BAHAMIAN OKRA ‘N RICE
Okra ‘n rice is a specialty dish and usually compliments seafood items like fried fish, minced crawfish or steamed conch. It is delicious.. Auntie Rie taught me how to make okra and rice when I was 1 years old and I have loved her for it ever since..
Ingredients:
3 cups Long grain rice
2 oz Cooking oil
1 Onion, small chopped
½ tsp Thyme leaves or two twig of fresh thyme
½ tsp Black pepper
Salt to taste
1-1 ½ cup Pigeon peas (optional)
2 cups Okra, medium diced
3 cups Water
1 ½ cup Ripe tomatoes, canned tomatoes or 2 tbsp tomato paste
¼ lb Salt pork (chopped small cubes), bacon dripping or ham skin/scraps
and fat chunks
Preparation:
This recipe will require a large pot (6-8 qt) with stove at medium, heat oil add ham skin/scraps or salt pork and allow to cook until ham fat or salt pork is almost crispy. Add okra, onion, thyme leaves and black pepper cook stirring occasionally until okra is fried crispy. Add tomatoes (ripe, canned or paste) cook stirring for about two (2) minutes. Add peas (optional) and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil then add rice, stir to distribute rice evenly. Add additional water until it is one inch above the rice. Add salt to taste. Allow to boil vigorously with lid off until water has disappeared from the top of rice. Stir rice, rotating rice from the bottom of the pot to the top (about two (2) turns) then cover pot and reduce heat to low. Cook for 30-45 minutes or until rice is fluffy. If rice is still grainy and hard add ½ cup of seasoned water and cover pot, ensure that heat is low.
