• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
International Cuisine
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
  • Journey by Country
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • My Cookbook
  • Exploring the world through food
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
  • Journey by Country
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • My Cookbook
  • Exploring the world through food
  • Connect with us

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
    • Journey by Country
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • My Cookbook
    • Exploring the world through food
  • Connect with us

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Side Dish

    Haitian Red Beans and Rice (Riz et pois rouges)

    October 8, 2015 By Darlene at International Cuisine

    3779 shares
    • Facebook60
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe  ↓ Print Recipe  ❒

    Haitian red beans and rice called Riz et pois rouges is a staple dish.  Sometimes this may be the main meal of the day as Haitian's do not always have meat of fish to go along with it.  The dish is also spicy and made with coconut milk gives it a wonderful creamy flavor.  This is simply delicious and we loved it, I will make this one often .  You need to plan ahead to soak the beans overnight for the best result.

    Haitian red beans and rice

     

    Print Pin
    5 from 1 vote

    Haitian Red Beans and Rice (Riz et pois rouges)

    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine Haitian
    Prep Time 12 hours
    Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
    Total Time 13 hours 30 minutes
    Servings 8
    Author International Cuisine

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 cups dried red beans
    • 3 garlic cloves crushed
    • 3 scallions/green onions just the white/light green part, not the green tips
    • 2 chicken bouillon cubes or maggi
    • 6 whole cloves
    • 1 hot pepper scotch bonnet or habenero
    • 1 can of coconut milk 14 oz
    • white long grain rice – 2 cups
    • Thyme and parsley stems to make a garni
    • oil
    • salt

    Instructions

    • The night before sort the beans and discard any broken or discolored beans. Rinse off well and put in a bowl. Fill it up with water until the water is covering the beans with about 1 1/2-2 inches of water above. If there are any beans that float, discard them. Soak beans overnight.
    • In the morning, drain beans, discard water, and set aside to cook.When you are ready, put on a pot of water to boil. Make sure you have at least 2-3 inches of water above the beans where you think the beans will reach in the pot. Once water boils, put beans, cover and bring to boil for 45-60 minutes. Do not add salt or the beans will never get tender. Add water as necessary during the cooking process. Once the beans are soft, remove from heat, cool a bit, and strain. Reserve strained water because you will use it later.
    • Place large pot on medium heat. Pour in enough oil to cover the bottom of the pot (2-4 tablespoons). Heat. Put in crushed garlic and scallions. Fry for 2-4 minutes. Do not let them get brown.
    • Add the beans and turn over the beans until they are covered with the oil. Fry for 5-8 minutes. Again, don’t brown/burn the beans. You can stir occasionally, but not too much – it will break the beans apart and you want to leave them as whole as possible.
    • While this is cooking, measure the liquids. It is usually two cups of water to one cup of rice, but it depends on the type of rice and if you like the rice soft or firm. So if you want to cook 2 cups of rice, you will need around 4 cups of liquid. So measure out the coconut milk first because it contributes more to the dish that the bean water…. Then add bean water until you have 4 cups or so. If you have a lot, you won’t have to use all of it. If you don’t have enough, you’ll have to add water to make it reach your desired amount. Once the color of the beans slightly changes and it starts smelling good, add the coconut milk and reserved bean water to the pot.
    • Crush up the bouillon cubes completely. Add to pot and stir gently. Add it in small amounts of salt, stirring in and tasting each time. This is going to give you a clue as to how the rice will taste. Do not over salt as it will ruin it! So just salt to taste. Add in your Take the hot pepper and poke the smaller end of the whole clove into it. Poke 5-6 cloves in and drop it in the water. Increase heat to high, add in the thyme and parsley garni stems, cover and bring to a boil.
    • As the water is boiling, wash the rice. This gets rid of the starchy powder on it. Put the rice in a big bowl and put it in the sink to run water over it. Turn over the rice with your hand several times (15-20 times). The water should become cloudy. Strain completely and discard all of the water. Don’t let the rice sit in the water for more than 2-3 minutes.
    • Once the water is boiling, you need to add the rice, Add the rice in the middle of the pot making a mound and making sure there is no rice water going in. When the top of the rice mound is just barely out of the water, stop adding the rice. This is the proportion of rice to water will give you the best rice texture/consistency. T Stir once only, cover, bring to boil. Once it comes to a boil, you can uncover the pot. Don’t stir much anymore after you pour in the rice. If/when you need to stir, take the spoon through once only and let it come to a good boil before you stir again.
    • Once the water level is down to where you can see the rice and hardly any water, pour in a couple of tablespoons of oil around the edges of the pot. This helps the rice at the bottom of the pan get a bit fried, darkened, and crispy. Once you add the oil, turn the heat down to low and cover for 5-10 more minutes. Uncover for as little time as possible and fluff it a bit by sticking the spoon in the little and lifting or barely turning over. Do not stir. Cover again and do not take the cover off for about 15 minutes. Do not stir it at all during this time. After about 15 minutes, take off the lid and look to see if the rice done (soft and kind of broken open). If not done, cover and continue to cook, checking every 5 minutes or so until done. Remove hot pepper/cloves & tied spices before serving.

     

     

    More Haiti

    • Haitian Pumpkin Soup (Soupe Joumou)
    • Haitian Griot (Creole Pork)
    • Haitian Pikliz (Spicy Cabbage Slaw)
    • Haitian Blancmange (A Coconut Gelatin Dessert)
    3779 shares
    • Facebook60
    • Twitter

    Filed Under: Haiti, Recipes, Side Dish, Vegetarian

    This Week's Recipes

    A bowl full of Ota Ika a Tongan Raw Fish salad made with coconut milk.

    Ota Ika A Tongan Raw Fish Salad

    a dish full of octopus in a creamy coconut and onion sauce.

    Lo’i Feke (Octopus in Cream Sauce)

    Two large glasses of Watermelon Otai garnished with lime wedges.

    ‘Otai (Tongan Watermelon Drink Recipe)

    Primary Sidebar

    Hello my name is Darlene and thank you for stopping by!

    I am cooking a meal from every country in the world. I do extensive research and choose a menu that I feel best represents the country and their cuisine. Of course that also includes the authentic, delicious recipes. Simply click on the link or the photo in the journey by country posts to get them. I also share important information about the country as well.

    More about me →


    Our Mission

    To promote cultural appreciation by cooking our way across the world, one nation at a time. To discover the struggles and joys that have influenced the people, to gain an appreciation of their land and traditions and to feel the hospitality that only sharing a meal can convey.

    Come join the journey, explore a new country each week and embark on a fantastic culinary adventure.

    Join the Journey It's Free!

    Sign up for my culinary, travel and cultural adventure delivered right to your inbox so you won't miss a thing.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Privacy Policy

    Copyright © 2023 International Cuisine All rights Reserved

    • 60
    3779 shares