The story of this creamy Coconut & Black-Eyed Pea Rice Curry starts with my shopping habitts.
Ever since COVID, I’ve got into the habit of doing my supermarket shopping online. It’s not only a huge time-saver, I’ve also found it can save me quite a bit of money.
One unexpected bonus of online shopping is that it has introduced me to a whole world of products I probably would never have noticed in the supermarket.
When you shop in person, you tend to stick to the same aisles, pick up the things you know and love, and inevitably throw a few things into the trolley that you don’t really need (and probably shouldn’t bring home!).
Online, I find I’m much more focused on what I actually need, while also exposing me to things I might otherwise walk straight past.
There is, however, one obvious downside: that awkward final day before the next delivery arrives.
You know the one. The fridge is looking bare, the cupboards are down to the last few bits and pieces, and you’re running on essentials. Today was one of those days for me.
I opened the fridge and found… well, not much.
Now, don’t get me wrong. As a cooking enthusiast who spends more than half her waking hours in the kitchen, there is always something to eat in my house—and I have two freezers permanently packed to prove it. However, today I really didn’t fancy waiting for something to defrost before having a proper, warm meal.
So I opened the pantry, took stock of what I had, and threw it all into a pot to see what happened.
The result? Surprisingly delicious, creamy Coconut & Black-Eyed Pea Rice Curry.
A can of black-eyed peas, coconut milk, rice and a little curry paste came together into the creamiest, most comforting dinner, ready in less than half an hour.
Vegetarian, creamy, hearty and wonderfully satisfying, this curry is perfect on its own or served alongside something else.
Ingredients:
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 cup coconut milk
1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 cup basmati rice
3 tbsp curry paste
2 tsp salt
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp honey
Method:
Onion & Black-Eyed-Peas
Heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and black-eyed peas and fry until the onion becomes translucent.
Lower the heat and add the cumin, honey and 1 tsp of salt. Stir well to combine.
Coconut-Milk & Curry Paste
Mix the coconut milk with ½ cup warm water and the curry paste, stirring until the paste is fully dissolved. Pour the mixture into the pan and bring to a boil.
Rice
Rinse the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear.
Reduce the heat to low and add the rice and remaining 1 tsp of salt. Bring back to a boil, then cover the pan tightly and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
Finish the Dish
Turn off the heat and, without lifting the lid, leave the rice to rest for another 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
Tips:
Don’t skip the resting time! It allows the rice to finish cooking gently and gives the moisture time to distribute evenly, resulting in perfectly fluffy, non-sticky grains.
Adjust the curry to your taste. You can replace the curry paste with any flavouring paste you like, or use curry powder instead. If using curry powder, 1–2 tbsp should be plenty, depending on how strong you like the flavour.
Rinse the rice well. Rinsing until the water runs clear removes excess starch and helps prevent the rice from becoming sticky.
Keep the lid on. Once the rice is simmering, resist the temptation to lift the lid. The trapped steam is essential for cooking the rice properly.
Make it your own. Add vegetables such as spinach, peppers or peas, or finish with fresh coriander, lime juice or a sprinkle of chilli for extra freshness and flavour.
Adjust the consistency. If the curry looks a little thick, add a splash of warm water or coconut milk before serving.
Good Luck!
Creamy Coconut & Black-Eyed Pea Rice
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion finally chopped
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 tin black eyed peas
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 3 tbsp curry paste
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and black-eyed peas and fry until the onion becomes translucent.
- Lower the heat and add the cumin, honey and 1 tsp of salt. Stir well to combine.
- Mix the coconut milk with ½ cup warm water and the curry paste, stirring until the paste is fully dissolved. Pour the mixture into the pan and bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, rinse the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the rice and remaining 1 tsp of salt. Bring back to a boil, then cover the pan tightly and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and, without lifting the lid, leave the rice to rest for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
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