Recipe: Light Pigeon Peas and Rice (Caribbean)

PIGEON PEAS AND RICE

1/4 pound dried pigeon peas*
3 cups water
1/4 pound lean smoked ham, diced
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced green bell pepper
2 peeled, seeded, diced plum tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon minced Scotch bonnet pepper*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

Rinse and drain the peas. In a 4-quart saucepan with a lid, bring the peas and 3 cups of water to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for 1 hour. The dish may be prepared in advance up to this point.

Add the ham, onion, green pepper, tomatoes, garlic, thyme, Scotch bonnet pepper and salt to the pan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes, until beans are tender but not mushy. Stir in the rice and broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and cook an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

*If you can't find pigeon peas, you could substitute split peas, preferably yellow ones.

**Scotch bonnet pepper is one of the hottest peppers, the red pods of the pepper species Capsicum chinense. Any other fresh hot pepper could be substituted to taste -- for instance, jalapeno or Serrano.

Makes 8 servings

Nutrition information for one serving: 170 calories, 1 g fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 300 mg sodium.

Adapted from source: Caribbean Light by Donna Shields