Caribbean Rice and Peas



This is part two of my previous post. I made it for dinner a few nights ago and my hubby loved it.  The boys loved rice although they have their differences when it comes to how the chicken is cooked.  Even though the recipe says rice and peas, it's actually kidney beans that are used instead of peas, so I do wonder why they call it rice and peas.  When I first made this I was a bit worried about how it would taste as I have never mixed thyme and bay leaf with coconut milk but you know what, it tastes so delicious!!.
I cooked this rice dish using my trusty rice cooker. I bought it when I got pregnant with my second child. Its a good appliance to have in the kitchen especially if you cook rice every day like me.  I cooked everything in a frying pan first then tipped it all into the rice cooker and then added the coconut milk and water and let it finish off.  You can cook on a regular stove if you don't have one.

Recipe: Caribbean Rice and Peas recipe adapted from the book Around the world in 350 recipes
 Serves 2-3 people

1/2 can of kidney beans ( you can pop the remaining beans into a zip lock bag and place in the freezer for another recipe)
1 cup basmati rice
1/2 green bell pepper, deseeded and diced
1 small onion chopped
1 fat clove of garlic, crushed or grated
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
3/4 cup canned or packed coconut milk
1 chicken or vegetable stock cube crumbled
1 (250 ml) cup water
2 tbsp olive oil

1. Wash rice in several changes of water and drain.

2. Rinse the kidney beans add to the rice and set aside.

3. Heat olive oil, and fry your onions and peppers till the onions go soft. Add garlic, thyme, bay leaves and cook for 1 minute. Add the crumbled stock cube, rice and kidney beans mixture, a big pinch of salt and cook for 1 minute stirring to mix well.

4. Tip the contents into the rice cooker, add coconut milk, water stir once and then pop in the cooker and let it do its work. Once cooked, fluff the rice up and serve with jerk chicken

Note : If you dont have a rice cooker cook the onion and rice mixture in a large saucepan or cooking pot,   add coconut milk and water, place over medium-high heat cook for  10 minutes, once the water evaporates from the top, clamp the lid on and let it cook another 5 minutes on a low heat. Switch off let it sit for another 5 minutes and then fluff it up.


Comments

  1. Looks very delicious!
    Have a wonderful holiday season, Nammi.

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  2. that's a lovely rice... i'm so sorry for coming around late, appreciate your comments on the blog and now happily following u back... :)

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  3. Delicious platter. First time here and happy to follow u. Do check put my blog and join me when u fnd time

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  4. delicious and quick to make pilaf...will taste glorious with jerk chicken,thanks for sharing :-)

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