A classic one-pot Caribbean rice dish especially popular in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. Beef is seared in olive oil until browned, then braised with tomato paste, tomatoes, red kidney beans, pumpkin, okra and spinach in coconut milk until tender. Washed brown rice and water are added to finish cooking. The dish is flavorful, versatile, and can be adjusted for salt and texture preferences.
tomato pasteamount not specified, appears to be a small amount per video~3 tbspest.
tomatoesamount not specified~2 cansest.
red kidney beanscanned beans, rinsed. Uses smaller pink-hued variety~2 cansest.
Caribbean green seasoningblend of fresh herbs; includes 1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper sliced with seeds~¼ cupsest.
coconut milkcanned, can is rinsed with half cup water3 cups
waterfor cooking rice. half cup used to rinse coconut milk can, plus extra added during braising7 cups
brown ricewashed before cooking. can use 2 cups instead, adjusting salt accordingly3 cups
okratrimmed top and bottom, sliced into approximately 1 cm wheels~1 lbest.
pumpkindiced~2 cupsest.
spinachbaby spinach, roughly chopped~2 cupsest.
saltadjust to taste after rice has been cooking for about 20 minutesto taste
black pepperadjust to tasteto taste
Steps
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1
Cut beef into pieces. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add the beef without seasoning. Allow it to brown naturally, about 7-10 minutes.
2
Add tomato paste and diced tomatoes to the browned beef, stirring to combine. These ingredients help deepen the color and add acidity to balance flavors.
3
Stir in the Caribbean green seasoning, including the whole sliced Scotch bonnet pepper with seeds. Adjust the amount of pepper to your heat preference. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling the hot pepper.
4
Drain and rinse the canned red kidney beans to remove excess sodium and brine. Add the rinsed beans to the pot and stir well.
5
Pour in the canned coconut milk. Rinse the empty can with half a cup of water and add that to the pot as well, for a total of 3 cups of coconut milk liquid.
6
Increase heat to bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Braise for about 45 minutes to 1 hour until the beef is fork-tender. Add additional liquid if needed during cooking.
7
Once the beef is tender, increase heat back to medium-high. Add the trimmed and sliced okra, diced pumpkin, and roughly chopped spinach. Stir well to combine.
8
Add the washed brown rice. Rinse the rice in cool water several times and drain until the water runs clear, then add to the pot. Stir thoroughly to distribute evenly.
9
Add a total of 7 cups of water (the standard ratio is 2 cups liquid per 1 cup rice, but an extra cup is added here for a wetter consistency). Stir well and bring to a boil over high heat.
10
Once boiling, reduce heat to a gentle, steady simmer—not a vigorous boil, as this can evaporate liquid too quickly before the rice finishes cooking. You may cover the pot if desired. Simmer for about 4-5 minutes to establish the proper boil.
11
Allow the rice to cook patiently until the grains are plump and have absorbed the flavorful liquid. After about 20 minutes, taste a spoonful of the cooking liquid and adjust the salt to your preference. Adjust seasoning at this point, as it is difficult to correct after the rice is fully cooked.
12
Avoid over-stirring to prevent mushy, creamy rice, as stirring causes grains to rub together and release starch. Decide on your preferred final consistency and moisture level—some prefer fully cooked rice, others prefer a slight al dente bite.
13
Continue cooking for another 5-7 minutes if needed. If liquid is disappearing too quickly, add more hot water to maintain desired moisture. Always add hot liquid to avoid lowering the cooking temperature.
14
When the rice reaches your desired texture and moisture level, reduce heat to low and cook for about 2 more minutes, then turn off the heat. Finished! This dish comfortably feeds 8-10 people.
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