AI-generated image
Diri kole ak pwa
Haiti's everyday 'rice stuck with beans': red beans cooked first, their dark liquid used to cook the rice with epis and clove
Diri kole ak pwa, rice 'stuck together' with beans, is the plate Haitians call their national dish, cooked in homes from Jacmel to Gonaïves and served most days of the week. Unlike rice and peas from elsewhere in the Caribbean, there's usually no coconut milk: red beans are simmered first, then their dark, savoury cooking liquid goes into the rice with fried epis, thyme and cloves, so the grains turn a rich reddish-brown and taste of beans all the way through. A whole scotch bonnet adds fruity heat without fire. Chef's tip: fry the drained beans in the epis until their skins blister and catch slightly; that browning gives the rice its deep, almost smoky taste.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Drain soaked 7 oz dried red kidney beans, cover with 1.5 litres water and boil hard for 10 minutes, then simmer for 50–60 minutes over a medium-low heat until tender but whole. Drain and keep the dark cooking liquid; you need 800 ml. If using tinned beans, drain them and use 800 ml water mixed with 2 tbsp of the tin liquid instead.
60 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot over a medium-high heat. Add the drained beans, 3 tbsp epis (Haitian seasoning base) and 2 cloves garlic and fry for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until the bean skins blister and a few catch and brown.
5 minStep 3: Add 4 whole cloves, 3 sprigs fresh thyme and 14 oz long-grain rice and stir for 2 minutes, until the rice is glossy and well mixed with the beans.
2 minStep 4: Pour in the bean liquid, add 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper and bring to the boil. Lay 1 scotch bonnet pepper on top. Boil uncovered until the liquid sinks into the rice and the surface looks pitted, 7–8 minutes.
8 minStep 5: Cover tightly and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and dry. A common mistake is adding too much liquid: diri kole should be separate and fluffy, not soft and sticky. Use exactly twice the volume of liquid to rice.
20 minStep 6: Turn off the heat and rest for 5 minutes. Remove the pepper, thyme and cloves, fluff and serve with legim, pikliz and fried plantain.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does diri kole ak pwa take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 50 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of whole cloves?
- Ground cloves, ¼ tsp for every 3 whole cloves.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Masala ugali
Ugali, East Africa's staple of maize meal cooked into a stiff porridge, given a lift with toasted cumin, butter, fresh coriander and green chilli. Stir it hard and keep it soft. Serve hot with sukumawiki or any stew.
Paneer biryani
A mild, creamy biryani: rice and husked green gram roasted in ghee, then cooked in coconut milk with peas, carrots, potatoes, peanuts and cashews, and finished with soft fried paneer and a fresh coriander yogurt. Serve hot, garnished with more fried cashews and paneer.
Plain cooked rice
Two reliable ways to cook plain rice. Method 1 lets the rice soak up all its water, for soft, fluffy rice to serve with curry and dal. Method 2 boils it in plenty of water and drains it, giving separate grains for fried rice, pilau and salads. Soaking first helps the grains cook evenly.
