Haitian fried rice – Haiti 🇭🇹

An iconic Haitian dish, riz collé or diri ak pwa is a mixture of rice and beans simmered in a broth flavored with the cooking water of red or black beans, and seasoned with leek, bell pepper, and chili pepper. It accompanies almost every daily meal.
As they say in Haiti: “ Yon manje pa manje san diri ak pwa ” — a meal is not a meal without rice and peas.

This dish holds a special place in the history of Jack Meal : it is one of the recipes that Johanna cooked most often with the thermal bag.

Essential ingredients

• Long grain white rice,

• Red or black beans,

• Coconut milk,

• Bell pepper,

• Leek,

• Pepper,

• Onion,

• Garlic,

• Clove,

• Thyme,

• Vegetable oil,

• Salt,

• Pepper.

Possible variations : pinto beans, green onion, bouillon cube, a little butter or coconut oil.

Use your Jack Meal thermal bag to steam the rice!

1. The day before :
   Boil the black beans in four times their volume of water for 30 to 40 minutes.
   Remove from heat, then place the casserole in the Jack Meal thermal bag overnight to extend the cooking without heat.
2. The same day :
   Open the thermal bag and take out the precooked beans.
   Carefully preserve the cooking broth.
3. In a casserole dish, sauté a chopped onion, two cloves of garlic, a sliced leek and a finely chopped pepper in a little vegetable oil.
4. Add the drained beans, a pinch of salt, a clove, thyme and a small piece of chili pepper.
5. Incorporate two volumes of white rice and mix.
6. Then pour two to three volumes of pea cooking water (or more depending on the desired texture) + one volume of coconut milk and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid.
7. For softer rice: 3 to 4 parts liquid (pea water + coconut milk). For firmer rice: 2 to 3 parts. It's the amount of water , more than the cooking time, that will determine the final texture.
8. When the water boils, stir to homogenize the heat (bubbles in the center, approximately 95°C or +).
9. Turn off the heat and immediately place the casserole dish in the Jack Meal thermal bag .
10. Place a cloth at the bottom of the bag, insert the casserole dish, place the bag's lid on the lid, and close carefully with the drawstring to retain heat all around the casserole dish.

Cook for 45 minutes in the bag.

Remove the casserole dish from the heat bag: the rice should be tender, fragrant, and the beans soft.

At the time of service

Fluff the rice with a fork, adjust the seasoning and serve hot.
Sticky rice goes perfectly with Creole chicken , grilled fish or beef and vegetable broth .

Jack Meal's tips

For those who love the famous " gratin " —that golden crust at the bottom of the pot—simply return the rice to high heat briefly at the end of cooking to achieve that crispy texture. And because cooking is also a matter of culture and memories, feel free to adapt this version to your own tastes .