Caribbean Rice and Peas

I remember the first time I had rice and peas. It was on Thanksgiving at my cousin’s grandmother’s house. My cousins happen to be half Guyanese so there were a lot of their traditional dishes present. Me being a lover of all things ethnic, immediately fell in love with ALL of the dishes.

The one dish that I absolutely could not get enough of was the rice and peas. It reminded me of the jollof rice that I grew up eating; only sweeter and had the addition of beans. I bugged my cousin’s grandma for the recipe, and after many attempts and sampling of Caribbean restaurants; I finally got my recipe down.

The addition of coconut cream to the rice really gives it a nice sweet (but not overly sweet) flavor. It perfectly balances with the heat from the habanero and spices.

I usually serve this dish with my 5 Spiced Chicken Wings and my Coconut Curry Chicken Stew. As far as flavor is concerned, it really doesn’t get any better this. I’ve experimented using different rices in this recipe, and jasmine happens to be my favorite because of the flavor I get. This really is a recipe that stays true to the Caribbean flavors. Enjoy! 🙂

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Caribbean Rice and Peas

Authentic rice and peas staying true to the Caribbean flavors of coconut cream, garlic, ginger, and the habanero pepper.

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Jasmine Rice
• 1 16 oz can Coconut cream
• 2 16 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 habanero pepper
• 1/2 jalapeno, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground red pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Once heated add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and jalapeno and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes.
2. After the 2 minutes, pour in the rice and saute for 5 minutes, stirring consistently until the rice turns golden brown. While the rice is sauteing, add in your spices (garlic powder, ground red pepper, salt, and pepper and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Take care, that the rice does not turn too dark or burn.
3. Add the kidney beans, coconut cream, and enough water to cover the rice and beans and increase the heat to a boil. Once the rice is boiling turn the heat down to medium low, add the bay leaf and habanero, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has absorbed. Remove the bay leaf and habanero, and serve immediately.