Sita’s Amazingly-Fragrant Island-Inspired Calypso Rice

 

Sita is one of my friends.  She has the distinction of being one of my oldest and dearest friends!  Not oldest as in “she’s old”, but oldest in that I’ve known her for a very long time!  Longer than Tiffany is old!  Her oldest son and Tiffany are the same age…

Now that we’ve established the connection {grin}, here’s a little background about Sita and her family.  Sita is of Indian descent.  And her husband, Carl, is of Chinese, Scot and African descent.  However, they were both born and raised on the island of Trinidad.  Sita, 3rd generation born in Trinidad, descending from Indian great-grandparent immigrants and Carl, 1st generation born in Trinidad, descending from a Chinese father (who jumped ship and hid in Trinidad) and a Scots/African mother, already an immigrant to the island.

However, Sita and Carl did not know each other while growing up, but instead met in New York City as young adults!  Doesn’t this sound like a romance novel waiting to be written?  Go figure – two people born and raised on the same island meet 3,000 miles away in another country!

Both are excellent cooks in several cuisines, but “island” cuisine is their favorite.  Many years ago, I asked Sita to teach me to cook her Curry Chicken and she did.  However, I lost that recipe in the fire, so I asked her to come over that teach me to cook it again.  In addition, she taught me how to make Sita’s Calypso Rice and it is now a favorite of ours!  I’ll post Sita’s Curry Chicken on Thursday, but I’m posting Sita’s Calypso Rice because you serve it as an accompaniment to Sita’s Curry Chicken.

Here’s what you do…

 

 

 

1. Garlic cloves.
2. Peeled and finely diced garlic cloves.
3. Green onions.
4. Chopped green onions.
5. Tomatoes.
6. Sliced tomatoes.
7. Kidney beans, rinsed and drained.
8. Can of coconut milk, opened.  In addition to these ingredients, chop 1/2 cup of yellow or white onion and pick a handful of cilantro leaves from their stems.

 

 

Prepare your vegetables and set aside.

 

 

Measure your rice and place it in a bowl.  Fill with water and swish around.  Drain and rinse rice several more times; then set aside.

 

 

1. In a large skillet with a lid, heat several tablespoons of canola oil over medium-low heat.
2. Add your chopped onion.
3. Sauté the chopped onion.
4. Add the cilantro leaves.
5. Sauté onion and cilantro leaves for a few minutes.
6. Add the tomatoes and sauté.
7. Add the kidney beans.
8. Add the green onions and garlic and sauté for a few minutes more.
9. Add the coconut milk and stir to combine.

 

 

1. Add the rice.
2. Stir to combine.
3. Rice well-mixed.
4. Add water.
5. Stir.
6. Cover pan with foil.
7. Put lid on top of foil.
8. Cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes.
9. Remove lid and foil carefully, add butter, salt and pepper; fluff rice with fork.

 

 

Ready to serve!  While photographing this rice for the post, the fragrance was amazing!  As I was setting the table, the smell wafting up from the steaming bowl of rice was incredible!

 

 

And the taste – YUM!  The rice was nutty, yet tender, infused with the coconut milk.  The garlic and cilantro contributed a unique flavor to the onions and beans without overwhelming them.

 

 

Here’s the recipe:

 

Print

 

Tootles,

 

Related Posts:

(other posts in the Teach Me to Cook series)

• Barefoot with Friends and Vanessa’s Pavlova 
• Ensalada de Nopales
• Rosa’s Caramel Flan
• Rosa’s Pork Posole