Chef-tested recipe
Across Barbados, rice and peas brings together rice, locally available beans or field peas, aromatics and sometimes coconut milk. This version uses black-eyed peas, thyme, scallion and coconut.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Cuisine
- Barbadian (Bajan)
- Course
- Side dish
- Best Served With
- Stewed chicken, fish, pepper sauce or vegetables. Storage and Food Safety Rice needs prompt cooling. Transfer leftovers to shallow containers, refrigerate promptly at 4°C or below, eat within 1 day where practical and reheat thoroughly only once.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Ingredients
- 350 g long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained paid link
- 240 g cooked black-eyed peas, drained
- 250 ml unsweetened coconut milk paid link
- 400 ml water or unsalted vegetable stock
- 100 g onion, finely diced
- 35 g spring onion, sliced
- 12 g garlic, minced
- 8 g fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 15 ml neutral oil paid link
- 5 g fine salt, adjusted to stock paid link
- 2 g black pepper
- 1 whole Scotch bonnet, uncut, optional
Method
1. Heat oil in a heavy saucepan. Sweat onion and spring onion for 4 minutes; add garlic and stir for another minute.
2. Add rinsed rice and stir to coat. Pour in coconut milk and water or stock, then add cooked peas, thyme, bay leaf, pepper and salt.
3. Nestle in the whole uncut Scotch bonnet if using. Bring to a gentle boil, cover tightly and reduce to very low heat.
4. Cook 15–18 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave covered for another 10 minutes. Do not stir during the covered cooking period.
5. Carefully remove the whole pepper, thyme stems and bay leaf. Fluff gently with a fork and serve.
Beginner Technique Notes
Different rice varieties absorb different amounts of water: use the package’s liquid ratio as a reference, counting coconut milk toward the total liquid. Do not pierce the pepper unless you want substantially more heat.
Substitutions
Cooked pigeon peas or another local legume may replace black-eyed peas. Omit coconut milk and make up its volume with water for a simpler style.
Allergen Notes
Coconut is included. Check stock for celery, soy or other allergens.
Always Cook with Heart. Always!
