Bonswa! My family and I just returned from a 3-week mission trip to Haiti. We ate Haitian food every day for our "lunch," which is the big meal in Haiti. While a lot of the food is fried there are some dishes that really are very healthy. One of those dishes is the classic rice and beans - a staple in many developing countries. When rice and beans are combined they have a certain synergy that makes them a "complete protein."
Below is a recipe for Haitian Rice & Beans and Haitian Chicken sauteing the chicken in olive oil rather than deep frying it in Canola oil. Maje sa bon - Good food!
Haitian Rice & Beans
Ingredients:
5 whole cloves (sold in spice section)
3 whole cloves garlic
1 cup dried red kidney beans
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups jasmine rice
2 tablespoons raw butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon green pepper, minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
3 tablespoons olive oil
10 cups of water
1. Add 4-5 whole cloves and 3 cloves garlic to 6 cups of water in a pot. Add beans.
2. Cook the beans and boil for 45 minutes to 1 hour. You should be able to press them together with your fingers and white powder will come out. (You do not want to overcook them because they will be heated again with the rice.)
3. Add 1 teaspoon salt & pepper and set aside.
4. In a large pot, brown butter and add garlic, salt, thyme and green pepper. Add olive oil and rice. Coat rice with oil and spices.
5. Meanwhile, strain beans.
6. Add 4 cups of water to 2 cups of rice and cook for 15 minutes on medium-high or until water evaporates.
7. Add beans to rice and cook additional 10 minutes or until rice and beans are fully cooked.
Haitian Chicken
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 whole chicken cut into pieces (or 3 lbs. of chicken thighs or legs)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
3 whole cloves (the spice, not garlic)
1. In a large frying pan or saute pan, heat olive oil. Meanwhile, wash chicken pieces.
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and garlic powder.
3. Saute chicken pieces in oil until browned on all sides.
4. Mix together 1/2 cup water, tomato paste, onion, parsley and cloves.
5. Pour over meat. Cover pan and allow to cook about 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
6. Add more water to pan if chicken is sticking to the bottom.
7. Remove chicken to a platter.
8. Reserve marinade and juices and mix in 1/2 cup water to create a sauce to pour over rice & beans and chicken dishes. Garnish with sliced onions.
