Diri kole ak pwa

Ingredients

Beans

• 250 gdried red kidney beans
• water, for soaking
• 1.5 litreswater, for cooking
• 4garlic cloves, crushed
• 1onion, halved
• 3 sprigsthyme
• 4whole cloves

Rice

• 500 glong grain rice
• the bean cooking liquid
• 2 teaspoonssalt

To flavour

• 4 tablespoonsoil
• or 100 g diced salt pork
• 1onion, chopped
• 4spring onions, sliced
• 1scotch bonnet, whole
• 3 sprigsthyme
• 1 tablespoonepis, Haitian seasoning base
• black pepper

To serve

• sos pwa, bean sauce, optional
• fried plantain
• pikliz, pickled slaw
• stewed meat or fish

Directions

1. Discard the soaking water afterwards. Rinse the beans and pick out any stones. Cover them with plenty of cold water. Leave them overnight or for eight hours. They swell to about twice their size. Drain them and discard the soaking water. Rinse them thoroughly before cooking.
2. Put the beans into a large pot. Cover them with fresh cold water. Bring it to a full rolling boil. Let it boil hard for ten full minutes. Do not cover the pot or lower the heat. Add the garlic, onion, thyme and cloves. Let them cook for about an hour. They should be tender but hold their shape.
3. Take them off slightly before they are fully soft. Drain the beans over a large bowl. Keep every drop of that cooking liquid. Never discard it and use plain water. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Drain it thoroughly in a sieve. Heat the oil in a heavy pot with a lid.
4. Salt pork gives a deeper savoury base. Add the chopped onion and spring onions. Cook them for about six minutes. Add the epis and the thyme sprigs. Fry it for a good two minutes. Add the drained beans to the pot. Stir them gently through the base.
5. Stir it through so every grain is coated. Let it fry for about two minutes. Season it with salt and black pepper. Adding the liquid needs measuring. Pour in the reserved bean liquid. Use about one and a half parts to one of rice. Add the whole scotch bonnet on top. Never let it burst in the pot. Bring the whole pot up to a boil. Cover the pot with a tight lid.
6. Let it cook for about twenty minutes. Do not lift the lid at any point. Take the pot off the heat entirely. Leave the lid on and let it stand. Give it a full ten minutes to rest.
7. Take the lid off and remove the pepper. Lift and separate rather than stirring. The grains should be purple-brown and separate. Pile it onto plates as the main starch. Serve stewed meat or fish over or beside it. It keeps three days refrigerated.

Technique

• Dried red kidney beans contain phytohaemagglutinin and must be boiled hard for ten full minutes, since a gentle simmer alone does not destroy it and slow cooking at low temperature can make matters worse.
• The purple-brown bean cooking liquid is what colours and flavours the rice, and discarding it for plain water is the commonest mistake with the dish.
• Epis is the Haitian seasoning base of blended herbs, garlic and peppers kept in a jar, equivalent to Trinidadian green seasoning.

Substitutions

• Tinned kidney beans are already fully cooked and safe, though the cooking liquid is less flavourful.
• Black beans or pigeon peas are cooked the same way in some households.

Variations

• Diri ak pwa nwa uses black beans in place of red.
• Some cooks add coconut milk to the pot for a richer dish.
• Sos pwa, a separate bean sauce, is spooned over plain rice as an alternative.

History

The everyday Haitian plate; rice and beans cooked in one pot reflect West African rice cookery adapted to Caribbean beans.

Frequently asked questions

What is Diri kole ak pwa?

Diri kole ak pwa is a salad & side from Haiti: rice cooked together with red kidney beans, thyme and cloves. The everyday Haitian plate; rice and beans cooked in one pot reflect West African rice cookery adapted to Caribbean beans.

How long does Diri kole ak pwa take to make?

Diri kole ak pwa takes 20 minutes plus soaking of preparation and 1 hour 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Diri kole ak pwa?

Yes, within limits. Tinned kidney beans are already fully cooked and safe, though the cooking liquid is less flavourful. Black beans or pigeon peas are cooked the same way in some households.

What is the most important thing to get right in Diri kole ak pwa?

Put the beans into a large pot. Cover them with fresh cold water. Bring it to a full rolling boil. Let it boil hard for ten full minutes. Do not cover the pot or lower the heat. Add the garlic, onion, thyme and cloves. Let them cook for about an hour. They should be tender but hold their shape.