There’s certainly a million and one cook rice.   I’m sure I’ve made my way through half of those ways at this point because rice is one of my favorite dishes.  I love fried rice, cook up rice, yellow rice, coconut rice – and the list goes on.  I’ve shared many rice recipes over the years of blogging but oddly haven’t shared a recipe for Pigeon Peas and Rice.    I think it may be because I don’t cook it often so it has never crossed my mind until recently.  

We made a quick trick to Florida a few weeks back and ate pigeon peas, also known as gungo peas, and rice every day that we were there.    Surprisingly I didn’t grow tired of it and neither did my children and it remind me of how much I loved pigeon peas when I was grown up.   Now that I’m back at home, it has been in heavy rotation around here and no one is complaining which is always a plus.

Pigeon peas and rice is similar to the more well known Rice and Peas.  Pigeon peas and rice are simmered in a coconut broth seasoned with thyme, garlic, onion and peppers.   It’s a fairly simple recipe and goes well with stews such as jerk stewed chicken, fish stew or oxtail.  These Baked Pork Chops pictured above goes well with it as well.  Enjoy!

Get the Recipe CARIBBEAN PIGEON PEAS AND RICE

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Ingredients
 

  • 1 tsp butter
  • 2 tsp crushed garlic
  • 1/2 tsp crushed ginger
  • 1-15 oz can pigeon peas or 1 1/3 cup
  • 2 ½ cups water
  • 1 scallion
  • 5 sprigs thyme
  • 10 pimento berries
  • 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cups long grained white rice
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 scotch bonnet pepper

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté garlic and ginger for about a minutes or two until it's fragrant then add pigeon peas, thyme, scallion, water, chicken bouillon and pimento.
  • Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add coconut milk and scotch bonnet and simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes.
  • Add washed rice, pinch of salt and stir. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cover pot.
  • Cook for 20-25 minutes, until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off heat and let sit for an additional 10minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
Author: Jehan Powell