Description
A classic Jamaican side dish featuring aromatic rice cooked with red kidney beans, coconut milk, and a blend of traditional spices. This recipe brings authentic Caribbean flavors with a perfect balance of creamy coconut and spicy Scotch bonnet pepper, baked to tender perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter (or 2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp all spice powder (or mixed spice)
- 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh
- 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero chilli (optional), keep whole
- 2 x 400g / 14oz cans red kidney beans, drained
- 1 x 400 ml / 14oz full fat coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp cooking salt
- 2 cups long grain white rice
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan) to prepare for baking the rice and peas.
- Sauté Aromatics: Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a medium or large ovenproof pot. Add minced garlic, chopped onion, dried thyme, all spice powder, bay leaves, and the whole Scotch bonnet chili. Cook until the onion becomes translucent, about 3 minutes, allowing all the aromatics to release their flavors.
- Add Liquids and Beans: Pour in the coconut milk, water, drained red kidney beans, and salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Add Rice and Stir: Once the mixture is simmering and you see bubbles breaking the surface, add the long grain white rice and give everything a quick stir to combine.
- Bake: Immediately cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for 40 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. You may notice some coconut cream on the surface, which is normal.
- Rest and Fluff: After baking, remove the pot from the oven and leave it covered on the counter for 15 minutes to rest. Then fluff the rice with a fork and serve warm.
Notes
- Keep the Scotch bonnet or habanero chili whole to add heat without overwhelming the dish; remove before serving if preferred.
- Drain the beans thoroughly to avoid excess liquid that can affect cooking time.
- Using full-fat coconut milk enriches the creamy texture but can be substituted with light coconut milk for a lighter version.
- Long grain white rice is preferred to achieve fluffy grains that don’t stick together.
- Using an ovenproof pot is essential as the cooking transitions from stovetop to oven.
