Jamaican Rice and Peas
Fluffy Jamaican rice simmered with coconut milk, red kidney beans, thyme, scallions, garlic, and warm Caribbean spices.
Equipment
- Heavy saucepan with lid
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Wooden spoon
- Fork
Ingredients
Rice and Peas
- 2 cups long-grain white rice rinsed until the water runs mostly clear
- 15 oz red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups water or bean cooking liquid
- 3 large scallions crushed with the side of a knife
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 large Scotch bonnet pepper left whole for gentle heat
- 1 tsp allspice ground
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
Instructions
Build the broth:
- Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 3 minutes until softened.
- Add the coconut milk, water, beans, scallions, thyme, garlic, Scotch bonnet, allspice, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook the rice:
- Stir in the rinsed rice and return the mixture to a simmer.
- Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Turn off the heat and let the pot stand, covered, for 10 minutes so the steam can finish the grains.
Finish:
- Remove the thyme, garlic, scallions, and whole Scotch bonnet.
- Fluff the rice gently with a fork, taste for salt, and serve hot.
Notes
- For a milder dish, keep the Scotch bonnet whole and remove it before serving.
- Do not stir the rice repeatedly while it cooks, or the grains may become sticky.
- Canned pigeon peas can be used in place of kidney beans for another Jamaican-style variation.
Nutrition
Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 9gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 430mgFiber: 7gSugar: 3g