Rice and Beans

Rice and Beans (Belizean Sunday Plate)

The cornerstone of Belizean Sunday cooking: red kidney beans simmered with rice in coconut milk, thyme, and onion until rich and creamy. Traditionally served alongside stewed chicken and fried plantain.

Prep

15 min

Cook

60 min

Total

75 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •225 g (1 cup) dried red kidney beans, must be soaked overnight; do not cook from dry without soaking — see step 1
• •350 g (1¾ cups) long-grain white rice, rinsed, or null
• •400 ml (1¾ cups) full-fat coconut milk, one 14 oz can; full-fat is essential for traditional richness
• •700 ml (3 cups) water or bean cooking liquid, use the liquid the beans were boiled in for deeper flavor
• •1 large onion, diced, or null
• •4 cloves garlic, minced, or null
• •6 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1½ tsp dried thyme
• •1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper, left whole, not chopped, for flavor without intense heat
• •15 g (1 tbsp) salt, adjust to taste, or null
• •30 g (2 tbsp) vegetable oil or coconut oil, for sautéing the aromatics

Steps

1. 1 SAFETY — KIDNEY BEANS: Soak 225 g (1 cup) dried red kidney beans in plenty of cold water for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Drain, rinse, and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes, then reduce heat and simmer 45–60 minutes until tender. Do not skip the boil step — raw or undercooked kidney beans contain phytohaemagglutinin, a toxin that is destroyed only by sustained boiling. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.
2. 2 In a heavy pot, heat 30 g (2 tbsp) oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent, then add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. 3 Stir in the cooked kidney beans, 400 ml (1¾ cups) coconut milk, 700 ml (3 cups) reserved bean cooking liquid, the thyme sprigs, and the whole Scotch bonnet pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
4. 4 Add the rinsed rice and 15 g (1 tbsp) salt. Stir once, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to the lowest setting and cover tightly with a lid. Cook for 20–25 minutes without lifting the lid, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
5. 5 Remove from heat and keep covered for 10 minutes to steam. Fish out and discard the thyme stems and the whole Scotch bonnet pepper. Fluff gently with a fork — the rice should be separate and each grain coated in creamy coconut.
6. 6 Serve with stewed chicken and sliced fried ripe plantain, with a side of fresh tomato salad if desired.