Cookbook:Jamaican Rice and Peas

Jamaican Rice and Peas
Category	Jamaican recipes
Difficulty

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Ingredients

• 3 cups dried red peas (kidney beans) or gungo peas (pigeon peas)
• 8 cups water
• ½ tbsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 cups coconut milk or 1 packet coconut powder
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper
• 1 bunch scallions or 1 small white onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp thyme
• ¼ cup margarine
• 2 tbsp all-purpose seasoning
• 2 tbsp seasoning salt
• 1 tbsp chicken seasoning (optional)
• 1 ½ lb white or brown rice, rinsed and drained

Procedure

1. Wash peas with clean water. Place them in a pot with the water, salt, and garlic. Stir and leave to soak overnight.
2. Transfer the entire pot of soaked peas and liquid to the stovetop. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the peas become tender (about 20 minutes). Add more hot water if the level drops too low.
3. Lower the heat, then add the coconut milk, scotch bonnet pepper, scallion, thyme, margarine, all-purpose seasoning, seasoning salt, and chicken seasoning. Stir well.
4. Cover and boil over medium heat for 10 minutes.
5. Stir in the rice until evenly distributed. Cover, lower heat, and boil until the rice is soft and liquid is boiled out (about 10–15 minutes).
6. Serve and enjoy!

Notes, tips, and variations

• The scotch bonnet pepper is extremely spicy, so it can be placed in the pot whole or finely chopped; it all depends on who it is being cooked for and your preferences.
• This dish can be eaten alone or with main dishes such as fried chicken, stewed pork, curried chicken, stewed beef, etc.