Rice and Peas

Ingredients

• 400 g long grain rice, rinsed
• 1 tin of kidney beans, liquid kept
• 1 tin of coconut milk
• 4 spring onions, bruised and left whole
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 whole scotch bonnet, left unpierced
• 6 allspice berries
• 1 tsp salt

Method

1. Do not drain the beans

   Tip the beans in with their liquid. That starchy, dark liquid is what tints the rice its characteristic pinkish-brown — drain it away and you get plain white rice with beans in it.

2. Build the cooking liquid

   Bring the beans, coconut milk, spring onions, thyme, garlic, allspice, salt and enough water to make about 800 ml of liquid to a simmer and cook 10 minutes to infuse. Add the scotch bonnet whole and unpierced — it perfumes the pot without making it hot, and it comes out at the end.

   10 min

3. Rice in, lid on

   Stir in the rinsed rice, bring back to a boil, then drop to the lowest heat and cover tightly.

4. Steam undisturbed

   Cook 20 minutes without lifting the lid, then rest off the heat for 10 more. Every peek lets out the steam that is doing the cooking.

   30 min

5. Fork through

   Fish out the scotch bonnet, thyme stalks and spring onions, and fork the rice through gently. Serve with jerk chicken or anything stewed.