Coconut Rice & Peas (Jamaican-Style)
Time
- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 20 min
- Total: 30 min (10 min inactive)
Servings: 6
Serving: about 1⅓ cups (250 g / ~9 oz)
Ingredients
Rice & peas
- Long-grain white rice: ≈370 g (2 cups) — rinsed until water runs mostly clear; well-drained
- Coconut milk: 1 can (13.5 oz / 400 ml) — full-fat; shake well
- Water: 480 ml (2 cups) — or low-sodium chicken stock
- Kidney beans: 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) — canned; drained and rinsed (≈240 g beans)
- Scallions: 2 — smashed
- Fresh thyme: ~1.6 g (2 sprigs) — whole sprigs; or ½ tsp dried
- Garlic: 2 cloves — lightly crushed
- Allspice berries: 6 — or ¼ tsp ground
- Kosher salt: 2.8 g (1 tsp Diamond Crystal)
- Scotch bonnet: 1 — whole; optional, pricked once for aroma; remove before serving
- Unsalted butter: 14 g (1 Tbsp) — optional, to finish
Instructions
1. Rinse the rice
- Place ≈370 g (2 cups) long-grain white rice in a bowl, cover with cold water, swish, and drain. Repeat until water is mostly clear. Drain thoroughly in a sieve.
2. Combine and bring to a boil
- In a medium saucepan, combine:
- 1 can (13.5 oz / 400 ml) coconut milk
- 480 ml (2 cups) water or stock
- 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 scallions, smashed
- ~1.6 g (2 sprigs) fresh thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
- 6 allspice berries
- 2.8 g (1 tsp Diamond Crystal) kosher salt
- 1 Scotch bonnet (optional)
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
3. Add rice and simmer
- Stir in rice once to distribute. Return to a gentle boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 15–18 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
4. Rest and finish
- Remove from heat; keep covered 10 minutes. Remove aromatics (scallions, thyme, garlic, pepper, allspice). Fluff with a fork; stir in 14 g (1 Tbsp) unsalted butter if using. Adjust salt.
Notes / Make-ahead / Variations
- Beans: Substitute pigeon peas (gungo peas) for kidney beans.
- Coconut level: For richer rice, use 1¼ cans coconut milk and reduce water by the same amount.
- Rice cooker: Combine all ingredients in the cooker bowl (omit step 2’s stovetop boil). Run the white‑rice cycle; rest 10 minutes, then fluff and remove aromatics.
- Texture control: If rice seems wet, uncover and steam off moisture over very low heat 1–2 minutes; if too dry before tender, splash in 2–3 Tbsp hot water and continue on low.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate up to 4 days; reheat covered with a splash of water on the stovetop or in the microwave. For best texture, fluff halfway through reheating.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Full Recipe | Per Serving (about 1⅓ cups or 250 g / ~9 oz) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 2814 | 469 |
| Protein | 73.2 g | 12.2 g |
| Fat | 101.4 g | 16.9 g |
| Carbs | 412.8 g | 68.8 g |
| Fiber | 33.6 g | 5.6 g |
| Sugars | 20.4 g | 3.4 g |
| Sodium | 2880 mg | 480 mg |