Culture & context
About this dish
Gungo peas are pigeon peas. Fresh green gungo peas are especially associated with Jamaica’s Christmas season, when they replace red peas in the rice pot.
Did you know? Gungo peas are pigeon peas, and fresh green gungo peas are especially associated with Jamaican Christmas cooking.
Food-safety note
Cool cooked rice promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep the Scotch bonnet whole and remove it before serving.
Equipment needed
- Heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid
- Fine-mesh sieve for rinsing rice
- Measuring jug
- Wooden spoon
- Fork for fluffing
- Small bowl for drained peas
Ingredients
- 1 can (540 g / 19 oz) gungo peas, drained, or 300 g cooked fresh gungo peas
- 400 ml (1⅔ cups) coconut milk
- 400 g (2 cups) long-grain rice, rinsed
- 500 ml (2 cups) water, approximately
- 3 scallions, bruised
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 5 pimento berries
- 1 whole Scotch bonnet
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
Before the heat
Preparation steps
- Rinse and drain Rinse rice until the water is less cloudy and drain it well so the measured liquid remains accurate.
- Prepare the aromatics Bruise scallion, crush garlic and keep the Scotch bonnet whole.
- Measure before boiling Have the coconut milk, water and rice ready because liquid adjustment must happen before the pot is covered.
At the stove
Cooking instructions
- Season the liquidCombine gungo peas, coconut milk, most of the water, scallion, thyme, garlic, pimento, Scotch bonnet, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Check the levelAdd rinsed rice. Liquid should sit about 2 cm / ¾ inch above the rice; add a little water if needed.
- Start uncoveredBoil gently until the liquid drops to the level of the rice and small steam holes appear.
- SteamCover tightly, lower heat and cook 18–22 minutes.
- Rest and fluffTurn off heat, rest 10 minutes, remove whole seasonings, add butter and fluff gently.
Working timeline
- 0:00–10 minutes: Rinse rice and prepare the aromatics
- 10–20 minutes: Season and boil the gungo-pea liquid
- 20–30 minutes: Add rice and reduce the liquid to rice level
- 30–52 minutes: Cover and steam on low heat
- 52–62 minutes: Rest, remove seasonings and fluff
Chef’s tips
- Judge the total liquid after the peas and coconut milk are in the pot, not by water alone.
- Leave the Scotch bonnet whole so it perfumes the rice without releasing all its heat.
- Rest the covered rice for ten minutes before fluffing so the grains finish steaming.
Common mistakes
- Adding too much water and producing wet, compressed rice.
- Stirring repeatedly after the rice begins to steam, which breaks grains and releases starch.
- Lifting the lid often and losing the steam needed to finish the pot.
What to serve with it
- Roast pork
- Curry goat
- Brown stew chicken
- Fresh salad
Storage & reheating
Refrigerate up to 4 days and reheat once until steaming hot throughout.
Recipe sources
References consulted for this recipe:
Editorial note
Reviewed for Jamaican context by James Dunn, LimeGrid founder — Jamaica.