Instant Pot Rice and Peas

Learn how to make Jamaican rice and peas using your instant pot. A quick and easy method without compromising the taste of how it is traditionally made. A must try for busy people or people who want to use an alternative method.

Course Appetiser

Cuisine Jamaican

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 122kcal

Author Charla

Ingredients

1½ cups red kidney beans (265g) dried
3 cups water (710ml)
1 medium onion sliced
2 scallion sliced
4 garlic cloves chopped
1 inch piece of ginger
6 sprigs of thyme tied together
1 tablespoon pimento berries
1 tablespoon dairy free butter
a clump of coconut cream (creamed coconut) (just over ¼ of a cup)(coconut butter/manna)
1½ teaspoon pink salt
1 scotch bonnet optional
1 cup full fat coconut milk (250ml)(use freshly squeezed and grated if possible)
3 cups brown basmati rice
additional pink salt to taste

Instructions

Rinse the red kidney beans in a colander to rid any debris and remove any broken beans or any impurities.
Add the peas and 3 cups of water to a large bowl (use can leave this in the instant pot instead).
Cover with plastic wrap and leave to soak for several hours or overnight.
Transfer the peas and water to the instant pot.
Add the onion, garlic, scallion ginger, thyme, pimento berries, dairy free butter, coconut cream, pink salt, scotch bonnet, coconut milk and the brown rice.
Stir everything together.Select "pressure cook" and choose "high" if the option isn't on default then adjust the +/- to 25 minutes.
Place the lid on with the valve set to "sealing" it will take several minutes to reach pressure before starting to cook.
Once the cooking process has finished, leave the unit to do a natural release (should take approximately 15 minutes)
Do a taste test and additional pink salt according to taste then remove that scotch bonnet, ginger and thyme stems.
Use a fork or spoon to fluff the rice up a little this will also help to break down the coconut cream (creamed coconut).

Video

Notes

Is your rice mushy/ undercooked? Check out How to Fix Rice guide.
The peas need to be soaked overnight, don't throw the water away reserve it for cooking.
Coconut cream = coconut butter or creamed coconut, a lot of Jamaicans refer to it as coconut cream FYI, use it to optimise the taste of coconut.
You cannot bypass soaking the peas, dumping all of the ingredients into the IP and starting it won't work (tried it, doesn't work!).
For a strong taste in coconut milk, I highly recommend using Homemade, fresh Coconut Milk or at least you FULL FAT canned milk
The colour of the rice will vary from light beige/dark brown this is normal
This recipe is strictly for BROWN BASMATI RICE only NOT white rice.
The whole scotch bonnet pepper is optional but authentic! The pepper lends a fruity without intense heat because the seeds and ribs are not exposed.

Nutrition