Last Updated on May 20, 2020 by Chef Mireille
Chickpea & Okra Ground Provision Soup is a Caribbean style soup that is both Vegan and Gluten Free full of hearty root vegetables. So filling it can be a meal on its own.
In the Caribbean, ground provision refers to any assortment of root vegetables served with meals. It can include potato, yam, sweet potato, plantain, green banana, pumpkin, eddoe and breadfruit.
In the last 10 years, Brooklyn, NY has been experiencing a gentrification, due to rising living costs in Manhattan. Brooklyn has become the most popular borough, after Manhattan. It’s just a short train ride. For single, young people, there are many nice bars, lounges and restaurants. We have Prospect Park for bikers, runners and people who enjoy outdoor activities. Prospect Park also has a stage,where they run a concert series every summer. A museum, BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) the Botanical Garden and an aquarium, there are also many cultural activities to enjoy. People with families enjoy tree lined streets in relatively safe neighborhoods. Brooklyn is the oldest developed part of New York, with many old buildings and homes. Because of this, homes and apartment sizes tend to be larger than other parts. Take a walk through historic Flatbush and some parts of Ditmas Park and you will see homes that some would call mansion size.
When tourists come to NYC, most of them stay in Manhattan and they are missing a lot of the heartbeat of New York, by ignoring this wonderful borough where I live, although this has been changing in recent years. If you visit NY, don’t ignore Brooklyn!!!
Neighborhoods that were previously cultural pockets of people originating from one region of the world have become diversified. The neighborhood where I live is one of those. What was once a primarily Caribbean neighborhood about 20 years ago has been transformed into a very diverse community. With this, an interest in global foods has been awakened in people who are now encountering new foods. I often see all American Manhattan transplants who are confirmed foodies in the market looking at products with confused faces as they stare at a vegetable they want to try, but have no idea what it is or how to prepare it. One of these items is breadfruit.
Breadfruit
Breadfruit is an optional ingredient you can choose to use as one of the ground provision in this soup. If breadfruit is a new ingredient to you, here is some more info on it!
Breadfruit is a fruit, eaten as a vegetable, similar to plantain. Breadfruit can be eaten green or ripe. When ripe, there is a sweetness that comes out, which makes it suitable for desserts as well. People may think it is spoiled when ripe, the skin is brown and unattractive. However, this is when it is the sweetest. Breadfruit can be boiled, roasted, stewed or fried. You must peel it, remove the center core and then it can be cooked countless ways, as versatile as potato. As people want more exposure to global foods, I even came across a breadfruit in the Union Square Whole Foods and I was surprised. I hope I encourage you to try these new foods and don’t be afraid of them.
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| Breadfruit |
If you run across a breadfruit in the local market, you may also want to try my Breadfruit Puffs.
IN THE MAKING – HOW TO MAKE CHICKPEA & OKRA GROUND PROVISION SOUP
Use whatever ground provision you have available – basically any root vegetable that comes from the ground – or even a tree (breadfruit, plantains) can be used.
Perfect soup for cold winter evenings!
Chickpea & Okra Ground Provision Soup
Ingredients
- 1 15.5 oz. can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 1 Scotch Bonnet/ Habanero pepper cut in half
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon vegetable base powder or 1 bouillon cube
- 8 cups vegetable broth or water
- 2 cups okra sliced thick
- 1 yellow plantain sliced thick (not over ripe, skin should be at least half yellow/half black)
- 1 green plantain sliced thick
- 12 oz. assorted ground provision peeled and chopped (potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, breadfruit, eddoe)
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil. Add onion, garlic, ginger and bell pepper. Saute until vegetables are softened. Add chickpeas and cook for 1 minute, while stirring. Add Scotch Bonnet pepper, turmeric, vegetable base and water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add plantains, okra, ground provision, dried parsley, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil again. Reduce to a simmer and cook until vegetables are cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Add fresh parsley and stir to combine.
- Remove Scotch Bonnet pepper as desired (see Notes below).
Notes
Nutrition
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Mir, we love okra and grow a tons of it. I would have never even thought of using okra in soup until I saw your recipe. I am still to try breadfruit. I will be on a lookout for that. Between this a great idea for a filling soup for dinner.
yes and even if you can’t find breadfruit you can use any ground provision in this soup
An excellent hearty soup recipe, am definitely going to try this, my traditional Indian cuisine uses lot of okra but never in soup form. Also, am a huge fan of both plantain and breadfruit.
I am sure this soup will appeal to your Indian palate and there is much Indian influence on Caribbean cuisine. I am sure you will love it!
This is one soup I will be able to prepare in my Kenyan kitchen as I’ll get the all the ingredients. A unique and wholesome chickpea & okra ground provision soup.
Yes – well there is a lot of Africa in Caribbean cooking