Coconut Rice and Peas with Scotch Bonnet
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and NYT Cooking.
Long-grain rice steamed in coconut milk with kidney beans, thyme, spring onion, allspice and a whole Scotch bonnet for fragrance.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Build the base. Put the coconut milk, water, beans, thyme, spring onions, garlic, allspice, salt and pepper in the saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Seasoning the liquid now means every grain of rice absorbs the flavour.
- 2
Add the rice. Stir in the rice and butter and bring back to the boil. Lay the whole Scotch bonnet on top, taking care not to split it; left whole, it gives fruity aroma rather than fierce heat.
- 3
Steam gently. Cover the pan with a sheet of foil and then the lid, turn the heat to low and cook for 20 min without lifting the lid. The tight seal traps the steam, so the rice cooks evenly and the coconut milk does not catch.
- 4
Rest and fluff. Take the pan off the heat and leave covered for 10 min to let the grains firm up. Lift out the Scotch bonnet and thyme stalks, fluff with a fork and serve.
Storage
Cool quickly and refrigerate within 1 hour, covered, for up to 1 day. Reheat once only, with a splash of water, until piping hot (74 °C) throughout. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- large heavy saucepan with tight lid
- foil
- fork
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 454 kcal |
| Protein | 9.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 65.2 g |
| of which sugars | 1.8 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 17.8 g |
| of which saturates | 14.5 g |
| Fibre | 3.5 g |
| Salt | 1.24 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
2.1 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
