← Nouns Cooking · Caribbean

Ingredients

• 800 g bone-in chicken thighs (or salt beef, pig tails or a mix), cut into pieces
• 1 tsp Salt, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 Onion, diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 3 Spring onion, chopped
• 4 sprigs Thyme
• 1 scotch bonnet or 2 wiri wiri peppers, left whole
• 1 tbsp Cassareep (cassava syrup)
• 400 ml Coconut milk
• 600 ml hot water
• 1 can black-eyed peas (400 g can), drained and rinsed
• 450 g long-grain parboiled rice, rinsed
• 100 g chopped spinach or callaloo (optional)

Method

1. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the chicken for 5 min.
2. Add the onion, garlic, spring onion and thyme and cook for 3 min, until fragrant.
3. Pour in the coconut milk, hot water and cassareep and bring to the boil. Add the black-eyed peas, rice and whole pepper and stir once.
4. Cover and simmer on low for 25–30 min, stirring gently once halfway, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Add a splash of water if it dries out before the rice is done.
5. Stir in the spinach (if using) for the last 5 min. Check the chicken is cooked to 75°C (165°F).
6. Turn off the heat, rest covered for 10 min, then remove the pepper and thyme stalks and serve.

Tips

• Parboiled rice holds its shape in this heavy, creamy pot; softer rice turns mushy.
• Serve with fried fish, plantain or a crunchy cucumber salad.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Alica's Pepperpot CaribbeanPot.com