My ham bone was extremely happy today! It was able to revive itself, be recreated and intermingled with other ingredients, to create yet another satisfying, authentic dish: Yellow Split Peas Soup. I refuse to discard any form of food, if a culinary remix can be accomplished.
I couldn’t wait for this soup. I had been dreaming about it all week long. I say farewell to Corporate America on the weekends, and look forward to spending quality time in my kitchen, so that I can fall in love all over again, with anything classified as food. Needless to say, the Ham Bone was not alone. It was accompanied by Beef Rip Tips, and Salted Pork Tails as well as other garden vegetables.
Routinely, I woke up at the crack of dawn. My intention was to steep and drink a cup of lemon tea, then start on the soup. My throat had been itchy all day yesterday and might I reiterate that, I cannot afford to, and REFUSE to be sick. There is no room in my TEMPLE for germs, allergens or viruses, (at least not for long). I had been sipping on lemon tea since last night and drinking the juice straight from the lemon, which really helped. Just one night of that natural lemon and I must say, my throat isn’t itchy and doesn’t feel sore anymore. Talk about a natural cure! Anyway, I did steep the lemon tea but I still haven’t tasted it. I was so engulfed in the Yellow Split Peas Soup, that I barely noticed that I hadn’t drank any tea. I did however squeeze the lemon juice down my throat. Well… enough about the lemon.
Today I honor the Yellow Split Peas. Is it hard for you to keep your cholesterol under control? Well, eating split peas can assist in reducing your cholesterol. It also helps to stabilize your blood sugar level; therefore if you are diabetic, split peas should definitely play an important role in your diet.
The potatoes, sweet yams and turnips contributed to the hearty texture of this soup. How can I forget or omit the dumplings! When making any kind of soup in a Jamaican household, dumplings are a must. No ifs, ands or buts about it. So, of course, there must have been about 20 dumplings in the pot, and I’m not referring to those teeny tiny dumplings either. My dumplings are of substance. Not just dumplings….cornmeal dumplings. Yes, you add a little cornmeal to the dough before you knead it. One Dumpling will keep you full for an extended period of time. Trust me on that one.
Mama (my grandma) is always standing close by. For an 84 year old ladt, she sure can eat. I shared a bowl of the yellow split peas soup for mama and asked: “How is it mama?”
She replied, “it tastes good.”