Coconut Red Beans & Rice recipe

[JOH]

It was the Spaniards, a few hundred years ago, which introduced rice and bean dishes into the islands. Today, this popular combination is widely enjoyed and it is a nutritious one too.


Nutrition: 332 calories, 5 grams fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol and
258 milligrams sodium per serving (with ½ teaspoon salt used for recipe).

Ingredients:

* 1½ cups dried red kidney beans
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 4 cups water
* Salt, to taste
* ½ fresh coconut
* 2 cups boiling water
* Black pepper, to taste
* 2 green onions, chopped
* 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ¼ tsp dried)
* 1 fresh hot pepper
* 2 cups uncooked rice

Method:
Combine beans, garlic, water and salt in a medium-sized saucepan. Cook, covered, over moderate heat until beans are tender or about 2 hours.
Cut coconut meat into small pieces and place in a blender. Grate as fine as possible. Pour boiling water over liquefied coconut and let stand for about 30 minutes. Run coconut milk through a fine mesh strainer to separate out coconut solids.
Add the coconut milk, black pepper, green onions, thyme and whole hot pepper to the cooked beans. bring back to a boil, then remove the hot pepper. Add rice and stir. return mixture to a boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.