Traditionally, this dish is made with pigeon peas—cute, round, and tan, also called gandules, or the fun name, gungo peas. They’re a staple in markets with Latin American and Caribbean communities. If you can’t find them, no worries.Use red beans (another island favorite) instead. No harm will be done.
As with tacu tacu, the beans and rice need to be cooked in advance before you start this dish. Plan ahead. In fact, the whole dish can be made ahead and reheated when you’re ready to serve.
How to serve: Caribbean pigeon peas and rice is a happy-making one-pot meal on a week- night, but it can be dressed up with a green salad dressed with tamarind vinaigrette or tropical slaw and served with cornbread . Add a dollop of papaya chutney or pikliz, and you’ve got a party.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pigeon peas or red beans, cooked and cooled or 1 15-ounce can of beans, rinsed and drained
- 2-1/2 cups brown rice, cooked and cooled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 green or red pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1/4 (Scotch bonnet pepper, minced or 1 to 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped, depending on how hot you like it*
- 2 celery stalks, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
- 1 tomato, chopped (or 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes, drained)
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 small handful fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried
- 1 small bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chile and celery, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped tomato and season with the allspice and
- Add the cooked pigeon peas and rice, stir- ring until the mixture is well combined. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the moisture fromthe vegetables is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme, cilantro, sea salt, and pepper.
- Serves 4 to Doubles beautifully.
