Rice and Peas

Rice and Peas is a staple Caribbean dish and an accompaniment to many meals. It goes well very well with brown stewed chicken and I like it with Fish Court-bouillon.

Ingredients
1/2 lb dry red kidney beans
2 cups white rice
8oz Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk (regular, organic or lite)
1 tbsp Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
1 tsp crushed garlic
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 bay leaves


Preparation

1. Pour beans in a container and let it soak in cold water overnight. The next day you will see that your beans would have plumped significantly
2. Pour out the soaking water and rinse beans under cold running water
3. Bring to a boil 5 cups of water in a dutch oven then pour in your beans
4. Add the crushed garlic and 2 bay leaves
5. Cover and cook on medium heat for 1 hour or until soft enough that you can smash then between your fingers
6. At this time season with creole seasoning, salt, black pepper and pour in the coconut milk
7. Add the rice cook for about 25 more minutes. 

Keep in mind that cooking time may vary depending on the rice you use. Jasmine rice tends to cook very quickly so that's what I usually use when making this dish.