As seen on BLACK FOODIE WEEK!
Flavourful rice dishes are prevalent throughout the Islands of the Bahamas, it’s our celebrated African heritage. In the family islands, the ingredients added to the rice are farm to table, what we eat is usually what is grown. Pumpkin & Rice is what I call Bahamian old school recipe that
is only homemade and not usually found in restaurants. In this recipe, I’m adding freshly shucked corn kernels as corn & rice is another favourite rice dish.
4 Servings
Ingredients
3 cups (750 mL) uncooked long-grain white rice
¼ cup (60 mL) coconut oil
¼ piece onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
¼ each green and red bell pepper, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste
1 Tbsp (15 mL) dark brown sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) thyme leaves
2 cups (500 mL) pumpkin cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup (250 mL) frozen green pigeon peas, thawed
½ tsp (2 mL) browning
2 Tbsp (30 mL) IG Seasoned Salt (see recipe)
2 ears corn, cooked and kernels removed
2 cups (500 mL) water, heated
3 sprigs thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1. Rinse rice in a bowl under cold running water, until water runs clear. Drain and set aside.
2. In a 2-quart (2 L) saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, bell
peppers, and cook for 3 minutes, add garlic cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
3. Add tomato paste, sugar stir to dissolve. Add, thyme, pumpkin, green peas, cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add browning, rice, salt and stir to toast rice for 3 minutes. Add hot water to cover by ½ inch, add thyme sprigs, bay leaf, reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes or until water evaporates and rice is cooked (not grainy). Fluff with a fork and serve at once.
