Jamaican Rice and Peas

Ingredients

• 2 cupsrice, long grain
• 1 2/3 cupscoconut milk, converted 1:1 to ml
• 1 lbkidney beans, undrained if canned
• 1 cupwater
• 2 tspkosher salt
• 1/2 tspground allspice
• 1/4 tspblack pepper
• 3scallions, left whole; remove before serving
• 2 sprigthyme, remove before serving
• 1scotch bonnet pepper, whole; remove before serving

Method

1. 1

   Tip the rice, coconut milk, kidney beans with their liquid, water, salt, allspice and black pepper into a large heavy pot and stir until it is evenly mixed.

2. 2

   Lay the whole scallions, the thyme sprigs and the whole scotch bonnet on the surface. Leave the chili intact — it perfumes the pot without letting its heat out.

3. 3

   Bring the pot up to a boil uncovered.

4. 4

   Turn the heat to low, put the lid on and cook for 18 minutes without lifting it. Then take the pot off the heat and leave it, still covered, for 5 minutes more.

5. 5

   Lift out the scallions, the thyme and the scotch bonnet and discard them. Fluff the rice and beans through with a fork and serve.