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Virgin Islands Cooking
Carol M. Bareuther
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Coconut Red Beans & Rice
by Carol M. Bareuther
It was the Spaniards, a few hundred years ago,
which introduced rice and bean dishes into the islands. Today, this
popular combination is widely enjoyed and it is a nutritious one too.
Yield:
6 servings
Nutrition: 332 calories,
5 grams fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol and
258 milligrams sodium per
serving (with ½ teaspoon salt used for recipe).
Ingredients:
- 1½ cups dried red kidney beans
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 cups water
- Salt, to taste
- ½ fresh coconut
- 2 cups boiling water
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ¼ tsp
dried)
- 1 fresh hot pepper
- 2 cups uncooked rice
Method:
Combine beans, garlic, water and salt in a medium-sized saucepan. Cook,
covered, over moderate heat until beans are tender or about 2 hours.
Cut coconut meat into small pieces and place in a blender. Grate as fine
as possible. Pour boiling water over liquefied coconut and let stand for
about 30 minutes. Run coconut milk through a fine mesh strainer to
separate out coconut solids.
Add the coconut milk, black pepper, green onions, thyme and whole hot
pepper to the cooked beans. bring back to a boil, then remove the hot
pepper. Add rice and stir. return mixture to a boil, cover, reduce the
heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until all the liquid has been
absorbed. More recipes by
Carol Bareuther
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