Jamaican Rice and Peas

Prepare the dried beans:

Add the presoaked beans to a pot or pressure cooker.

Fill the pot with enough fresh water to ensure the level is 1 inch above the beans (about 3.5 cups/800ml). Cover with a lid.

Cook on high heat for one hour in the pot (adding more water if needed to maintain the level) or 20 minutes in a pressure cooker.

Make fresh coconut milk:

Add the shredded unsweetened coconut flakes to a blender with warm water.

Blend for 2 minutes. I used an immersion blender which made for an easier cleanup.

Strain the mixture, extracting as much liquid as possible. I used a nut milk bag which is super fine and much easier to use.

Set the coconut milk aside.

Make the cooking broth for the rice:

Once the beans are cooked, allow the pressure cooker to release before opening.

If you’re using a standard pressure cooker. Place the pot in the sink and run some cool water over it until the pressure fully releases.

Add the precooked beans with liquid or undrained canned beans to a pot more suitable for cooking rice. If you cooked the beans in the rice pot then no need to remove them.

Add the homemade coconut milk (or canned coconut milk) to the pot.

Stir in the jerk seasoning, scallion, garlic cloves, thyme, allspice, scotch bonnet pepper, salt and black pepper.

Cover the pot and bring to a boil at high heat for 5 minutes.

Decrease the heat to low and continue cooking for 15 minutes or until the liquid is reduced and has a deep reddish-brown colour.

Key tip: If your pot doesn’t already have a vent, slightly ventilate the lid to prevent any boiling over.

Wash the rice:

Add the rice to a large bowl and fill with water.

Stir to release the starches that could make the rice stick together while cooking. Drain.

Repeat the rinsing and draining steps until the water is clear (about 4 to 5 times total).

Cook the rice:

Once the broth is ready, add the drained rice to the pot.

Add more water if needed to ensure the level is 1 inch above the rice.

Cover with a sheet of aluminum foil, then the lid.

Allow the rice to cook and steam for 12 to 15 minutes or until it’s tender and all the liquid is absorbed.

Allow it to rest for 10 minutes after cooking. Remove the strands of scallion, thyme branches and scotch bonnet pepper. before gently stirring with a fork.