Fall and winter are undeniably soup seasons, but some of the world’s most delicious soup recipes come from places where the weather is warm year-round. Soup is a popular dish throughout the diaspora—in Africa, the Caribbean, and tropical countries around the world. You can find soups made from fresh, local produce that provide nutrition and sustenance and are packed with flavor and incredible health benefits.
In Trinidad and Tobago, soup is commonly made for Saturday midday meals and eaten in communal hangouts. It’s called a “soup lime,” and “liming” is Trini parlance for informal get-togethers with friends and family. What’s on the menu at a soup lime? Depends on the soup du jour. Meat-heavy options like cow heel or oxtail soup are popular. Fish broth – colloquially referred to as “brof” or fish “tea”- is a traditional favorite, often made at home with fresh kingfish or carite.
Caribbean recipe site This Bago Girl offers an easy-to-follow fish broth recipe online. The recipe features a variety of fresh herbs and “ground provisions,” or Caribbean root vegetables, which increase the soup’s nutritional value and heartiness.
In Rastafarian culture, eating “ital” is preferred, a plant-based diet that originated in Jamaica in the 1930s and has only increased in popularity over time. Rastafarians were ahead of the curve in recognizing the benefits of fresh produce and eschewing processed foods or meat-based dishes. New York-based chef Troy Levy explains the difference between vegan and Italian food: Italian cuisine relies on vegetables without the need to add or remix anything to appear as meat; there are no faux chicken or ground meat substitutes in Italian food. His four-bean ital stew is a dense bean version of the traditional coconut-milk-laced Rasta favorite. Food Network’s acclaimed chef Kardea Brown shares a delicious-looking Italian stew or “sip” recipe via Instagram, involving curry powder, turmeric, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, tomatoes, coconut milk, and cabbage.
Corn soup is a popular Caribbean late-night dish, often purchased on the roadside from vendors after a night of festivities. Thick and hearty, this soup has a base of split peas and corn that makes it filling and nourishing to the soul. Popular Caribbean website Eat Ah Food offers a traditional recipe that includes the option of dumplings for those who want their soup even thicker. Author of Bountiful Cooking: Wholesome Everyday Meals to Nourish You and Your Family, holistic health coach Agatha Achindu offers a sweet corn soup recipe with her Cameroonian influence that looks amazing.
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