Rice and Peas

If using dried kidney beans, soak overnight and boil for 1 hour until tender, reserving the cooking liquid. For canned beans, simply drain and rinse.

In a heavy pot, combine coconut milk and water (or bean cooking liquid). Add kidney beans, garlic, allspice, and salt. Bring to a boil.

Wash the rice in cold water until the water runs clear, then add to the boiling coconut mixture. Add the knotted scallions, thyme sprigs, and whole Scotch bonnet on top. Do not pierce the pepper.

Stir once, then reduce heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover tightly with a lid and cook for 20-25 minutes without lifting the lid. The steam does all the work.

After 20 minutes, remove the lid, fluff the rice with a fork, and check that all liquid is absorbed. The rice should be fluffy with each grain separate, infused with coconut and spice.

Remove the Scotch bonnet pepper, scallion knot, and thyme sprigs. Add butter and fold through gently. The pepper adds subtle flavor without heat since it was left whole.

Serve as the essential accompaniment to jerk chicken, curry goat, or any Jamaican main dish. In Jamaica, this is the foundation upon which every Sunday dinner is built.