Authentic Jamaican Rice and Peas (Local Red Peas)

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Bundles of fresh local Jamaican red peas at the market for rice and peas.

If you want to know the secret to a perfect Sunday dinner, you have to start at the market. While most people today grab a bag of imported dried red kidney beans, the true, old-school Jamaican Rice and Peas is made with local red peas. These are the fresh, vibrant beans still in their pods that you see bundled up in the market stalls early in the morning.

I always tell my readers at jamaicancookery.com: if you can find them, buy them! Currently, a bundle costs between $300 and $350 JMD depending on your seller. You have to get there early, though, because more and more Jamaicans are reverting to using these local peas for their superior flavor and texture.

Freshly shelled local red peas in a metal bowl ready for washing.
Unlike imported dried beans that require hours of soaking and long boiling times, fresh local red peas are naturally soft. They cook to perfection in 30 minutes or less, releasing a deep, natural pigment that gives the rice that authentic reddish-purple hue we all love. In this post, I'll show you how to handle these fresh peas—from shelling the bundles to simmering them with coconut milk—to ensure your "coat of arms" is the best on the block
A bowl of authentic Jamaican rice and peas made with fresh local red beans

Recipe Card: Authentic Jamaican Rice and Peas (Local Red Peas)

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45-60 mins

Total Time

1 hr 15 mins

Servings

6-8 people

Ingredients

The Peas

  • 1 bundle (approx. 1 pint/1 cup) of fresh local Jamaican red peas

The Rice

  • 2 lbs Alberta parboiled rice

The Coconut

  • 1 "bone dry" coconut (grated and juiced for maximum oil and flavor)

Aromatics

  • 5-6 pimento seeds (allspice)

  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed

  • 1 piece of ginger (optional, for added depth)

  • 1 stalk of scallion (red stalk preferred for its strong flavor)

  • 2-3 sprigs of fresh green thyme

The Heat

  • 1 green Scotch Bonnet pepper (stem removed to allow flavor to steep through the hole)

Seasoning

  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Prep the peas: Shell the local red peas from the bundle. Wash and place them in a pot with enough water to cover.

  2. Flavor the pot: Add the pimento seeds, crushed garlic, and the piece of ginger to the peas.

  3. Boil the peas: Boil until the peas are soft. Because these are fresh local peas, this should take 30 minutes or less.

  4. Add coconut & seasoning: Once peas are tender, add your freshly squeezed coconut milk from the "bone dry" coconut. Add the red stalk scallion, green thyme, and the green hot pepper (ensure the stem is removed).

  5. Wash the rice: Thoroughly wash the Alberta parboiled rice and add it to the pot.

  6. Simmer: Ensure the liquid is about an inch above the rice. Taste for salt and adjust. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cover tightly steam.

  7. Steam: Let the rice steam until all liquid is absorbed and the grains are fluffy and "shelled."

  8. Serve: Remove the pepper and thyme sprigs before serving with your Oven French Fried Chicken.











 



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