← Nouns Cooking · Caribbean

Ingredients

• 40 g dried djon djon mushrooms (about 1½ cups)
• 1 l hot water
• 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
• ½ Onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 Spring onion, chopped
• ½ Bell pepper, diced
• 3 sprigs Thyme
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, left whole
• 1½ tsp Salt
• 400 g jasmine or long-grain rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
• 150 g frozen peas or lima beans

Method

1. Soak the djon djon in the hot water for 30 min, then squeeze the mushrooms well in the water to release all the colour.
2. Strain the black liquid through a fine sieve lined with kitchen paper to catch any grit. You need about 750 ml; discard the mushrooms.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and cook the onion, garlic, spring onion and pepper for 3 min.
4. Pour in the mushroom liquid and add the thyme, cloves, scotch bonnet and salt. Bring to the boil.
5. Stir in the rice and peas and boil uncovered for about 5 min, until the liquid drops level with the rice.
6. Cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 20 min, until the rice is tender. Rest for 5 min, remove the pepper and thyme stalks and fluff.

Tips

• Djon djon is sold dried in Haitian and Caribbean shops; djon djon stock cubes are a common shortcut but often contain MSG and may contain gluten.
• Many families stir in a handful of shrimp or serve it with griot and pikliz.

Sources

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

Taste the Islands Savory Thoughts Food Network