Balaam Eco Adventures: TWO HOME RECIPES FOR A SCRUMPTIOUS BELIZEAN RICE & BEANS & STEWED CHICKEN BUFFET

TWO HOME RECIPES FOR A SCRUMPTIOUS BELIZEAN RICE BEANS & STEWED CHICKEN BUFFET

February 19th 2014 by Oscar Castaneda for Balaam Eco Adventures

Rice and Beans is classified as the main dish in Belize and it’s one of the most popular meals we eat. In Belize it’s all about family, we do have close family ties and it’s a fact that every Sunday religiously it is a meal that is prepared by many Belizeans country wide. If you visit any restaurant in Belize that specializes in Belizean food you will definitely find rice and beans with stew chicken along with choices of potato salad, garden salad or coleslaw in the menu.

Rice and beans is a creole dish and has been described as the “staple of Belizean Cuisine”. If you are looking for some variety like we do then you can combine your Rice & Beans and eat it with your choice of stewed chicken, buffalos wings, beaf or steak, pig tail (delicious pork’s tail with a salty taste) deep friend fish, ribs, lobster or even delectable shrimps and conchs.

Below are the instructions and ingredients on how to make delicious Belizean Rice and Beans.

INGREDIENTS FOR RICE & BEANS

1 lb. Red Kidney Beans 2 plugs crushed Garlic

1 tsp. Salt

1 cup coconut Milk (either squeezed from grated coconut or bought prepared, canned, or made from powered variety) or you can also use cohune oil

½ tsp. Black pepper

½ tsp. Thyme

2 lbs. cleaned Rice

1 medium Onion (sliced)

6-8 cups of water

PREPARATION METHOD

1) Wash the beans then soak the beans for 4 hours using the 6-8 cups of water. If you are using distilled water then the soaked beans only needs 2 hours to soften.

2) Boil the beans until tender with the garlic and you can also use a pressure cooker to cut down on the time.

3) Season beans with black pepper thyme and salt. Note: You may opt not to add the salt if you have dietary requirements.

4) Add coconut milk or cohune oil, stir and then let boil.

5) Add rice to seasoned beans, Stir, then cover. Cook on low heat until the water is absorbed and rice is tender. If necessary, add more water gradually until rice is tender.
Note: Usually one cup of rice absorbs two cups of water, although rice grains can vary in the amount of water they absorb. To warm up leftover rice and beans, you can sprinkle with water to re-moisten.

*The key to great tasting stewed chicken is using the upmost fresh organic vegetables from your local market. Picture of Market in San Ignacio.

INGREDIENTS FOR STEWED CHICKEN

1 whole Chicken or more depending on how many to be served

Garlic (2 heads crushed)

Coconut oil, Cohune oil or 6-10 tablespoons of brown sugar to give chicken its colour

Red Recado

1 Sweet pepper

1 onion

¼ lb cilantro

½ tsp salt or to taste

PREPARATION OF STEWED CHICKEN

1) Dice 2 heads of garlic, 1 sweet pepper, 1 onion and ½ lb cilantro into small pieces.

2) Take a finger full (1 small ball) of red recado and dissolve in water and add diced garlic, sweet peppers, onions, cilantro and ¼ salt into the red recado mixture.

Note: Taste the mixture to ensure it’s not too salty and if too salty add more water to dilute.

3) Clean chicken and cut in meals size pieces then place clean prepared chicken pieces into the recado and mixture from step 2) and let it sit for 10 minutes.

4) Add cohune, coconut oil or 6 tablespoons of brown sugar into a cooking pot and let it simmer for a few minutes. If you are using brown sugar let it simmer until it melts.

5) Add pieces of chicken and let it brown a little adding the recado, sweet peppers, onions, garlic, salt mixture.

6) Occasionally turn chicken so its does not stick and cover. Cover and cook until chicken is tender and check occasionally.

Here you have two delicious mouth watering recipes for a Traditional Sunday Belizean family buffet. Let us know how your cooking went and if you enjoyed it. Have more questions, comments or want more recipes then let us know on our blogs comment section or contact us at info@balaamecoadventures.com

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