Stew Pigeon Peas with Pigtail

Trinidad & Tobago has the most exciting food I have ever seen before, once Trinidadian food was featured in Bizarre Food, the food is very different from the Latin American food, and any other part of the world. The Caribbean has their own history that influenced in their cuisine.



The first time that I heard about pigtail, I could not believed that people actually eat the tail of the pig, so I opened my mind to new flavours, there is not sense to go to visit another country and expect that things taste, small and look like things from our own country.  That happened some years ago, I remember that I tried Stew Pigeon Peas with Pigtail first time, I could not believe that it actually taste very good. And for me, you can add as a side dish rice and fried plantain and it is a full meal.



I invite you to taste this wonderful dish and impress your friends with something very Caribbean:



Ingredients:



2  pimentos

1  head of garlic

A handful of  chive, spring onion and cilantro

1 whole hot pepper

1 coconut

1 cup of water

Black pepper

2 lb Frozen green pigeon peas

4 salted pigtail (300 - 400 gr)

2 scoops of margarine or oil - for cooking

300 gr. pumpkin -peeled and cut in medium size pieces



Chop the the pimentos and the  spring onions and the other greens,  very small. Put aside.
Crush the garlic. Put aside.
Blend the coconut in a blender with the water
   Squeeze the blended coconut with your hands, keep the coconut milk and put away the coconut debris. Put the coconut milk aside. See pictures.
Soak the salted pigtail (defrosted and cleaned already) in lime water for 30 minutes to remove part of the salt. In you are using unsalted pigtail, omit this step.
In a large pot (pressure cooker), put the margarine a medium fire and add the chopped pimento and garlic. Saute. Add the pigtails previously cut in medium size pieces.
Add the green peas  and mix with the garlic, pimento and pigtails. Add the other greens.
Add black pepper to taste.
Add the pumpkin, mix all together. See picture below.
Add the coconut milk
Cover the pressure cooker with the lid. At medium fire, cook everything for 18 minutes approximately. When the pressure cooker start to make noise and vapor. Reduce the fire. And cook the peas for 5 to 10 more minutes.
After that. Remove the pressure cooker from the fire. Let it cool and vent (follow the manufacturer's specification/instruction to use your pressure cooker if you have never used before). Open the pressure cooker.
Put the uncover pressure cooker at medium fire again and add salt to taste. Cook for 15 more minutes. After that the green peas are ready to serve. Serve hot.