Rice and peas is a one-pot dish beloved not only in Jamaica but also across the Caribbean. Coconut milk and classic Jamaican ingredients like scallions, pimento (allspice), thyme and a habanero or Scotch bonnet pepper pack every bite with flavor. The peas in the classic version are red kidney beans, sometimes known as red peas in Jamaica, although pigeon peas (also called Gungo peas) are favored in some versions. The beans are first cooked until slightly tender, then further simmered with the rice, coconut milk and aromatics to infuse every bit of the dish. It’s often paired with oxtail, curry chicken or jerk chicken and plantains, but you can also enjoy it on its own.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 cup red kidney beans
- 1/2 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk
- 4 scallions, sliced
- 1/4 cup diced onions, optional
- 1 habanero or Scotch bonnet pepper, whole
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 4 whole pimento berries
- 1 1/2 cups enriched long-grain rice
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Place the kidney beans and 4 cups of water in a medium pot. Bring the beans to a boil over high heat and boil until the skin of some of the beans start to wrinkle, about 20 minutes. Add an additional 2 cups of water. Allow the beans to cook over high heat until they are fork-tender and doubled in size, about 45 minutes total. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the coconut milk, scallions, onions, if using, whole habanero pepper, thyme and pimento berries and stir to combine. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Rinse and drain the rice four times. Add the rinsed rice to the pot and stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup of water and stir again. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, then cover the pot with foil and cover the foil with the lid. Let the rice and peas cook until the rice is soft to bite, about 30 minutes, fluffing the rice every 15 minutes with a fork. The rice will absorb some to the beans’ reddish-brown color. Taste and add more salt if needed. You can discard the habanero pepper before serving, or mash it into the rice for more heat.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 474 |
| Total Fat | 7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 87 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 9 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Protein | 16 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 397 mg |