Peas n’ Rice
From Ainsley’s Taste of the Bahamas, ITV
Unlike the Jamaican staple Rice n’ Peas, Bahamian Peas n’ Rice isn’t typically made with coconut milk and is a somewhat heartier dish made with a tomato base, veggies and often pork. The peas are gungo or pigeon peas rather than red beans and the rice’s dark colouring comes from caramelising vegetables with sugar or from adding a splash of browning and tomato paste for speed. This is an easy version of the dish using tinned beans/peas. If you’d like a deeper flavour fry off some chopped smoked bacon before adding the onions and peppers. Like it spicy? Finely chop the scotch bonnet and add it in with the onion. Perfect served with my Junkanoo Jerk-Spiced Chicken.
Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, pepper and celery and cook for 4-6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds. Add in the tomatoes for a minute and then stir in the tomato puree and browning. Cook for another minute before adding the peas. Add the stock/water and ¾ tsp salt and bring to the boil. Add the rice and scotch bonnet, stir, and bring back to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently, covered with a tight-fitting lid, for about 20-25 minutes until the rice is tender and has absorbed the water.
Rest with the lid on for 5-10 minutes before checking for seasoning, removing the scotch bonnet and fluffing.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut or light olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 small green pepper, deseeded, finely diced
- 1 stick of celery, finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3-4 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
- 2 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 heaped tbsp tomato puree/paste
- ½ - 1 tsp of browning, liquid seasoning or Worcestershire sauce
- 1 x 400g tin of pigeon peas/gungo beans
- 400ml low-salt chicken stock or water
- 200g long grain rice, rinsed clear
- 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper, pierced or unpierced (optional)