Jamaican Rice and Peas

Ingredients

3 cups rice (washed)
1 cup red peas (red kidney beans)
Few sprigs thyme
1 medium sized coconut or 1 bag of maggie coconut milk powder
Salt as per taste
1 clove garlic
1 scotch bonnet pepper
2 stalks escallion
1/4 tsp. black pepper (optional)
1  quart boiling water

Method

1. Grate coconut and using the quart of hot water, express the milk by adding two cups of water at a time and squeezing the milk through a sieve after each addition until the water is finished. OR dissolve packet of coconut milk powder in water.

2. Place pre washed and soaked peas in a saucepan with the coconut milk and add the clove of garlic slightly bruised. Cook until peas are tender, but not overcooked.

3. Add escallion, thyme, salt, scotch bonnet or black pepper and rice, adding more water if necessary in order to boil rice properly.

4. Cook over medium heat, covered, stirring once or twice until rice is well cooked.

Jamaican Sorrel-Country Style

Ingredients

Serves 4

2 lbs Sorrel fruit

2 lbs of ginger

5 tbsp sugar

3 litres of water

2 tbsp. White Rum (e.g. Wray & Nephew Overproof)

Additional spices

 1 tsp cloves

 5-10 whole pimento seeds

 1/3 cup raw/uncooked white rice grains (Helps with fermentation and flavour)

 1 tbsp orange peel

 1 tbsp lemon peel

 Optional alcohol

 Wine

 Sherry

 Rum

Method

1.       Grate the ginger.

2.       Add the ginger, sorrel and water to a pot and rapidly bring to the boil.

3.       Add your preferred combination of additional ingredients (except rice grains) to the mixture. You will probably need to experiment with these ingredients until you find the combination which is perfect for you.

4.       Allow the mixture to boil for 10 minutes.

5.       Take the mixture off the heat. Leave out to cool at room temperature

6.       Once cool, pour mixture over rice grains and place in the fridge for 24 hours or longer. The longer the drink ferments is the richer the flavour you’ll get.

7.       After 24 hours, take the mixture out of the fridge and strain.

8.        Stir in the sugar and rum (the rum helps to preserve the drink). If you wish you can add some wine, sherry or additional rum at this stage.

Serve with ice.

Jamaican Strong Back Punch (Quick & Easy Sunday Beverage)

Serves 3-4; Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 bottle of Guinness

1tin of Nestle Supligen or Vanilla based shake

2 cups carrot juice

2 tbsp. Wray & Nephew rum cream

4 tbsp. condensed milk or evaporated milk

(or as much as desired)

1-2tsp. Vanilla

¼ tsp. nutmeg

Method

1.       Blend together Guinness, Supligen, carrot juice, Bailey’s, vanilla and nutmeg.

2.       Sweeten with condensed or evaporated milk.

3.       Serve chilled on ice cubes.