Serves 4
I spend several of my clinic days talking about the wide-ranging benefits of legumes. What better way to practice what I preach than make these Jerk Gungo pea tacos!
Legumes are a great source of complex carbohydrates, protein, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, zinc and phosphorous.
Gungo/pigeon peas were originally domesticated in India some 3,500 years ago and are grown in tropical countries.
They are widely enjoyed in the Caribbean. Packed full of fibre, they will keep you fuller for longer!
This is not an authentic recipe by any means but has a similar “jerk” flavour with whole food ingredients.
If you can’t find 100% corn tortillas in your supermarket they can also be bought online.
This meal is versatile and can be enjoyed over rice instead!
Ingredients
Jerk paste:
8 small spring onions
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
½ tsp dried thyme
3 pitted dates
3 heaped tbsps. desiccated coconut
1 tsp miso paste
1 tbsp ground allspice
3 tbsps. apple cider vinegar
2 tbsps. soya sauce/tamari
1 scotch bonnet chilli
200ml water
Other Ingredients:
4 garlic cloves
1.5 red onions (keep the other half to use in other recipes)
200ml unsweetened plant milk
8 tbsps. unsweetened soya yoghurt
4 tsps. dried mint
½ tsp garlic powder
1 under-ripe mango
1 red chilli
1 avocado
1 handful of coriander
Salt to taste
2 packs of corn tortillas
2 x 400g tins of gungo peas
Juice of 1.5 limes
Method
Blend the jerk sauce ingredients with the juice of 1 lime, ½ a red onion and 3 garlic cloves until smooth in a blender.
Heat a large non-stick pan and cook off the jerk sauce you made for approximately 5 minutes (add a splash of water to prevent sticking)
Meanwhile, rinse and drain the gungo peas and place in a microwaveable bowl and microwave for 5 mins on full power in a microwave.
Add the microwaved peas to the pan with the jerk paste and add the plant milk and cook for a further 6 mins. The mixture should be slightly thick in consistency when done (add a splash of water if needed to prevent sticking)
Season jerk peas with salt if needed.
For the salsa, dice the mango, 1 red onion and avocado and chop the red chilli and coriander finely and add to a bowl.
Crush 1 clove of garlic and add to a microwavable bowl with a splash of water and microwave on full power for 20 seconds.
Add this to the salsa as well as the juice of half a lime and salt to taste.
For the mint yoghurt, mix the yoghurt, dried mint, garlic powder and salt to taste.
Heat as many tortillas as people want in a non-stick pan according to instructions.
Assemble each taco with the jerk peas at the bottom of the tortilla, then the salsa and then the mint yoghurt on top.
Serve immediately!