Gluten freeBahamian peas and rice
Peas 'n' rice: the Bahamas' everyday pigeon peas and rice, browned with salt pork, tomato and thyme
Peas 'n' rice is on almost every plate in the Bahamas, from Nassau fish fry shacks at Arawak Cay to Sunday dinner in Eleuthera, served with fried chicken, steamed fish or cracked conch. Unlike Jamaican rice and peas there is no coconut: pigeon peas and rice are cooked in a rich base of browned salt pork, onion, sweet pepper, tomato paste and thyme, which gives the rice its signature brown-red colour. This recipe contains pork (salt pork or bacon). The usual mistake is stirring once the rice is in, which breaks the grains and makes it gummy; cover tightly and leave it alone. It is done when the liquid has gone and the grains are tender and separate. Chef's tip: let the tomato paste fry in the pork fat until it darkens to brick red before adding water; that is where the colour and depth come from.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 390 kcal
Ingredients
- 3 ½ oz salt pork or smoked bacondiced
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 onionchopped
- ½ green pepperchopped
- 1 stick celerychopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 14 oz cooked pigeon peas1 tin, drained
- 14 oz long-grain ricerinsed
- 3 ¼ cups water
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Fry 3 ½ oz salt pork or smoked bacon with 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat for 6 minutes, until browned and the fat runs. The pork must be cooked through and crisp.
6 minStep 2: Add 1 onion, ½ green pepper and 1 stick celery and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
5 minStep 3: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and 3 sprigs fresh thyme and fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the paste darkens to brick red.
3 minStep 4: Add 14 oz cooked pigeon peas, 14 oz long-grain rice, 3 ¼ cups water, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Taste the liquid: salt pork is salty, so add more salt only if needed. Bring to the boil.
3 minStep 5: Cover tightly, turn the heat to its lowest and cook for 20 minutes without lifting the lid, until the water is absorbed and the rice tender.
20 minStep 6: Rest off the heat, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork, remove the thyme stalks and serve.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bahamian peas and rice take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of celery?
- Fennel bulb, same weight.
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