Jamaican Rice and peas

• 1 can coconut milk (2-3 tbsp of Coconut Flakes I use Grace) (Optional cut, grate dried coconut and strain for 8.5 oz coconut milk)
• 2 cup rice
• 1 1/2 tsp salt (or 1 tbsp)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans /gunga peas or from scratch 1 1/2 cup gungo peas
• 2 stalks escallion
• 2 stick fresh thyme (sun dried)
• 3-4 pimento
• 1 cup water
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 1 tsp brown sugar (optional)
• 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper, preferrable green not orange colour
• 1/2 onion (Optional)
• clove fresh garlic
• 1 tbsp Coconut oil or Canola oil (whatever oil you desire)

1. Cooking If you are using fresh peas (kidney, gungo or green beans) then wash these
2. Pour on three cups of water and leave to soak overnight for red peas, For gungo peas soak for 4-5 hours and max 1 hour for green peas (nb - there is no need to do this if you are using tinned peas)
3. Pressure the peas in pressure cooker with additional 4 cups of water or up to 1 inside the pressure cooker for 20-23 minutes (This is not necessary for green beans or tinned peas)
4. You can test to see if the peas are cooked by crushing two of them against the lid of the pot or with a spoon.
5. If they crush easily you can move on to the next step
6. Slice the onions fine and fry until soft in the oil
7. Add a sprig of the fresh thyme, pimento with low heat
8. Crush the garlic cloves in and continue to fry for 3 mins
9. Add the beans/peas (If using tinned peas drain from can)
10. Wash the rice with water and drain as much water as possible without spilling the rice
11. Add Rice
12. Before adding coconut milk /coconut flakes it is important to take note of how much water is already in the pot note that coconut milk is about 8.5 oz or 1/4 inch if you need to throw off water now is the time but make sure the water is about 1 inch above the rice and peas.
13. Therefore 3/4 inch of water should already be in the pot to add coconut milk but to add coconut flakes 1 inch should be in the pot
14. Add the coconut milk, stir.
15. (boil for 1 minute)
16. Add butter
17. Add Crushed escallion previously stripped of old foliage and washed
18. Add seasoning salt and pepper, stir fried seasoning and scotch bonnet pepper (you can stick a fork in the pepper for added flavour) Optional brown sugar
19. Give it 1 good stir,taste if enough seasoning.
20. Cover your pot and leave to cook on medium-high heat for 8 mins or at least watch the pot after 5 minutes until the liquid has been boiled out but not completely boiled and stir 1 little to ensure the rice didn't stick to the bottom note that if you stir it too much, your rice can get mushy.
21. Cover the pot and turn on low heat and let rice cook 7 mins.
22. Remove whole pepper from the pot.
23. Just let rice cook, stir a couple more times after 5 minutes just to make sure the rice isn't sticking to the bottom when you check it to see if the rice is done.
24. (optional add another tablespoon of butter)
25. Note: If you notice the liquid is drying up but the rice is still not fully cook through, just add little more water as appropriate,cover the lid and continue to cook
26. The Rice and Peas is now ready to serve when the rice is white in colour and swollen!

coconut milk, rice, salt, butter, red kidney beans, stalks escallion, thyme, pimento, water, black pepper, brown sugar, scotch bonnet pepper, onion, garlic, coconut oil

Taken from cookpad.com/us/recipes/484023-jamaican-rice-and-peas (may not work)