Robert's Red Beans and Coconut Rice (Jamaican Style)

Submitted by mjerusha81

"This is a great rice and beans recipe we got from our good friend Robert West in Panama. However, this is more a Jamaican style than Panamanian style rice and beans. He told us that a Jamaican woman taught him this recipe. I only try to make it as good as he did. This is great with barbeque chicken, cole slaw, and candied plantains (or platano en tentacion, as they call it in Panama). Also good by itself as a snack. If you add more beans you could have a nice vegetarian dish. The flavors intensify if you let it set overnight. *To speed things up you can used canned beans and just add the extra veggies when cooking the rice."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 8-10

ingredients

• BEANS

• 1⁄2 lb dried kidney beans
• 1⁄2 cup onion, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup chopped sweet pepper (or bell peppers)
• 4 garlic cloves
• salt

• RICE

• 3 cups rice (about 1 1/2 lbs)
• 1⁄2 cup onion, chopped
• 2 -4 garlic cloves
• 3 -4 slices scotch bonnet peppers, minced (aji chombo)
• 2 (13 1/2 ounce) cans coconut milk
• reserve water from beans
• extra water to make 6 cups total liquid
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 teaspoons salt

directions

1. Rinse beans and soak overnight.
2. Cook beans with 1/2 cup onion, 1/2 cup peppers, 4 cloves garlic and salt (1 Tbsp?) until beans are tender but not mushy. Set aside and reserve water.
3. In a large flat bottomed pan (like large aluminum or soup pot), saute rice with other 1/2 c onion, garlic and hot pepper till peppers smell fragrant.
4. Measure out coconut milk, reserved bean water, and any extra water to make 6 cups total liquid.
5. Add 6 cups liquid, 1 tsp sugar, 3 tsp salt, and cooked beans to rice.
6. Cover and simmer on lower heat till all water is absorbed (20"?).
7. Make sure rice is good and dry, and then fluff with large serving fork. (Sometimes I let the rice dry out on the very lowest notch after it's done for up to 30"). Yes it will stick to the pan a little bit. The Panamanians call this dried sticky part concolon, and consider it a tasty addition to the dish.