Rice and peas

Rice and peas or peas and rice are traditional rice dishes in some Caribbean countries. The 'peas' used in this dish are traditionally pigeon peas. They are called 'Gungo peas' in the Caribbean. Sometimes  kidney beans are used. Rice and peas recipes throughout the Caribbean vary, with each country having their own way of making it and name of calling it. They are similar only by the two main ingredients which are the peas/beans used and rice to form a mixture. The name "rice and peas" originally is used by Jamaicans to identify the dish. Other countries have different names for it. 

In 1961, Frederic G. Cassidy made note that the dish had been referred to as Jamaica's coat of arms.

Caribbean
Rice and peas is the mainstay of  Jamaica, Anguilla, Bahamas, Trinidad, Barbados, Haiti and many other Caribbean islands. In most of Caribbean, the dish is called Rice and peas. In the Bahamas, it is known as peas n' rice, from which the Bahamian folk song "Mamma don't want no Peas n' Rice and Coconut Oil" is named. 

Preparation
The traditional Jamaican method of cooking rice and peas is cooking long-grain rice in coconut milk and pigeon peas/kidney beans along with other ingredients like scallions, garlic, bell peppers and allspice. It is often served with curries and jerk chicken.

References

Category:Jamaican food
Category:Trinidad and Tobago food
Category:Barbadian food
Category:Bahamian food
Category:Belizean food
Category:Guyanese food
Category:Haitian food