Jamaican Fish Tea Soup Recipe
Enjoy this authentic Jamaican Fish Tea Soup and bring the warmth and delicious flavors of Jamaica straight to your dining table.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb fresh fish (snapper, doctor fish or parrotfish, cleaned and cut into pieces).
- ½ lb fresh pumpkin, peeled and chopped (optional)
- 6–8 pieces of okra, sliced or whole
- 1 medium yellow yam, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium chocho (chayote), peeled and diced
- 1 corn, cut into 2-inch pieces (optional)
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 green bananas, peeled and chopped into 1 to 2-inch pieces
- 1 medium Irish potato, peeled and diced (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (whole, for flavor)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon pimento (allspice) berries
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1 packet Fish Tea soup mix
- 8 cups water
- Salt to taste Lime: 1, juiced, to wash the fish
- 1 tsp Vinegar, to wash the fish
For the Dumplings (Spinners) (optional):
- 1 cup flour
- water (to form dough)
- Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the Fish:
- Wash the fish in a mixture of water, vinegar and lime juice. Drain all excess water from the fish.
Prepare the Vegetables:
- Peel and chop the pumpkin, yellow yam, chocho, carrots and Irish potato.
- Slice the corn into 2-inch pieces and chop the onion, garlic, and scallion.
- Peel the bananas by cutting off both ends with a paring knife, then make a shallow slit along the length of the skin. Use your fingers to remove the peel then chop into 1-2 inch pieces.
Prepare The Dumplings (Optional):
- Dumplings are optional for Jamaican Fish Tea soup. If want dumplings, combine flour, water, and a pinch of salt until the dough is firm, then roll them into thin, long pieces (spinners).
Start Cooking the Fish:
- Place the fish in a large soup pot along with the chopped onion, scallion, garlic, and a tsp salt.
- Cover the ingredients with boiling water until about an inch over the fish and let it cook for about 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat until the fish is cooked though and soft.
Debone the Fish:
- Once the fish is cooked, remove it from the pot and carefully debone it.
- Strain the soup if desired to remove any small bones.
Add Vegetables:
- Add the chopped carrots, chocho, yellow yam, green bananas, pimento (allspice) and thyme into the pot. Also add pumpkin, potatoes and the dumplings (spinners) (if you are using these ingredients)
Add Boiling Water:
- Pour in enough boiling water to cover all the ingredients. Make sure the vegetables and fish are covered with water.
- Stir everything together gently.
Add the Soup Mix and Scotch Bonnet Pepper:
- Stir in 1 packet of the Fish Tea Soup Mix for extra flavor and color.
- Add the whole Scotch bonnet pepper without cutting it, as this will add a mild heat to the soup without overpowering it.
- Be sure not to break the pepper to avoid making the soup too spicy.
Simmer and Cook:
- Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a medium to low to simmer.
- Let the soup cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Be careful not to burst the Scotch bonnet pepper while stirring.
Add Okra (Halfway Through):
- Halfway through cooking, add the okra to the pot.
- Once the soup begins to bubble and the ingredients start to soften, reduce the heat further and allow the flavors to meld.
- Keep an eye on the pot to prevent burning or the water from drying out. Gradually add 2-3 teaspoons of hot water if needed to avoid sticking and to maintain the right consistency.
- To avoid overcooking the vegetables, check them gradually as the soup simmers. The vegetables should be soft but not overcooked.
Taste and Adjust:
- Once the vegetables are tender (a fork should easily sink all the way through), and the soup has taken on a rich color, taste the soup to see if more salt is needed.
- You may remove the Scotch bonnet pepper at this point to prevent the soup from becoming too spicy. You may remove the thyme as well.
Serve:
- Serve the soup warm, with all the vegetables, ground provisions and fish in each bowl.