Creamy, hearty, meaty, warm, YUMMY! Cookup rice is an amazing Guyanese dish.. and one of my favorite dishes ever! I've deviated slightly from the traditional way of making it, simply to save some time and get it in my belly faster - but I've included a disclaimer of how to make it the traditional way if you have more time. This recipe seems intimidating because of the number of ingredients, but it is really easy! It's kind of like a big pot of gumbo.
FYI you can substitute the lamb with a meat of your choice. Enjoy!
Time: 45 mins
Ingredients:
- 2-3 lbs lamb meat (I got shoulder chops & cut them into bite sized pieces)
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 can blackeyed peas, rinsed and strained (Disclaimer: the traditional way to make this dish is with a bag of blackeyed peas soaked overnight, then boiled (15 mins) and strained, before using in the recipe)
- 1 cup white rice, washed but uncooked (I used basmati)
- 1 tablespoon diced yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
- 1 bullion cube (chicken flavored) - this is optional
- A handful of baby spinach, or okra (bok choy can also work)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Salt/black pepper to taste
- 2 diced wiri-wiri peppers (can sub chili peppers or peppers of your choice!)
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
Recipe:
- Heat a medium-large sized pot to medium/high heat. Add the lamb pieces, with the fat on (so you don't need to add extra oil or butter for frying the meat). Allow this to brown for about 5 mins, turning it so all sides of the meat are browned.
- Remove the lamb pieces and set them in a plate or bowl for use later - they won't be completely cooked through.
- In the same pot that you cooked the lamb, lower the heat to medium/low, and add the diced onions, thyme, and garlic. Let simmer for about 3 mins.
- Add the uncooked rice and can of blackeyed peas to this mixture, so they are coated in the lamb fat. Let fry for about 2 mins.
- Add the can of coconut milk and the bullion cube. Stir so the ingredients are incorporated and covered with liquid. If they are not, add a cup of water.
- Bring mixture to a boil, add salt, black pepper, wiri-wiri pepper and bay leaves if you'd like, then cover at lower the heat to a simmer for 20 mins, turning a few times so the bottom doesn't burn.
- Uncover the pot, stir until you find the bay leaves and remove them. At this time you should add in the baby spinach, bok choy, or okra. Add the tablespoon of butter and mix it around so it melts into the cookup rice.
- Serve hot, with sliced cucumbers or salad on the side!
