Red Beans Trinidad Food

TRINI RED BEANS

Steps:

• Boil rice. Strain and set aside .
• Clean and wash the red beans. Place in a deep pot and add hot water. Soak for 15 minutes.
• Chop the onion, celery, pumpkin, and pimento pepper. Finely dice the rest of the herbs.
• Put the beans to boil. Then add the chopped pumpkin, onion, garlic, celery and pimento pepper. Note: You may have to add about a cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes. Then cover and pressure cook for 30 minutes or until the beans are soft.
• When the red beans are good enough, place in a separate pot and continue cooking. Add the chopped chadon beni, big leaf thyme and fine leaf thyme to the pot.
• Allow to simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, then the green seasoning, the optional sugar, and salt for taste. Allow to simmer until the excess water evaporates. Remove and serve with rice.

AUTHENTIC LOUISIANA RED BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Rinse beans, and then soak in a large pot of water overnight.
• In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Rinse beans, and transfer to a large pot with 6 cups water. Stir cooked vegetables into beans. Season with bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, sage, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.
• Stir sausage into beans, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the rice. In a saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve beans over steamed white rice.

RED BEANS (TRINIDAD)

Steps:

• Saute onions garlic and ginger on high heat until fragrant ( about 2 minutes).
• Add the drained kidney beans, ketchup and 1/2 cup of water and stir.
• I don't bother adding salt to this, as the brine that the beans were soaked in is sufficient. However if you wish you can salt to taste.
• Cover and simmer until the sauce has thickened. (About 5-10mins). It depends on how much water you put inches.
• NB. When cooking in the US and Canada I found that North American ketchups tend to be more tart and acidic than Caribbean ones.
• For an authentic caribbean flavour, add sugar to the sauce 1 tsp at a time until you get the desired sweetness.

TRINIDADIAN PEAS AND RICE

Steps:

• Place all ingredients into rice cooker or large pot, turn on and follow your rice cooker's directions, or in a pot, bring to boil, simmer for 15 minutes until rice is almost cooked, cover and let sit for further 10 minutes.
• Serve with sprinkle of coriander, and hot sauce to taste.