Rice and peas or peas and rice is a traditional rice dish in some

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

and

Latin American Latin Americans (; ) are the citizenship, citizens of Latin American countries (or people with cultural, ancestral or national origins in Latin America). Latin American countries and their Latin American diaspora, diasporas are Metroethnicity, ...

countries. Sometimes, the dish is made with pigeon peas, otherwise called 'gungo peas' by Jamaicans. Kidney beans ('red peas'/beans) and other similar varieties are typically used in the

Greater Antilles The Greater Antilles is a grouping of the larger islands in the Caribbean Sea, including Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica, together with Navassa Island and the Cayman Islands. Seven island states share the region of the Greater Antille ...

and coastal

Latin America Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...

. Rice and peas recipes vary throughout the region, with each country having its own way(s) of making them and name(s)—with the two main ingredients being

legumes Legumes are plants in the pea family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seeds of such plants. When used as a dry grain for human consumption, the seeds are also called pulses. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consu ...

(peas/beans) and rice, combined with

herbs Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnish (food), garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typi ...

spices In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of pl ...

and/or

coconut milk Coconut milk is a plant milk extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of the milky-white liquid are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food ingred ...

History

Rice and peas, a one-pot Creole dish that originated in the Caribbean during the colonial era, includes a mixture of ingredients, cooking techniques and spices influenced by various

ethnic An ethnicity or ethnic group is a group of people with shared attributes, which they collectively believe to have, and long-term endogamy. Ethnicities share attributes like language, culture, common sets of ancestry, traditions, society, re ...

groups in the region. The

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

, the first European arrivals to the

Americas The Americas, sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America and South America.''Webster's New World College Dictionary'', 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. When viewed as a sing ...

, contributed many peas/bean dishes and rice dishes. They also introduced Asian rice to the Caribbean and Latin America, as well as herbs and spices like garlic, thyme, onion, and oregano.West, Jean M. Kidney beans, another key ingredient, are thought to have originated in

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

around 8,000 B.C., and

cultivars A cultivar is a kind of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and which retains those traits when propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue cult ...

were dispersed throughout the Americas by indigenous

Amerindian In the Americas, Indigenous peoples comprise the two continents' pre-Columbian inhabitants, as well as the ethnic groups that identify with them in the 15th century, as well as the ethnic groups that identify with the pre-Columbian population of ...

tribes by 500 B.C., then later the Spanish and Portuguese, who introduced them to other parts of the world. Similarly, the Amerindians cultivated pimento, and they spread ''

Capsicum chinense ''Capsicum chinense'', commonly known as a "habanero-type pepper", is a species of chili pepper native to the Americas. ''C. chinense'' varieties are well known for their unique flavors and, in many cases, exceptional Pungency, heat. The Race to ...

'' cultivars throughout the region, including

Scotch bonnet Scotch bonnet (also known as Bonney peppers, or Caribbean red peppers) is a variety of chili pepper named for its supposed resemblance to a Scottish tam o' shanter bonnet. It is native to the Americas—a cultivar of '' Capsicum chinense'', wh ...

and other peppers used in the dish. The

Africans The ethnic groups of Africa number in the thousands, with each ethnicity generally having their own language (or dialect of a language) and culture. The ethnolinguistic groups include various Afroasiatic, Khoisan, Niger-Congo, and Nilo-Sahara ...

who arrived during

slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

and indentureship also influenced the dish. Along with the Spanish, Portuguese, French, English, Dutch and East Indians, they contributed to the introduction and cultivation of rice in the region. Pigeon peas (also called Congo or Angola peas), which originated in India and were domesticated there 3500 years ago, were also introduced by the Spanish and Portuguese, from Africa. Throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, they are referred to as ''gandule'', ''guandules'' or ''guandu'' (Spanish and Portuguese), ''gungo'' (Jamaican Patois) and ''pwa kongo'' or ''pwa di bwa'' (French Creole)— which were possibly derived from Bantu dialects, ''ngungu'' or ''wandu'' (Kongo) and ''oanda'' (Angolan Kimbundu). The name "rice and peas" was originally used by

Jamaicans Jamaicans are the citizens of Jamaica and their descendants in the Jamaican diaspora. The vast majority of Jamaicans are of Sub-Saharan African descent, with minorities of Europeans, Indians, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and others of mixed a ...

to identify the dish. In 1961, Frederic G. Cassidy said the dish had been referred to as Jamaica's

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

. The recipe is said to have spread throughout Central America, by enslaved and free Africans and Creoles who migrated to the area with British settlers, as well as merchants and labourers from Jamaica, between the mid-17th and 20th centuries. Rice and Jerusalem peas Ja

Variations and similar dishes

Caribbean

Jamaica Rice and peas from

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

is one of the most popular variations from the region. It is typically eaten as a

side dish A side dish, sometimes referred to as a side order, side item, or simply a side, is a food item that accompanies the entrée or main course at a meal.meats or

seafood Seafood is any form of Marine life, sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including Fish as food, fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of Mollusca, molluscs (e.g., bivalve molluscs such as clams, oysters, and mussel ...

