Description

Serve this incredible side dish alone, with your favorite main dish or with Jamaican Jerk Chicken Drumsticks. It makes a fantastic rice dish full of Caribbean flavors.

Ingredients

• 2 T. oil, canola, vegetable, peanut, or olive oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, finely diced, or preferred pepper (see note)
• ½ onion, diced
• ½ t. dried thyme or 1 small fresh thyme sprig
• 1 c. long grain rice, uncooked
• 14 oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 c. coconut milk
• ¾ c. water (1 c. if very soft rice is preferred)
• 1 small bay leaf
• 2 t. Cajun spice mix (seasoning/herb section of supermarket)
• ½ t. paprika
• ¾ t. salt
• ¼ t. black pepper

Steps

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add garlic and Scotch Bonnet pepper; sauté 30 seconds; add onion and thyme; sauté 3 minutes until translucent and just starting to turn golden brown.
3. Add remaining ingredients; stir to combine. Cover; bring to boil; turn heat down to low. Cook 20 minutes, until all water is absorbed. (Tilt saucepan, if there isn't any water, then it's ready). Remove from the stove; let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. During this time, any residual water will be absorbed and the rice will continue to cook.