{Aunt Olivia, Grandma Amy, and my mom}
Today marks 12 years since my maternal grandmother, Amy, passed away. Now, Grandma Amy loved to cook for her family. One of her specialties was pelau. I can see de big iron pot full of chicken pelau sitting on her stove now. Once we had sit down to eat, Granny would come and rest her arms on the back of the chair. Then would come the infamous question, “How de food taste?” My mom would answer, “Ma, you know de food tastin good!” LOL Sweet memories.
The pelau that I make is not quite my grandmother’s, but it’s still very tasty. It’s made with brown rice, which boosts the nutrient and fiber content. Try the recipe below and tell me what you think. You can also view the video on my YouTube channel.
Ingredients
- canola oil
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1-15 oz. can pigeon peas
- 1 teaspoon Grace browning sauce
- 1-14 oz. box Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain Fast and Natural Instant Brown Rice
- 1-13.5 oz. can Goya coconut milk
- 1 ¼ can water
- Lawry’s seasoning salt
- granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon Matouk’s Pepper Sauce or Caribbean pepper sauce of choice (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly coat bottom of pot with oil. Add chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent.
- Add drained pigeon peas to pot and sauté with onion about 1 minute.
- Add browning and stir to distribute. Then, add bag of instant brown rice and stir.
- Add coconut milk and water. Then, add Lawry’s seasoning salt and granulated garlic to taste.
- Cover pot and bring to boil. Once the pot is boiling, lower heat to halfway between low and medium. Cook for about 20 minutes until rice is cooked.
- Take the pot off the heat and allow to “rest” and absorb the remaining coconut milk for 10-15 minutes. The rice should be grainy when flaked with a fork.
Notes
Pelau is traditionally made with white parboiled rice. To do it this way, substitute the brown rice for 2 cups white parboiled rice. Also, increase the water from 1 ¼ can to 1 ½ can.
For the 1 1/4 can water. Should I use the can from the pigeon peas or the coconut milk.
I use the can from the coconut milk (13.5 oz.).
Hi Minty, just wanted to hello, one trini to other. Love you blog.
Hey Mona! Thanks so much for the love!