Red Pea Soup With Spinners

In Jamaica, where red kidney beans are called red peas, this piquant soup. Whole scallions, thyme branches, and fiery Scotch bonnet peppers (available in well-stocked supermarkets and Caribbean grocery stores) simmered in the broth give it its spicy island flair.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of kidney beans, soaked overnight in water or 2 tins of canned beans
• 5 cups of water
• 2 regular onions
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of dried thyme 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 fresh scotch bonnet
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 cup potatoes
• 2 cup yam
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• (optional simmering pork)
• Flour, water and a pinch of salt to make dough for spinners

If you are using fresh, dried kidney beans then soak them in water overnight. Place the beans (including the water they were stored / soaked in) in a large saucepan and add the water. If you are using meat then add the meat at this stage too. Let simmer for one hour.

Chop the hot pepper, garlic, potatoes, onions, scallion, yam, potato and carrots in to small pieces.

Mix flour and a pinch of salt with water until it has the consistency of dough. Pinch off a small amount of the dough and roll it in your hands to make a "spinner". Add the spinner to the pot, repeat until you run out of dough.
Add the rest of the ingredients. Let simmer for one more hour.

Since I included beef in this soup, I paired it with a South African shiraz called Obikawa.  It is a fruity, spicy Shiraz that went so well with this dish.