Despite the name, the "peas" in rice and peas are usually red kidney beans (gungo/pigeon peas are used around Christmas). The dish is built on coconut milk, which gives it a faint sweetness and rich aroma. It's the essential partner to jerk chicken, curry goat, and brown stew.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
  • 1 cup dried red kidney beans (or 1 can, drained)
  • 1 can (400ml) coconut milk
  • ~3 cups water
  • 3 scallions, crushed
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp ground pimento (or 6 whole berries)
  • 1 whole scotch bonnet (kept whole)
  • 1 tsp salt

Method

  1. If using dried beans, soak overnight, then boil in fresh water until almost tender — about 1 hour. (Canned beans skip this step.)
  2. To the beans and their cooking liquid, add the coconut milk, enough water to make roughly 4 cups of liquid total, scallion, thyme, garlic, pimento, salt and the whole scotch bonnet. Bring to a boil.
  3. Stir in the rinsed rice. The liquid should sit about 1 cm above the rice. Bring back to a boil.
  4. Cover tightly, reduce to the lowest heat, and steam 20–25 minutes without stirring, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
  5. Carefully remove the whole scotch bonnet (don't burst it). Fluff with a fork and serve.

🥥 The golden rule

Don't lift the lid or stir while it steams — that's how you get separate, fluffy grains instead of mush. And never burst the scotch bonnet unless you want serious heat.