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Vegetable pelau
Trinidad's one-pot rice of caramelised sugar, pigeon peas, pumpkin, mushrooms and coconut milk, made without chicken
Pelau is the dish of the Trinidad beach lime and family gathering: rice and pigeon peas cooked in one big pot, coloured a deep brown by sugar caramelised in oil until almost burnt, then simmered with coconut milk, green seasoning and a whole hot pepper. It's usually made with chicken; here deeply browned mushrooms and chunks of pumpkin carry the savoury depth, so it's still rich, smoky-sweet and moreish. Serve with coleslaw, sliced cucumber and pepper sauce. Chef's tip: let the sugar go further than feels safe: it should melt, froth and turn the colour of dark chocolate, just starting to smoke, before anything goes in. Too pale and the pelau tastes sweet; too black and it's bitter.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over a medium-high heat. Add 3 tbsp brown sugar and leave it: it will melt, bubble and froth, then turn darker. Stir gently once it's liquid. Keep going for 2–4 minutes, until it's the colour of dark chocolate and just starting to smoke. Have the mushrooms ready, as it moves fast.
4 minStep 2: Immediately add 10 ½ oz chestnut mushrooms (stand back, it will spit) and stir to coat in the caramel. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until they're glossy, dark brown and have released their juices.
5 minStep 3: Add 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic and 3 tbsp Trinidad green seasoning and cook for 3 minutes until the onion softens.
3 minStep 4: Add 14 oz parboiled long-grain rice and stir for 2 minutes so every grain is coated and browned. Add 14 oz tinned pigeon peas, 10 ½ oz pumpkin and 1 carrot and stir again.
2 minStep 5: Pour in 1 ¾ cups coconut milk and 2 cups water. Add 1 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 3 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 ¼ tsp salt and stir. Lay 1 scotch bonnet pepper on top whole and bring to a boil. Keep the pepper whole for flavour without much heat; if it bursts the pot gets very hot.
Step 6: Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring once or twice from the bottom so it doesn't stick, until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid. Pelau should be moist and slightly sticky, not dry and fluffy, so add a splash of water if it dries out before the rice is done.
25 minStep 7: Turn off the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes. Remove the pepper and thyme stalks, scatter with 2 spring onions and serve.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 73 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does vegetable pelau take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 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.
- What can I use instead of brown sugar?
- White sugar + 1 tbsp molasses or treacle per 200g.
- What can I use instead of chestnut mushrooms?
- Aubergine, diced, same weight.
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