Hyderabadi Vegetable Biryani, an Indian rice dish from Passage to India, Ocho Rios, St. Ann. - PHOTO BY ROGER ROBINSON
Rice cooking tips
When steaming rice, it is quite a popular practice to use this trick to measure. Once you have added your rice and it is sitting level in the pot, add liquid (coconut milk and water) until it reaches one finger joint above the rice (about an inch).
You can stick a clean finger in and it doesn't seem to matter what quantity of rice you are making it always comes out right. Make sure the pot is large enough, as the rice will more than double in size when cooked.
When cooking green gungo peas and rice don't be stingy with the peas.
Milk from freshly grated coconut is still the best to cook rice and peas.
Virginia Burke's Rice and Peas
1 cup dried red peas
(red kidney beans or gungo
peas), soaked overnight
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
2 cups white rice
3 sprig of onion
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 scotch bonnet pepper
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper to taste
METHOD
1. Drain and rinse the beans. Place the beans in a large, heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add enough water to cover them.
2. Bring to boil rapidly for 10 minutes and the reduce heat and cook for about two hours
or until tender. Top up the water as necessary.
3. Add the coconut milk, rice, sprig onions, thyme, salt and pepper. Add enough water so that there is about two and a half times as much liquid as rice and beans.
4. Drop the whole pepper in and bring to the boil. Immediately cover the pot and turn the heat down to its lowest. Allow the rice to steam slowly for about 25 to 30 minutes. Do not open the pot or stir the rice during this process or it will become sticky. When finished, all the liquid should be absorbed and the rice tender.
5. Remove the pepper, spring onions and the thyme sprig, fluff rice and serve.
Shaunavon Blackmore's Spanish Rice
11/2 cup mixed vegetable (carrot, string beans, sweet pepper,corn, and green peas)
2 cups white rice
1 tbs. Onion (finely chopped)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. basil leaf (finely crushed)
1/4 tsp egg powder
1 tbs. butter
Salt to taste
3 1/2 cups water (or enough to cook rice)
METHOD
1. Rinse rice twice and drain
2. Bring water to boil then add salt, egg powder, garlic powder and basil leaf. Boil for another five minutes.
3. Add rice and butter (water should cover rice). Cover pot and immediately turn down heat to its lowest.
4. Allow rice to steam for about 20 minutes then add mixed vegetable. Let it steam for a remaining five minutes or until cooked.
Serve warm.
Celia Shakespeare's Rice Porridge
4 cups water
1 cup white rice
3 pieces of cinnamon leaves
2 pieces of cinnamon sticks
2 tbs. vanilla
1/2 cup box milk or
evaporated milk
1/4 cup condensed milk
Nutmeg to taste
METHOD
1. Boil water with cinnamon leaves and sticks for five minutes.
2. Rinse rice twice then add to boiling water. Turn down heat to its lowest and allow to steam for about 25 to 30 minutes while stirring frequently.
3. Add vanilla and box milk then sweeten with condensed milk.
4. To serve pour in a small bowl then grate nutmeg on top.
Celia Shakespeare's Seasoned Rice
2 cups white rice
1/4 pound saltfish
1 fresh sprig of scallion
2 tbs. sweet pepper diced
3 sprig of onion
1 tbs. butter
Salt to taste
METHOD
1. To prepare the salt fish, rinse under cold tap water or soak overnight then bring to boil. Throw that water away then fill pot with water and bring to boil once more.
2. Rinse rice twice and then drain
3. Bring water to boil then add rice, salt, butter, sweet pepper, saltfish, scallion and onion (water should cover rice). Cover pot and immediately turn down heat to its lowest.
4. Allow rice to steam for about 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked.
Chicken Pelau
There are many Trinidadians in our midst, here is Marcia Erskine's recipe for a favourite Trini rice dish.
2 1/2 - 3 lb chicken pieces
seasoned, with salt, pepper,
chives thyme, escallion, garlic,
parsley, 1 tsp. Worcestershire
sauce, 1 tsp. Soy sauce
and 1 tsp. ketchup.
2 cups rice washed
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water
METHOD
1. Heat oil in large heavy iron Dutch pot or skillet.
2. Add sugar and allow to melt until medium brown.
3. Add seasoned meat and stir until well coated with browned sugar; brown for five minutes.
4. Stir rice into chicken and blend well.
5. Cook for three more minutes
6. Add onion, sweet peppers and peas and stir fry for a few seconds
7. Add salt, pepper, coconut milk and water.
8. Bring to boil, lower heat, cover and simmer until rice is cooked and all liquid has evaporated (25-30 minutes).
9. Add more liquid if rice is still hard, cover and continue to cook longer.
Serve with fresh green salad or cole slaw and cucumbers or avocado pear (if in season).
Bahamian Peas and Rice
(Recipe for someone who already knows how to cook and is good at estimating quantities)
Rice
1 can Pigeon peas
or fresh green peas
Pinch salt or to taste
Black pepper
Salted beef or
(bacon finely chopped)
Onions
Green peppers
Ripe tomatoes
Tomato paste
Gravy browning (optional)
Thyme
METHOD
Sauté onions, green pepper, thyme, tomato paste, salt beef or bacon.
Once sautéed add water and bring to a boil adding peas, then add rice and let cook for about 45 minutes or until cooked.
If using dried peas, you must boil first and then add sautéed ingredients before adding rice.
Fresh peas, however, can be sautéed with other ingredients.
- Recipe from Michelle Powell-Williams
