Sticky Rice Agrikol Style
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A Haitian-inspired red bean and rice dish with altered ingredient amounts and a smoky twist. Uses a blend of smoked turkey instead of pork, and avocado oil replaces vegetable oil. The rice rinsed thoroughly, cooked in bean soaking liquid enriched with seasoning, Scotch bonnet pepper, and fresh herbs. Slight timing variations for cooking and resting. A hearty, flavorful staple with a bit of heat and smokiness, highlighting Caribbean flavors with a twist.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
28 min
Total:
48 min
Servings:
4 servings
#Haitian
#Caribbean
#rice and beans
#smoked turkey
#jerk seasoning
#spicy
#comfort food
Red beans sitting in soaking liquid. Rinse 3 times. Keep water, salty with bean flavor. Swap bacon for smoked turkey. Oil changed to smooth avocado, less sharp. The rice — basmati, rinsed clean as always. A jerk marinade mix instead of Haitian marinade, a little less, a little different. Scotch bonnet stays whole, fiery kid in the corner. Thyme doubled, fresh and green. Start slow with meat sizzling, onions sweating and softening, bacterial dance beneath the lid. Beans join late, stirred slow, careful. Liquid lovely and rich, steaming under the lid. Timed different, longer simmer, longer rest. Fluff. Don’t mash. Heat runs down, herbs pulled out. Get smoky heat and a smooth rounded flavor. Caribbean heart but revamped.
Ingredients
- 1 can 450 ml (15 oz) red kidney beans
- 65 g (2.3 oz) smoked turkey, diced
- 25 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) avocado oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 35 ml (2 1/2 tbsp) Caribbean jerk marinade
- 400 g (2 cups) basmati rice, rinsed and drained
- 1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 750 ml (3 cups) soaking liquid from beans
- Salt and black pepper to taste
About the ingredients
Beans, rinsed and soaked, rich with their own flavoring water. No wasted liquid here; keeps dish juicy, tied to the beans. Smoked turkey stands in for lard, less fat, more smoke. Avocado oil smooths out flavors without heaviness. Onion, chopped fine, teasing sweetness. Jerk marinade traded in, less than original, brings balanced warmth and spice. Basmati rice rinsed thoroughly to avoid stickiness but still sticky after cooking. Scotch bonnet whole, for heat without burning. Thyme doubled for herbal punch. Salt and pepper adjusted last, after tasting liquid, to balance salty soak. Proportions tweaked for more beans and rice, filling and hearty. Practical and flexible for pantry swaps.
Method
- Drain beans into a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Rinse beans 3 times, discard rinse water each time. Reserve 750 ml of last soaking liquid for cooking.
- Heat avocado oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add smoked turkey, cook 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Add chopped onion and jerk marinade, sauté until onion soft, about 4 minutes.
- Add drained beans, stir gently for 1-2 minutes. Mix in rinsed rice, whole scotch bonnet, thyme sprigs, and reserved soaking liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to boil.
- Cover pot, reduce heat to low, simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat, let rest covered 10 minutes. Remove pepper and thyme stalks before fluffing rice with fork gently to combine.
- Serve warm, garnish optional with fresh herbs or lime wedges.
Cooking tips
Beans rinsed multiple times, water retained and measured, a key step for flavor and liquid control. Heat oil, brown smoked turkey first, building deep flavor. Onions and marinade added early, softening gently to sweet, integrating spices. Beans folded in, careful not to break, cook briefly before rice joins. Whole scotch bonnet and thyme sprigs tossed in, for infusing spice and aroma without chopping. Liquid poured in, salted after tasting soak. Bring up to boil, then simmer gently, covered, until rice cooked through but firm. Rest period key, steam finishes cooking rice. Remove whole spicy and herb elements to avoid bitterness. Fluff rice lightly at end, preserve texture. Serve immediately for best taste and texture.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Rinse beans three times well. Keep soaking liquid precise measurement 750 ml needed. This liquid packs flavor, salty rich. Don't dump or dilute. Use fine mesh strainer to keep beans intact. Beans tender but not mushy matter. Soaking water is part seasoning base.
- 💡 Brown smoked turkey in avocado oil first. Medium heat. Builds base flavor with smoky notes. Don’t rush or crowd pan. Let meat edges get golden, some crisp bits form. Then onions added, sautée till translucence soft. Jerk marinade goes early to bloom spices but keep balanced.
- 💡 Rice rinsed thoroughly to stop stickiness but aim for sticky texture later. Rinsing removes excess starch but with basmati you want clumps after cooking to hold heat and body. Scooping slowly while fluffing keeps grains separate but soft. Fluff only after resting.
- 💡 Scotch bonnet added whole. Infuses heat gently without scorching or bitterness. Remove pepper before serving to avoid sudden spice spikes. Thyme doubled for herbal punch, fresh sprigs release aroma over simmer. Add herbs whole to pull out later cleanly, prevent herb fragments in final.
- 💡 Resting rice covered after simmer is crucial. Steam continues cooking rice while flavors meld. Don’t skip this wait. Heat distributes evenly, texture firms, herbs infuse. Fluff carefully after. Avoid mashing or stirring vigorously to keep bean shape intact. Temperature drop matters for taste balance.
Common questions
Can I use fresh beans instead of canned?
Yes but soak overnight first. That soaking gives beans time to release flavor. Cook longer usually to soften but less risky to break. Liquid from fresh soak can replace canned bean water. Timing changes. Watch texture.
What if no smoked turkey?
Substitute with smoked sausage, bacon, or smoked ham for similar depth. Or just plain turkey but add smoked paprika or liquid smoke. Less fat but bring smoky notes separately. Adjust sauté time since pork vs turkey textures differ.
Rice comes out too mushy, why?
Over rinsing can remove too much starch but mostly too much liquid or high heat. Simmer gently low heat with lid on. Use correct water ratio from bean soak. Rest covered helps stabilize texture. Fluff gently, no stirring mid-cook.
How to store leftovers?
Cool quickly. Refrigerate airtight container 3-4 days. Freeze in portioned bags or containers up to a month. Reheat covered to trap steam, avoid drying. Add splash of water if too dry when reheating. Can microwave or stovetop.
