Christmas Rice: Reflecting Trini Culture

Christmas Rice is a remarkable dish, but what makes a dish special? Christmas Rice reflects our culture around Christmas time: festive, colourful, and flavourful.

So how do we bring about festive, colour and flavour to reflect our Trini culture all in one dish? Be innovative with the ingredients you have around you. For that festive feel, use raisins; for that trini flavour,  use a combination of pimento peppers, thyme and ginger…. And for colour, red and green sweet peppers will do the trick. 

Christmas Rice Recipe

2 cup rice
3 tbsp grated ginger
4cloves garlic, minced
2 medium sweet pepper (green), chopped
2medium sweet pepper (red), chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 spring celery, chopped finely
2 sprigs fine leaf thyme, chopped finely
2/3 cup raisins
3 tbsp butter
Salt to taste

Method

1.    Boil rice drain and set aside

2.    Melt butter over a medium flame.

3.    Saute the ginger, garlic, and onion for one minute.

4.    Add celery, thyme and sweet peppers. Let cook for one minute. Note: Try not to overcook the sweet pepper because they would lose some of their     vibrant colour.

5.    Add raisins and mix well. allow to saute for about 30 seconds.

6.    Add rice. Mix well and adjust salt to taste.

Remove from heat.  Serve hot