The Very Best Beans and Rice in the Entire World
Subtitle: Caribbean Coconut Beans and Rice
So this is not my usual post—but since a lot of us may be stuck eating beans and rice for a while, I decided to share the world’s best beans and rice recipe with you.
I don’t make that claim lightly. This recipe has come from years of experimenting in my kitchen (muahahahaha…my laBORaTORy), combining recipes from several different countries and websites. It’s fragrant. It’s yummy. It’s creamy. Your kitchen smells AMAZING when these are done.
This recipe makes a huge quantity, but my kids devour these. Really, really good. So, it’s hard for me to estimate how many meals you can get out of a batch.
The process is not instant, but it’s not complicated. And it’s definitely worth it.
PROCESS:
First, you make the beans. Then you make the rice. After you’re done with both, you combine them. So, I’m going to give you those two recipes differently.
Also, I use an Instant Pot, but you could use these same ingredients with other cooking methods and times.
(Prepare yourselves emotionally, people. Your lives will never be the same.)
THE BEANS:
2 heaping teaspoons of fresh garlic (minced)
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1-2 tsp allspice
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp ginger
1-2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
Beef broth (or bullion+ water) equaling 8 cups
1 sweet potato (peeled and cut in thin slices)
a big bunch of celery leaves/tops washed and diced
1/2 diced green bell pepper (optional)
2 cups of pinto beans rinsed and picked over
Cayenne pepper
THE RICE:
1 small yellow onion (diced)
3 tsp Emeril’s Original Essence (another seasoning/creole flavor mix would work if you can’t get this right now)
4 cups uncooked long grain white rice
1 tsp thyme
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk (lite is fine.)
2-3 bay leaves
2 1/2 cups broth (chicken or beef, bullion is fine)
2 cups water
2 tsp paprika
BEANS INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix all those ingredients in an Instant Pot. Stir. Cook on Manual/High for 35-40 minutes. Quick steam release. If you like your beans softer or tougher, adjust accordingly. These will look very brothy when you are done. SAVE ALL THAT GOODNESS.
(Also, if you don’t know how to use an Instant Pot without blowing yourself up, please cite the company manual.)
THE RICE:
Combine all those ingredients in an Instant Pot. Cook on Manual/High for 13-14 minutes. Quick steam release.
Mix the beans and the rice together. Or, sometimes on the first day, I layer the rice on bottom and ladle the beans on top.
