ‘ground provisions’ that not only provide multiple exceptional health benefits but are known to keep you healthy and strong; as well as fill your belly.
Growing up as a second-generation Jamaican/Vincentian, I remember being in the kitchen with my grandmother (Jamaican) and watching her make this and many other dishes that will always tie me back to my culture. In true Caribbean fashion, she never measured a thing and taught that cooking should be intuitive and learned through watching your elders. Over the years, I think I’ve captured the heart of the recipe and hope it brings you comfort and peace as it always does for me.
INGREDIENTS
CHICKEN FOOT (CAN BE SUBSTITUTED FOR ANY BONE-IN CHICKEN, THIGH IS MORE FLAVOUR)
1 LEMON
1 CUP VINEGAR
2 MEDIUM SIZED CHOCHO (CHAYOTE) “ground provisions”
1 LARGE JAMAICAN YAM (YELLOW YAM) “ground provisions”
4 MEDIUM IRISH POTATO “ground provisions”
4 MEDIUM/LARGE CARROTS
1 MEDIUM SLICE JAMAICAN PUMPKIN
1 SCOTCH BONNET (Can add more if you want it spicier or cut the pepper up with the seeds)
DUMPLINGS*
1 PACKET PUMPKIN SOUP MIX
1 PACKET COCK SOUP MIX
3 SPRIGS OF THYME
4 SCALLION (GREEN ONION)
PINCH OF SALT (SEASONED TO TASTE, OPTIONAL)
PINCH OF PEPPER (SEASONED TO TASTE)
PINCH OF GARLIC POWDER (SEASONED TO TASTE, OPTIONAL)
DUMPLINGS (AKA ROLLY POLLY, SPINNERS ETC…)
2 CUPS FLOUR
¼ CUP WATER (ADD MORE TO GET DOUGH CONSISTENCY)
SALT (OPTIONAL)
Instructions:
Combine flour and water together until you get a dough consistency. Pull off small-medium pieces of dough and roll the dough in the palm of your hands in a cylindrical shape. Set aside to use in the soup.
SOUP INSTRUCTIONS:
***Wash chicken in water, vinegar and lemon otherwise soup will have a raw taste***
Prepare chicken by cutting into medium sized chunks (keep the bone)
Get large stock pot and turn burner to medium, add water and get it to start boiling
Take get your ground provision vegetables, (pumpkin, chocho, pumpkin, carrots, Irish potatoes and yam), and wash, peel and cut to desired size (considering the starchier vegetables will take longer to cook through than others).
Once the water in the stock pot is warm/beginning to boil, add your vegetables from the biggest (longest) to cook to the smallest (softest). Add more water if needed to submerge vegetables.
Once the vegetables are about half-way cooked (approx. 10 min), add the chicken and dumplings.
Stir as needed as you go. Turn the stove down a little and continue cooking for another 10-15minutes. Once the chicken is almost fully cooked add the scallion, thyme and scotch bonnet (do not let the scotch bonnet burst in the pot. The scotch bonnet should be kept at the top and simmered to infuse flavour but not heat).
Once everything is cooked, add the pumpkin and cock soup mix to the pot. If you like your soup thick then add the whole packet, if not you can dust the mix into a strainer to catch the noodles and only infuse the flavour.
Stir the soup and taste for flavour. Add salt, pepper/garlic as you see fit.
Add more water if needed to get your desired broth texture.
Special Notes:
You can add other vegetables as per your preference. In the Caribbean diaspora, some like to add corn, green banana or cassava (yuca) to name a few. This recipe is the base and can have slight variations once you understand the intended texture, flavour and viscosity.
