Let’s make some provision soup. Ground provision is a term used in the Caribbean to describe a variety of root crops that are grown and consumed as a staple food. These crops, including dasheen (taro), eddoes, tannia, cush cush, sweet potato, and yam, are highly nutritious and provide a range of health benefits. They are a great source of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C, which are essential for maintaining a healthy diet. When preparing ground provision, there are many cooking methods that can be used, such as boiling, roasting, or frying.
One popular dish in the Caribbean is called “provision and saltfish,” which involves boiling the root crops and pairing them with salted codfish. This dish is not only delicious but also provides a balanced meal that is rich in protein and other essential nutrients. Ground provision can also be used to make soups, stews, and side dishes, providing endless opportunities for creativity in the kitchen. Overall, ground provision is an integral part of Caribbean cuisine and a valuable source of nutrition for the people of the region.

rep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Soups
Cuisine: Caribbean, creole
Servings: 9
Ingredients
- 1 yam
- 3 large potatoes
- 7 green bananas
- 1 cup split peas
- 2 medium dasheen
- 7 about 1 lb eddoes or malangas
- 4 small or 1 large bouillon cube s (optional) see note
- 1 soup pack e.g. maggi vegetable soup see note
- 1 carrot
- 1 hot pepper
- 4 pimento peppers
- 1 cup flour
- Salt to taste optional
Instructions
- Pressure cook the split peas with the chopped carrot and pimento peppers until soft. Wash and peel the provision and place in a large pot to boil. In a bowl crush the bouillon cubes if desired and mix in the soup pack.
- Add the the bouillon cube mixture and the hot pepper to the pot. Allow to simmer.
- In a bowl mix the flour and a little water ( about 2/3 cup ) to make the dumpling. Roll out the dough length ways and cut into ½ ” pieces.
- When the provision is just about cooked ( test it with an ice pick or knife), add the split peas and the dumpling. The dumplings should be done in 10 to 15 minutes time. Add salt to taste.
Notes
For the really health conscious you can substitute the bouillon cubes and soup pack with your favourite seasonings. i.e. chive, chopped chadon beni, celery, onion, garlic, fine leaf thyme and big leaf thyme.
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Recipe © Simply Trini Cooking. All rights reserved
Provision Soup
Ingredients
- 1 yam
- 3 large potatoes
- 7 green bananas
- 1 cup split peas
- 2 medium dasheen
- 7 about 1 lb eddoes or malangas
- 4 small or 1 large bouillon cube s (optional) see note
- 1 soup pack e.g. maggi vegetable soup see note
- 1 carrot
- 1 hot pepper
- 4 pimento peppers
- 1 cup flour
- Salt to taste optional
Instructions
- Pressure cook the split peas with the chopped carrot and pimento peppers until soft. Wash and peel the provision and place in a large pot to boil. In a bowl crush the bouillon cubes if desired and mix in the soup pack.
- Add the the bouillon cube mixture and the hot pepper to the pot. Allow to simmer.
- In a bowl mix the flour and a little water ( about 2/3 cup ) to make the dumpling. Roll out the dough length ways and cut into ½ ” pieces.
- When the provision is just about cooked ( test it with an ice pick or knife), add the split peas and the dumpling. The dumplings should be done in 10 to 15 minutes time. Add salt to taste.