Tropical Red Beans
"During one of our trips to the Caribbean, I had this delightful bean dish and fell in love with the flavor. I was not able to get the recipe from the Chef, so I experimented until I developed this very tasty combination that is very easy and quick to make."
- Ready In:
- 25mins
- Ingredients:
- 7
- Serves:
-
8-10
ingredients
- 28 fluid ounces canned plum tomatoes, include liquid
- 38 fluid ounces canned red kidney beans, include liquid
- 14 fluid ounces unsweetened coconut milk
- 1⁄2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 small green chili peppers, seeded and finely chopped (or 2 small Jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped)
- 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1⁄2 cup instant potato flakes
directions
- Remove stem ends from tomatoes and discard.
- Add tomatoes (including liquid) to a medium size saucepan or cooking pot.
- Mash tomatoes with a potato masher.
- Add kidney beans (including liquid), coconut milk, chopped parsley, chopped green chili peppers, lemon juice and bring to boil on medium heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-high and cook for about 5 minutes or until beans are softened.
- Add instant potato flakes, stir well and continue to cook for another 3 minutes on medium-high heat.
- Adjust seasonings to taste.
- For a spicier dish, add some cayenne pepper to suit your taste.
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Reviews
-
This was ok, but not what I was expecting. I was hoping for a bean salad-type dish, but it's more like a soup. Also, it didn't really taste very tropical. I think if you used half of the tomatoes and beans it would be better. This recipe made ALOT!! I suggest using a 14 oz can of tomatoes, and a 15 oz can of beans. (Or similar). That way, it's not soupy, and you would be able to taste the tropical flavor better. Also, I didn't have enough lemon juice, so I also added some orange juice. It was good that way. The potato flakes I used were butter flavor, but I didn't care for that. So you might want to use plain flavor. -
Well, Uncle Bill, it appears all ya had to do ta get the Caribbean recipe for this dish was post one you had developed yourself on Recipezaar. HAHA! I'm looking over both versions, yours and Richards. I can without a doubt say that I will be using canned coconut milk. We had a bad season for coconuts here in Central Illinois so fresh are hard to come by. I'll be back soon with my version. HAHA! -
This recipe needs a bit of adjustment. First, to use tinned tomatoes and tinned beans is wrong. Start with dried red (not red kidney) or black beans and any of the small tomatoes, vine ripened. Soak the beans overnight in distilled water or rain water, four cups water to one cup beans. This gives you enough water to cook rice with the beans. Use chopped cilantro and celeray leaves instead of parsley, and fresh-squeezed lime juice instead of lemon. Use red habenero peppers, either the Jamaican Red or the hotter Scots Bonnet (my favourite!!!) If you can't get fresh habenero, you can use Marie Sharpe's Fiery Hot sauce, which is available in many supermarkets in the US and UK. And the coconut milk must be from a fresh coconut. None of that tinned stuff is any good. Do not boil the beans. Bring up to a simmer and after about an hour and a half to two hours add brown rice. Cover tightly, reduce heat, and cook another hour. Serve with stewed chicken, fried plantain, and potato salad. With these small adjustments you will have true tropical rice and beans. Richard Merrill, Belmopan, Belize I forgot something. Your original recipe does not include two essential ingredients. Garlic and Onion! Use one small yellow onion, chopped, and one large clove, chopped of garlic per cup dry measure of beans. RM
Tweaks
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This recipe needs a bit of adjustment. First, to use tinned tomatoes and tinned beans is wrong. Start with dried red (not red kidney) or black beans and any of the small tomatoes, vine ripened. Soak the beans overnight in distilled water or rain water, four cups water to one cup beans. This gives you enough water to cook rice with the beans. Use chopped cilantro and celeray leaves instead of parsley, and fresh-squeezed lime juice instead of lemon. Use red habenero peppers, either the Jamaican Red or the hotter Scots Bonnet (my favourite!!!) If you can't get fresh habenero, you can use Marie Sharpe's Fiery Hot sauce, which is available in many supermarkets in the US and UK. And the coconut milk must be from a fresh coconut. None of that tinned stuff is any good. Do not boil the beans. Bring up to a simmer and after about an hour and a half to two hours add brown rice. Cover tightly, reduce heat, and cook another hour. Serve with stewed chicken, fried plantain, and potato salad. With these small adjustments you will have true tropical rice and beans. Richard Merrill, Belmopan, Belize I forgot something. Your original recipe does not include two essential ingredients. Garlic and Onion! Use one small yellow onion, chopped, and one large clove, chopped of garlic per cup dry measure of beans. RM
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
William Uncle Bill
Burnaby,, B.C.
I live in Burnaby, British Columbia. I am retired and have written a cookbook entitled, From Uncle Bill's Kitchen. I am a recipe developer, author, publisher, distributor and a chef. My cookbook is very unique as I have a Nutrient Analysis for each ingredient used in each recipe that shows you the values for Calories, Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. A high-lighted bar shows the values on a per serving basis plus the Fat/Cal%.
From Uncle Bill's Kitchen contains tried-and-true, tested, easy to follow reipes for both novice and experienced cooks. You'll find old Russian, Ukrainian, and other ethnic favorites, along with modern West Coast dishes. The Nutrient Analysis will please the health conscious. Uncle Bill's favorite recipes will reward efforts of the most creative cook and provide the family with many tantalizing, healthful meals.
I have appeared on 48 various Television Shows in Vancouver, Burnaby, Kelowna and Kamploops, B.C. Canada, as well as in Palm Springs, CA. In Palm Springs, CA, I have been a Guest on the JACKIE OLDEN RADIO SHOW and THE JOEY ENGLISH RADIO SHOW, twice a year since 1998. I also do demo cooking shows at CHAPTERS BOOK STORES, SAVE-ON-FOOD STORES, GALLOWAY'S FOODS, WESTMINSTER PUBLIC QUAY MARKET, and in the U.S. at BARNES & NOBLE BOOKSTORES in Palm Springs, CA, Phoenix and Yuma, AZ.
I was in Palm Springs, CA from June 10th to July 14th. 2002 and again appeared twice on the Jackie Olden Show, twice on the Joey English Show and pre-taped a TV COOKING SHOW with Jackie Olden that is aired on TV from Palm Springs, CA to Los Angeles, CA.