Beans and rice

I just discovered why Jamaican beans and rice taste so good: Coconut milk. Mmm mmm. So here’s my adaptation of a recipe I found on the internet.

  • 2 cans beans (I used black beans & chick peas)
  • 1 can coconut milk (most of this gets left in the pot, so you could reduce amount)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Hot sauce to taste (I used Smoked Tabasco chippotle sauce)
  • cooked rice

Easy instructions: Simmer everything but the rice in a pot for 30 minutes. Using slotted spoon to drain off the liquid, serve beans on cooked rice and season with hot sauce again to taste. How’s that for easy?

Better instructions: Based on Cooks Illustrated’s curry recipes, the flavor of the spices would be enhanced if we took a few tablespoons of the solid parts of the coconut milk and cooked the spices in that until the oil separates out. Then add everything else in and simmer for 30 minutes.