Authentic Jamaican Rice And Peas (+ Instant Pot Method)

Jamaican Rice and Peas (Authentic Recipe)

4.85 from 69 votes Prep: 15 minutes minsCook: 1 hour hrTotal: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins Servings: 6 Calories: 382kcal Print Pin Rate Infused with coconut, Caribbean herbs and spices, this Jamaican rice and peas is close to authentic and makes a flavorful side dish for family dinners. Use fresh or canned beans. Instant Pot method included! Author: Jhanelle Golding

Equipment

• Dutch Oven or dutch pot for rice
• Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot
• Strainer or Nut Milk Bag
• Blender
• Aluminum Foil

Baking Recipes: For more accuracy, use Metric measurements and measuring spoons.

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 cups (370 g) long grain white rice
• ▢ ¾ cup (127 g) dried kidney beans, presoaked (See Notes)
• ▢ ¾ cup (60 g) unsweetened coconut flakes, or dried coconut meat
• ▢ 1 ½ cup (355 ml) warm water, or 14oz can of coconut milk instead of water and flakes
• ▢ 1 teaspoon mild jerk seasoning
• ▢ 1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning
• ▢ 3 stalks scallion, chopped
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• ▢ 1 sprig fresh thyme, or 2 tsp dried
• ▢ 1 teaspoon whole allspice, or pimento, manually ground (or ½ tsp pre-ground)
• ▢ 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper, uncut and unbruised (See Notes)
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon salt, (less if using salted canned beans)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Prepare the dried beans (or skip to the "cooking broth" section if using canned beans):

• Add the presoaked beans to a pot or pressure cooker.¾ cup (127 g) dried kidney beans
• 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 15 minutes in a pressure cooker.

Make fresh coconut milk (or skip to the next section if using a 14oz can):

• Add the shredded unsweetened coconut flakes to a blender with warm water.¾ cup (60 g) unsweetened coconut flakes ,1 ½ cup (355 ml) warm water
• Blend for 2 minutes. I used an immersion blender for 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 cool it down with running tap water 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, all-purpose seasoning, scallion, garlic cloves, thyme, allspice, scotch bonnet pepper, salt and black pepper.1 teaspoon mild jerk seasoning ,1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning ,3 stalks scallion ,2 cloves garlic ,1 sprig fresh thyme ,1 whole scotch bonnet pepper ,1 ½ teaspoon salt ,½ teaspoon black pepper ,1 teaspoon whole allspice
• 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 color.
• 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.2 cups (370 g) long grain white rice
• 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, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Then 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.

INSTANT POT JAMAICAN RICE AND PEAS (using dried beans)

• Soak the red kidney beans overnight.¾ cup (127 g) dried kidney beans
• Drain and rinse the beans then add to the inner pot.
• Add scallions, thyme, garlic cloves, allspice, jerk spice, all-purpose seasoning and scotch bonnet pepper. Add the coconut milk and 2 cups of water. 1 teaspoon mild jerk seasoning ,1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning ,3 stalks scallion ,2 cloves garlic ,1 sprig fresh thyme ,1 teaspoon whole allspice ,1 whole scotch bonnet pepper
• Place the inner pot into the base, cover and lock the lid.
• Switch the valve to Seal, select Bean and set to cook for 15 minutes on High. Meanwhile, wash and drain the rice as previously directed.2 cups (370 g) long grain white rice
• Once the timer beeps, switch the valve to Vent to quickly release the pressure. Open the lid and remove the scotch bonnet pepper and any fresh thyme twigs.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning or add salt and pepper if needed. The broth should be flavorful.
• Stir in the drained rice, cover the pot and Seal the vent. Select Rice and set to cook on High for 5 minutes.
• Tip: Set a second timer for 20 minutes total. Sometimes the Instant Pot might not automatically switch to "Cooking" or the Timer due to the thickness of the dish, but the heat inside is still enough to cook the rice. To prevent the rice from burning, switch Off the Instant Pot after 20 minutes total and continue to the next step.
• Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes after cooking (Keep Warm for 10 minutes). Then switch the valve to Vent. Gently stir the rice and serve.

Notes

• Soak beans for 8 hours or overnight in double the amount of water. Drain and rinse.
• Alternatively, use one 15oz/425g can of beans for this recipe. Add at Step #3 under “Make the cooking broth for the rice”.
• When using scotch bonnet pepper in this recipe, the goal is to extract the flavor from the skin without the spiciness. Most of the spiciness is in the seeds so it should be fine to use as long as it’s not cut or bruised.
• Scotch Bonnet is one of the hottest peppers in the world (10 to 50 times hotter than jalapeños) so handle with care and wash your hands with soap after using.
• Check the post for step-by-step photos and more info.

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Nutrition

Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 602mg | Potassium: 491mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 188IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 3mg Nutrition Disclaimer Course: Dinner, Side DishCuisine: JamaicanDiet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian