Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup dried red beans
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 ground black pepper (optional)
• 1 thyme sprig
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons chopped bell peppers
• 6 cloves
• 1½ tspn garlic powder or 3 garlic cloves
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper
• 7 cups water
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups long-grain parboiled rice (basmati)
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
Instructions:
1. Wash beans and bring to a boil in medium pot with 7 cups water on medium-low heat.
Add 1 teaspoon salt and 6 cloves. When beans are fork tender (1hr 10mins), turn off
heat, strain into bowl and set aside liquid as it's needed to cook rice. Add water to
beans' liquid to make 3½ cups total.
2. In cast-iron pot, stir-fry chopped onions, bell pepper, chopped scallion in 3 tablespoons
cooking oil for 1 minute on medium heat, add 1 teaspoon tomato paste, cooked beans
and continue to stir-fry for 3 minutes.
3. Pour in the 3½ cups of bean liquid, 2 teaspoon salt, black pepper (optional), fresh
parsley, thyme sprig, and bring to a hard boil. Wash rice, add to boiling water and
make sure the latter is at rice level. Include whole hot pepper and let simmer. As soon
as water has evaporated (about 15-20 minutes), lower heat, cover tightly, and let cook
for 20 minutes.
4. Fluff rice and beans with large spoon, leave hot pepper on top, and cover for 10
minutes. Ready, serve hot with either chicken, turkey, meatballs or fish.
