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Considered an absolute staple of Jamaican cuisine, rice and peas can be found at any cookout, gathering, thanksgiving dinner, or restaurant option. No matter what entree you make, Authentic Jamaican rice and peas is sure to compliment! The flavor is so complex and deep yet takes a lot less effort than you would think.
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What you’ll need
White Rice– I always eat brown rice but it simply does not work well with this dish. I’ve found plain white rice to cook the best with the ‘peas’ aka red kidney beans.
Red Kidney Beans-Suprisingly rice and peas is made with red kidney beans. I’m actually not sure why Jamaicans call it peas
Scallion– Lots of fresh scallion are cooked with dish to give it a more satisfying taste
Fresh Thyme– Adds a depth of valour just like the scallion
Scotch Bonnet Pepper– Whole scotch bonnet is used for flavour inJamaican cooking without adding heat (just don’t cut it!)
Coconut Milk– Can be fresh or canned. It is simply not rice and peas without that hint of coconut!
Garlic- This will be thrown in when the beans are soaked overnight
Dried seasonings– Garlic powder, Jamaican all spice, Seasoned salt, and salt free blend. My favorite Jamaican all purpose blend is from Island spice, salt free blend from Ms Dash , and Lawry’s for the seasoned salt.
What to eat with Rice and Peas
As someone who may not be familiar with Jamaican cooking, you may be wondering what to serve with this side dish. Rice and peas taste great with almost anything! If you’re looking for a how to recipe, cook up this quick and easy Jamaican style lentil potato curry. The Caribbean spices and protein cooked down in coconut milk make a heavenly match for the well seasoned rice side. Here are some ital (vegan entrees) you can eat with rice and peas.
Jamaican Lentil potato curry- Easy, simple ingredients, intense flavor
Ackee no saltfish– Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica but tastes like a vegetable. It looks like eggs but there is nothing to compare to its flavour profile. Learn how to make authentic ackee here.
Curried cabbage- A simple and easy to make dish, steamed cabbage is loved by many on the islands. Grab an authentic recipe using this link.
Red stew peas (no pig, ital version)- Stew peas can honestly taste amazing on its own but are usually paired with rice and peas
Curry chickpeas- Loved by Rastafarians and vegans alike, curry chickpeas are a delicious vegan dinner rest in under 20 minutes. Grab my authentic recipe here.
How to make Authentic Jamaican Rice and Peas
1. Wash the red beans and fresh garlic cloves.
2. Afterwards, soak overnight and cook until tender or pressure cook beans.
3. Season with fresh/dried herbs and add coconut milk.
4. Prepare rice and add to the pot with water.
5. Allow to steam and cook down.
Seems easy enough right? Although there are a few intricate steps when making rice and peas, it is seemingly simple.
Tips on cooking
Lastly, a few tips. We don’t have a pressure cooker but it surely makes the recipe a lot shorter. If you’re like us, its best to soak the beans overnight. Although it takes much more time and prep, I personally think it tastes even better. We soak our ‘peas’ red kidney beans with 4 fresh garlic cloves and it tastes so good just on its own.
Regarding the scotch bonnet pepper, it is usually left whole. Our recipe calls for one pepper whole and another chopped (without seeds!) but if you can’t handle the spice feel free to only use one whole. Just don’t skip out on the whole scotch bonnet, its needed for flavour depth.
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Need inspiration of what to cook with rice and peas? Check out some delicious entrees that taste amazing with Jamaican rice and peas.
