How to Make Coconut Rice and Peas

Coconut rice and peas is a traditional Caribbean dish. It is served with a meat or vegetable dish but can be eaten alone. The coconut and thyme add a unique flavor to the rice that is very different from plain white rice. Making long grain rice that doesn't come out too sticky or too mushy can often take a couple of attempts. I prefer parboiled rice or Uncle Ben's which tends to come out perfect every time with very little effort.

Ingredients:

2 cups long grain white rice or parboiled rice

1 can of kidney beans

or 1 cup of *soaked beans (you can also use pigeon peas)

1/5 solid coconut bar cut into slivers

or 1 can of coconut milk or the milk from one brown coconut

2-3 tsps dried thyme

½ pkt sasson

½ tsp of adobo

1 tsp of black pepper

1 tsp salt

1/4 stick of butter

Bring 4 cups of water to boil, add rice, beans, solid coconut milk (sliced or broken up), thyme and salt. If you use coconut milk from the can or a coconut wait until half of the water has dried up and then add the milk. Cover the rice and lower the flame to a low medium heat. Stir rice two or three times then leave to cook until it’s dry. Parboiled rice cooks easily but sometimes long grain rice can take longer to cook. When you can barely see the water taste the rice and if it is still very hard you may have to add more water. Add ½ a cup of water and taste it again when the water has almost completely evaporated. When you are making a large quantity of rice you may have to add water more than once. When rice is cooked it will be fluffy. After it is cooked you can add the butter to it and fluff the rice.

Note: Parboiled rice cooks correctly unless you do not measure the rice to water ratio which is 2:1 (2 cups of water to each cup of rice)

*beans soaked overnight in cold water or soaked in boiling water and pour out the water and refill at least three times.

Note: Sasson is not a traditional Jamaican seasonings they use seasoned salt or accent. I try not to cook with MSG.

Once cooked the rice is easily reheated in the microwave. If you heat it in the pot you will have to add a little water. Being careful not to add too much and have it turn out soggy. You can dampen a paper towel and place it over the rice before you microwave it. I have seen island women place the wet paper towel in the pot to quicken the cooking and insure the rice comes out evenly cooked. I don't fully understand that method of making rice yet.

Leftover rice and beans is a complete meal with a vegetable added to it or a salad. You can also add a little leftover chicken, or beef, or tofu to it and have a complete meal in one bowl which is high in protein and great for children. Left in a container together your child can just throw it in the microwave on their own after school as a healthy snack. My middle daughter takes her lunch to school every day because they do not serve lunch. This is a perfect meal for her to take. She eats early and it is hearty and will help her make it through the day until dinner is served some 6 hours later. Enjoy!