Jamaican Rice and Peas

by Ann Marie Dedicated to

Sasha

Rice and Peas is the quintessential Jamaican dish. On Sunday, in every household, this dish is served, typically with Fricasee Chicken, Curry Goat or Oxtail. Rice and Peas is as Jamaican as “no problem.” Rice and Peas is as Jamaican as Bob Marley. It’s such a humble dish. It can also be an elevated dish. It is well-rounded and well-seasoned. This humble dish can be traced back to West Africa and was brought by slaves to the Caribbean. Because Sunday was ‘rest day,’ it was the only time they had to prepare the coconut and cook the peas, which takes at least an hour. They would prepare foods that were comforting and reminiscent of home.

I am mourning the death of a dear friend who passed away recently. I chose to photograph the dish in its pure form, unvarnished, and humble, as was my dear Sasha. A true friend who was there for me, loyal and strong. She was Jamaican, loud and proud, and like Rice and Peas she was spicy and well-balanced. Sasha was well-rounded and proud, but still humble. When she came to school in Canada, she would walk down the street and you’d think well there goes just another blonde, Canadian woman. And then, she’d open her mouth. The accent. The attitude. Fully Jamaican. She wasn’t a very fancy person. But she was deep, and complex. Back home in Jamaica, we have a saying: “Out of many, one people.” Sasha was a white Jamaican. When you travel from coast to coast, you will find every ethnicity, every language and every religion in Jamaica, including Rastafarianism, and we all eat the same dish.

~

Ann Marie

Ingredients

• 1 cup of dried kidney beans, rinsed, soaked and drained overnight

• 2½ cups of water

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 2 scallions or green onions

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 5 allspice berries

• 3-5 sprigs of thyme

• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, whole (DO NOT CUT)

• 1 inch of fresh ginger, smashed

• ½ tsp of salt

Instructions

• In a large saucepan, cover the beans with the water and bring to a boil

• Stir in the onion, scallions, garlic, allspice, thyme, Scotch bonnet, ginger, salt and black pepper. stir in the coconut milk and bring to a boil.

• Cover and simmer over low heat until beans are tender, about 1 hour, adjust the heat as necessary to maintain a simmer

• Stir in the rice, cover and simmer over low heat until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 mins. Remove from the heat. Keep the pot covered to contain the steam, let stand for 10 mins

• Remove and discard the thyme stems, allspice berries and Scotch bonnet pepper

• Using a fork, fluff the rice and beans

• Season with additional salt if required

• Serve hot

• ½ tsk of black pepper (optional)

• 1 can of unsweetened coconut milk

• 2 cups of long-grain white rice, well rinsed

Notes: Herbs and Spices may be wrapped and tied in a cheesecloth for easy removal prior to serving.