Jamaican Rice and Peas
In short: Long-grain rice simmered in coconut milk with red kidney beans, thyme, scallion and a whole scotch bonnet. The Sunday side dish of Jamaica. It takes about 1 h 55 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 h 40 min
- Resting
- 8 h
- Total
- 1 h 55 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 470 kcal
Rice and peas is the Sunday dinner staple in Jamaica, served with roast or fried chicken, curry goat or stewed meat. The peas are actually red kidney beans, simmered until soft, and their dark cooking liquid is used to cook the rice together with coconut milk, thyme, scallion and allspice. A whole scotch bonnet floats on top for fragrance. Do not pierce it or the dish turns very hot. The finished rice is pinkish-brown, fluffy and gently sweet from the coconut.
Instructions
- Put the soaked beans in a pot with the water. Boil hard for 10 minutes, which makes the beans safe to eat, then lower the heat and simmer partly covered for 45 to 60 minutes until just tender.
- Check the liquid in the pot. You want about 350 ml (1 1/2 cups) left with the beans, so ladle off any extra, or add water if it has cooked down too far.
- Stir in the coconut milk, scallions, thyme, garlic, allspice, salt and black pepper, and bring back to a simmer.
- Add the rinsed rice and stir once. Lay the whole scotch bonnet on top without breaking it. The liquid should sit about 1 cm (1/2 inch) above the rice.
- Bring to a boil, then cover tightly, turn the heat to its lowest setting and cook for 20 to 25 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Turn off the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes. Remove the scotch bonnet, thyme stalks and scallions, then fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
Tips
- In a hurry? Use two 400 g (14 oz) cans of kidney beans with their liquid, topped up with water to 350 ml (1 1/2 cups), and skip the soaking and long simmer.
- Shake the can of coconut milk well before opening and use a full-fat one, so the rice turns out rich and lightly sweet.
Questions and answers
Are the peas in rice and peas really peas?
In Jamaica, 'peas' means beans. Rice and peas is usually made with red kidney beans, though some cooks use gungo (pigeon) peas, especially at Christmas.
Why is my rice and peas mushy or hard?
Mushy rice usually means too much liquid, and hard rice means too little or a lid that was lifted. Use about 750 ml (3 cups) of total liquid for 2 cups of rice and keep the lid on while it steams.
Can I freeze rice and peas?
Yes. Cool it quickly, pack it into airtight containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat covered with a splash of water until steaming hot.
How long does it take to make Jamaican Rice and Peas?
About 1 h 55 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 1 h 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Jamaican Rice and Peas?
About 470 kcal per serving, with 14 g of protein, 76 g of carbohydrates and 12 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 470 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 76 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Fiber | 9 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 600 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
