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Trinidad Corn Soup with Cornmeal Dumplings (recipe)

29 May 2010 9,340 views View Comments

Corn Soup with Cornmeal Dumplings

Corn soup is a street food favorite here in Trinidad, especially at carnival time when vendors ply large pots of it that they spoon into styrofoam cups outside of fetes and clubs. It’s also popular as a Saturday lunch. Chopped pieces of corn on the cob are often included, however in the variation I prepared below I have left them out. Feel free to add them back in though if you want the added texture :)

This post was originally published on February 14, 2007. It has been updated twice since then.


Trinidad Corn Soup with Cornmeal Dumplings
(adapted from a recipe in the Naparima Girls’ High School Cookbook)

1 14-oz tin cream style corn
1/2 cup chopped green onion or chive
1 carrot, diced finely
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup vegetable stock
2 tbsp margarine
3 cups milk

Cornmeal Dumplings:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup – 1 cup water

1. Melt margarine, cook onions .

2. Add corn and vegetable stock.

3. Simmer for 15 minutes over low heat
4. Prepare dumplings in a separate bowl by combining flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and water. Dough should be soft enough to be dropped from a spoon.

4. Add milk, carrots, salt and pepper.
5. Bring to a boil
6. Drop in dumplings

7. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Makes 6 servings

For more recipes like this check out the Caribbean Cooking section of Veni Mangé – The Trinigourmet Amazon bookstore!

  • Anyone used Polenta instead of cornmeal? Former more common in Europe, but both made from corn.
  • Hi Simon, polenta grade cornmeal can be a good bit coarser. I would suggest grinding it more finely in a blender or food processor, but after that is done it can be used in place of cornmeal :) Best Wishes!
  • Great - thanks Sarina,
    Simon
  • AnnaLee
    We have been in Trinidad for almost a year, and I have not tried this soup yet, but always wondered when I saw it listed on the menus...now I gotta try it. Love your site :)
  • redsheep
    I am so going to make this. But I will try fresh creamed corn since it grows year round in Hawai'i. YUM!
  • mary
    hmmn .... making this to sell this coming weekend... yum yum looks delicious....
  • mary
    hmmn .... making this to sell this coming weekend... yum yum looks delicious....
  • Jadestone
    Recipe looks good and sounds delicious! I will try it out this coming weekend. My Aunt makes a mean corn soup, but she does not add dumplings to it.
  • A very nutritional dish. I am going to try it out one of these days. Thanks for sharing. http://wisejamaican.com
    .-= Kerry´s last blog ..Overcoming Depression =-.
  • Just came back from TnT.. had a wonderful corn soup experience one night "rong" the savanna. There was a vendor featured in the inflight magazine on the Caribbean airlines flight that we took down to the islands, that we happened to meet selling her soup the night we went looking for adventure/food. Though she wouldn't share her recipe, I could tell it had some sort of salted meat added for additional flavour.

    We also purchased some in St James, that was a bit different as well. Seems everyone has their own recipe for making this popular soup.

    The best I've had to date is from a vendor outside "The Shade" nightclub in Bon Accord Tobago.

    Happy Cooking!

    Chris...
    .-= Chris De La Rosa´s last blog ..Red Mango – Spicy Preserved Fruits of Trinidad and Tobago. =-.
  • I love the idea of adding cornmeal dumplings to corn soup!
    .-= peabody´s last blog ..It’s what’s on the inside that counts… =-.
  • lovable
    hey to mocojumbie the seed can be obtained from the plant itself if you are lucky to get the plant or purchased in aan agri shop. its tiny but will grow when dried. happy findings.
    gonna try this recipe oh i see you all talking bout corn soup round the savana, that i must try. c yah.
  • Nice to see another corn soup recipe out there! Will have to try this one, especially since it makes a much more reasonable amount than the recipe I currently have.

    Don't get me wrong, I love my recipe... I just don't always need (or want) to make 12 quarts of the stuff, even if it does freeze well. Your version takes out the recipe-reducing math hassle.
    .-= thom´s last blog ..Still not dead yet... =-.
  • Alex
    Hey Ellane,

    Make your own cream style corn using canned or frozen corn,

    1 can corn,(strained)
    1/4 tsp salt
    3/4 tsp sugar
    1/4c cream or whipping cream
    3.4 tsp corn starch.

    Bring to a boil and thicken with corn starch.

    turns out about right.
  • Ellane
    I like in the UK and want to make corn soup. But i dont remember ever seeing cream style corn in a tin. What do you recommend to use as an alternative?

    When i was last in Trinidad, my couz took me to get corn soup from a street vender near skinner park somewhere and absolutley loved it :-)
  • mmmm mmmm mmmm ooh gosh that looks sooooo good!
  • mokojumbie
    guess what i had on my last day in trinidad before moving back (sigh sigh) to canada after 5 years. cornsoup a the savannah. luv the stuff,but gotta have chadon beni. are there seeds for sale so i can palnt my own??
  • marlie
    I love the corn soup they serve around the Savannah--they add big chuncks of corn and coconut milk to theirs--it's soo delicious--I love your blog-
  • hehehe :) hey tom, welcome! I can't eat pig but I'm sure it's a flavorful addition :) Thanks for popping by!
  • Tom
    Add some salted pig tails, & maaann is goood
  • That looks so good! I love chicken and dumplings which is a Southern US food. This reminds me of that with corn.

    Hope to see you at Leftover Tuesdays!
  • ooo yay! leftover tuesdays :D i'm so gonna be trying to be there :D i'm sick (pneumonia :cry: )
  • i love corn and dumplings...:)
  • Juliette
    Hey Sarina!

    I'm a convertee also! The savannah cornsoup is the best in my opinion!
    Everytime I visit Trini, it is a must stop at least 3 - 4 times before returning to the UK:-)

    The shadon beni sauce with a touch of the garlic sauce gives it that added flavour!
    My best friend and I always go for seconds but if we return to the vendor too late, it is usually sold out!

    Love corn soup! Yum Yum!

    p.s. The corn soup vendor actually asks us if we want the soup with or without dumplings!! Apparently the health conscious, request it WITHOUT dumplings!

    What good is corn soup without the dumplings!!! hehehe
  • without dumplings? sacrilege!! :D i must go around the savannah and take some pics next time :)
  • Sarina, thanks for sharing such a detailed pictorial recipe. Now I know what to do with my leftover can of cream corns, looks absolutely delicious :) So, how many "pots" did you cook this time ? *grins*
  • hehehe :) we are a small home so only one was needed :D
  • This looks so delicious. I must make it!
  • it's really simple and economical :D hee :D
  • I love corn soup. I haven't had it with dumplings yet. You just reminded me what a wonderful meal a can of cream style corn can make. Thanks!
  • cheap, simple, yum!! :D happy v-day :D i have to get my v-day stuff posted :D whee!
  • I have made various recipes for corn soup, but never with dumplings. I love the idea, and it looks so easy to do!
  • it's almost too easy :lol:
  • Marsha
    Love corn soup but I never really wanted to buy it from around the Savannah though!
    At home you never quite knew what kind of soup it was because salt meat and othertypes of meat made their way in :)
  • hee :) mom makes hers hella weird :) as a result i never would buy it off the road, but once i did i was converted :D
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