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They say Caribbean rice is the most flavorful of the bunch of all the rice recipes available today and I couldn’t agree less. This dish combines rice, ripe plantains, beef, and vegetables to create a delectable meal that will leave you wanting more.
This isn’t jollof rice or fried rice; it’s something else entirely. You’ll end up with something that’s more than rice once you figure out how to combine vegetables, meats, natural condiments, and rice.
History of Caribbean Dishes
The cuisine of the Caribbean is a mix of African, Creole, Cajun, Amerindian, European, Latin American, Indian/South Asian, Afghan, Middle Eastern, and Chinese cuisines.
When people came to the Caribbean, they brought their traditions with them from all over the world. Furthermore, the population has developed distinct regional styles. The Spaniards also introduced a variety of ingredients, including coconut, chickpeas, cilantro, eggplants, onions, and garlic, during Christopher Columbus’ voyages in 1493.
Food from the Caribbean has evolved into a narrative technique for highlighting and promoting their culture over time.
What is Caribbean Rice Made Up Of?
Rice, plantains, beans, cassava, cilantro, bell peppers, chickpeas, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, coconut, and any of the locally available meats like beef, poultry, pork, or fish are all common ingredients in most Caribbean dishes and the Caribbean rice is not an exception.
Garlic, onions, scotch bonnet peppers, celery, green onions, and herbs like cilantro, Mexican mint, chives, marjoram, rosemary, tarragon, and thyme are also possible ingredients of this quintessential cuisine.
What to Serve with Caribbean Rice
It’s usually served with chicken, beef, or pork, but it’s also delicious with Browned Chicken. You can serve more meaty dishes with this dish.
Caribbean Rice
Ingredients
- 3 cups rice
- 2 kg Chicken
- 1 cup sliced green pepper
- 1 cup sliced red bell pepper (optional)
- 1 cup sliced carrot
- 3 cups fried ripe plantain cubes
- 1 cup sliced onions
- 12 spoons browning
- seasoning cubes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp chicken spice
- 150 ml vegetable oil
- 400g of beef cube
Instructions
- Start by seasoning and parboiling the chicken with the usual ingredient [I used 2 cubes of Maggi, teaspoon each of curry and thyme, a teaspoon of salt and a half cup of sliced onion]. When the chicken is cooked, don’t allow the stock (meat water) to dry. Pick with a fork and grill or fry. Here, I grilled the chicken.
- Also, parboil the beef cubes in a small pot with one seasoning cube and a pinch of salt. Add one cup of water and allow them to cook until they are very soft. Separate the beef from the stock once it is well cooked and set aside both the stock and beef.
- Slice the carrot, plantain, green pepper, onions, and beef (if that is not done already)
- Fry the plantain and set aside. Pour boiled water on 3 cups of rice, allow to sit for 3 minutes, wash and cook until it is 75 percent done. Don’t overcook it, or the food wouldn’t turn out well. Watch this rice closely. Add two spoons of browning to the rice, stir evenly and set aside. Then, Join the chicken and beef stock together. It shouldn’t be more than a cup.
- Set your cooking pot on heat and add 100ml of vegetable oil. Allow to heat for a minute before adding the beef cubes. Fry the beef cubes for 3-5 minutes until it darkens, just as it appears in the image above.
- Remove the beef cubes and pour in the remaining sliced onions. Stir, add the sliced green pepper, red bell pepper, and carrot
- Add the chicken/beef stock, a teaspoon of salt, a seasoning cube and a teaspoon of ground (pepper). Stir all together.
- Allow a minute, then transfer the colored rice. Turn evenly, taste for salt, you can add another seasoning cube. Once the taste is excellent enough, add the fried meat and fried plantain.
- Turn evenly, cover your pot and allow simmering on low heat for 3-5 minutes.
- Serve your Caribbean rice with fried or grilled chicken.
