Rice and Peas

Story

Rice and Peas traces its lineage to West African one-pot rice-and-legume dishes such as the Akan dish waakye, carried to Jamaica by enslaved Africans during the transatlantic slave trade. In Jamaica the dish evolved into rice simmered in coconut milk with red kidney beans (called 'red peas') or gungo peas, perfumed with thyme, scallion, pimento and Scotch bonnet. So central is it to Jamaican cooking that it is nicknamed the island's 'coat of arms,' appearing every Sunday alongside jerk chicken or brown stew. Gungo peas are the traditional choice at Christmas, while kidney beans are used year-round.

Ingredients

• 200 g dried red kidney beans or dried gungo peas, picked over and rinsed
• 1 litre water, plus extra as needed
• 400 ml coconut milk (full-fat)
• 450 g long-grain white rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• 3 spring onions (scallions), crushed
• 1 small white onion (about 80 g), finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 6 to 8 whole allspice (pimento) berries
• 1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper, left intact
• 8 to 10 g fine salt, or to taste
• 1 g freshly ground black pepper

Method

• 1. Soak the dried beans or peas in plenty of cold water overnight (8 to 12 hours). Drain and rinse.
• 2. Place the soaked beans in a large heavy pot with 1 litre fresh water and the coconut milk. Add the spring onions, onion, garlic, thyme, allspice berries and whole Scotch bonnet.
• 3. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook until the beans are just tender but not broken, about 45 to 60 minutes, adding hot water as needed to keep them submerged.
• 4. Season the liquid with salt and black pepper. You should have roughly 750 to 800 ml of flavorful liquid remaining; add hot water or ladle some off to reach this amount.
• 5. Add the rinsed, drained rice to the pot and stir gently to combine. Take care not to burst the Scotch bonnet.
• 6. Bring back to a gentle boil, give one last stir, then reduce the heat to very low. Cover tightly and cook for 20 to 30 minutes without lifting the lid, until the liquid is fully absorbed.
• 7. Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered to steam for a further 10 to 15 minutes.
• 8. Remove the Scotch bonnet, thyme stems, and any tough spring onion pieces. Fluff gently with a fork and serve hot.

Common questions