Just the other day I was chatting with a friend of mine and she wanted to know how to make rice and peas. Well, I decided not only to jot down a few pointers for her, but for everyone else as well. This way I can get feedback on how each meal turns out. Fortunately this meal is easy to prepare, healthy, mouth-watering, and takes little time to cook. Also, there are many delicious and creative ways to enjoy Gungo Peas and Rice, and the best way to have it…is with a lot of gravy. This type of dish is flexible and is vegan friendly due to the peas which contain protein. I do hope you will enjoy making this simple and healthy meal. Nyam Nyam… 

 Ingredients:

• 2 lbs of green gungo peas
• 11/2 cups of rice
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
• A pinch of salt
• ¼ stick of butter
• 6 berries of allspice (Jamaican pimento)
• All purpose seasoning (season to liking)
• 1 green scotch bonnet pepper (whole)
• 3 pieces of scallion smashed
• 3 bulbs of garlic smashed
• Thyme

Preparation:

• Add gungo peas and smashed garlic in a pot with water
• Cook for about 45 minutes ***Do not over cook peas***
• After the peas are cooked add all other ingredients, stir and bring to a boil (remember to smash scallion before adding)
• Add rice and stir thoroughly
• Cover with a lid and set temperature to low until cooked (about 20-25 minutes)
• Check after 10 minutes
• Before serving remove thyme, pepper, and scallion
• Serve and enjoy

What can I eat Gungo Peas and Rice with?

Well traditional Jamaicans eat Gungo Peas and Rice with:

• Brown stew chicken
• Escovitch fish
• Stew pork
• Mutton
• Callaloo…or any spinach type greens
• Cabbage
• Jerk chicken and pork
• Ackee and salt fish

A Note: Gungo Peas are also known as pigeon peas and are available in cans, but I believe fresh is always better! 🙂