Caribbean Raisin Rice

 

In my home country of Guyana we would refer to raisin rice as ‘sweet mouth food’. The deliciously perfect balance between the salt and sweet flavours within the rice matched with raisins would literally leave your taste buds wanting more. A simple dish which becomes a real show-stopper to impress any visiting guest or family member, making this recipe a reliable go-to for any occasion. The Caribbean raisin rice pairs excellently with smoky BBQ ribs or crispy baked chicken, take the meal even further with the addition of sweet potato salad or macaroni salad. This recipe is guaranteed to be a hit, with clean plates all round! I’m excited for you and your family to share in the delights and flavours that we so enjoy.

Helpful Tips:

1. Collect the ingredients to be prepared to fry quickly.
2. I recommend jasmine rice as its sweet flavour works best to highlight the ingredients.
3. Use cooked rice, similar to fried rice, the dish is best when the rice is cooled completely. Cook the rice a few hours before or store in the fridge before beginning the recipe.
4. The Sazon Goya packet color is orange, purple and mustard.

Cook time: 35-40 mins
Serving Size: 3-4 people

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups of jasmine rice
• 3 tsp freshly chopped ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• Bell peppers (1/2 of each); red, green, and yellow, sliced into thick strips
• 1 cup mixed veggies
• 5 Drops of Food Coloring + ½ Packet Sazon Goya
• Raisins (adjust to your taste, I use 1 cup)
• 1/2 tsp of butter
• Black pepper
• ¼ tsp creole seasoning
• 8 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 cube chicken bouillon or 1 tsp salt
• 2 wuri wuri pepper or any hot pepper
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced

Cooking of Rice:

1. Wash jasmine rice using cold water and boil a kettle of water.
2. Place a pot on a medium heat and add 3 tbsp of vegetable oil, then add 1 tsp ginger and saute for 5 mins.
3. Add the washed jasmine rice to pot and saute for about 5 mins on medium-high heat (stir the rice occasionally to prevent burning).
4. Add 5 drops of yellow food coloring and ½ packet of Sazon Goya, stir well to combine with the rice.
5. Pour boiling water into the pot to just cover the rice then add ¼ tsp salt. Place a lid on the pot and steam for 10-15 mins, until cooked.
6. Once the rice is cooked, transfer to a large tray and allow it to completely cool.

Frying:

1. Divide the rice into two equal parts.
2. Place a large saute pan on a medium heat and add 2 ½  tbsp of vegetable oil.
3. Add 1 tsp of ginger, half of the chopped red onions and 2 cloves of garlic, fry for 5 mins.
4. Add half the amount of bell peppers, mixed veggies and hot pepper, fry for a further 5 mins.
5. Add half of the rice to the pan and fry for 5 mins. mix well
6. Finish with ¼ tsp of butter, 1 cube of chicken boullion and ½ cup of raisins, fry for 2 mins then remove from heat and transfer to a serving bowl.
7. Repeat steps 2 to 5 with the second half of the cooked rice.
8. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions and season with black pepper, creole seasoning and salt to taste.