Caribbean Rice recipe

[bandonjan]

I got this recipe from a class I took featuring Caribbean food.
I always took the peppers out at the last because it was
plenty hot for me. If you like the heat, just break them up
in the rice...

Caribbean Rice

4 parsley sprigs, chopped
3 peppercorns
2 garlic cloves, sliced or crushed
2 scallions cut in small pieces
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
2 TBS oil
2 cups rice
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 or 2 scotch bonnet (habanero) peppers
8 oz dry pigeon peas, cooked or 16 oz can pigeon peas

In mortar, pound parsley, peppercorns, garlic, scallions,
salt and thyme to a paste. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add rice, stir
until the rice is coated with oil and turns chalky white,
don't brown. Add chicken broth and seasoning paste, bring
to a boil. Reduce heat and add bay leaf and whole peppers.
Cover pan and cook undisturbed for 20 minutes. Add
pigeon peas and continue to cook covered for another
5 minutes or until no liquid remains.
Discard bay leaf and peppers. (break up peppers in rice
if you like it really hot)
Serves 8

[jkath]

Sounds lovely, although I have a very silly question -
what exactly are pigeon peas?

[bandonjan]

Pigeon peas are a small pea, not as sweet as a
green pea (which you can substitute in the recipe)
and I have found them canned in the Mexican section
of the grocery store. I forget what they call them
exactly but verdes is in the name and it shows peas
on the can.

[cliveb]

Originally Posted by jkath

Sounds lovely, although I have a very silly question -
what exactly are pigeon peas?

Take a look here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigeon_pea

which will help to explain what they are. I'd suggest an Indian grocery or a Caribbean market to see if you can get hold of some. They're pretty common over here in Venezuela, too.