. Jamaican rice and peas has been introduced to other parts of the world by the

diaspora A diaspora ( ) is a population that is scattered across regions which are separate from its geographic place of birth, place of origin. The word is used in reference to people who identify with a specific geographic location, but currently resi ...

, and is eaten in other countries outside of the Caribbean. In Jamaica, the dish is especially prepared on Sundays for dinner. Kidney beans and other similar cultivars are normally used to prepare the dish; however, pigeon peas (gungo peas) and Jerusalem peas ('' Phaseolus trinervius'') are traditionally cooked during the

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...

season. Other ingredients include

and pimento, which are native to the island, and long-grain rice, coconut milk,

scallion Scallions (also known as green onions and spring onions) are edible vegetables of various species in the genus ''Allium''. Scallions generally have a milder taste than most onions. Their close relatives include garlic, shallots, leeks, chive ...

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...

salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

and pepper, and

thyme Thyme () is a culinary herb consisting of the dried aerial parts of some members of the genus ''Thymus (plant), Thymus'' of flowering plants in the mint family Lamiaceae. Thymes are native to Eurasia and north Africa. Thymes have culinary, medici ...

. Sometimes,

cured meat Curing is any of various food preservation and flavoring processes of foods such as meat, fish and vegetables, by the addition of salt, with the aim of drawing moisture out of the food by the process of osmosis. Because curing increases the solu ...

like corned pork or

beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...

is added to rice and peas. Moros y cristianos Cuba

Cuba ''Moros y cristianos'' (also called ''Moros''), which means " Moors and Christians", and ''congri'' are Cuban variations. Both side dishes resemble and taste similar to Jamaican rice and peas and Haitian ''diri ak pwa'' or ''kongo''; however, some of the ingredients are different. ''Moros'' is usually made with black beans, while ''congri'' is made with red beans— which represent the Islamic

Moors The term Moor is an Endonym and exonym, exonym used in European languages to designate the Muslims, Muslim populations of North Africa (the Maghreb) and the Iberian Peninsula (particularly al-Andalus) during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a s ...

, with the

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

representing

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

Spaniards Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance-speaking ethnic group native to the Iberian Peninsula, primarily associated with the modern nation-state of Spain. Genetically and ethnolinguistically, Spaniards belong to the broader Southern a ...

. The dish commemorates the

Reconquista The ''Reconquista'' (Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese for ) or the fall of al-Andalus was a series of military and cultural campaigns that European Christian Reconquista#Northern Christian realms, kingdoms waged ag ...

, and represents how both groups came to live together in the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...

after a long period of battle. According to Cuban historian and anthropologist

Fernando Ortiz Fernández Fernando Ortiz Fernández (16 July 1881 – 10 April 1969) was a Cuban essayist, anthropologist, ethnomusicologist and scholar of Afro-Cuban culture. Ortiz was a prolific polymath dedicated to exploring, recording, and understanding all aspects o ...

, ''congri'' was adopted from the Haitians who settled in

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

during the

Haitian Revolution The Haitian Revolution ( or ; ) was a successful insurrection by slave revolt, self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue, now the sovereign state of Haiti. The revolution was the only known Slave rebellion, slave up ...

. Other ingredients include

onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' , from Latin ), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classifie ...

bell pepper The bell pepper (also known as sweet pepper, paprika, pepper, capsicum or, in some parts of the US midwest, mango) is the fruit of plants in the Grossum Group of the species ''Capsicum annuum''. Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in diff ...

, garlic,

tomato The tomato (, ), ''Solanum lycopersicum'', is a plant whose fruit is an edible Berry (botany), berry that is eaten as a vegetable. The tomato is a member of the nightshade family that includes tobacco, potato, and chili peppers. It originate ...

bay leaf The bay leaf is an aromatic leaf commonly used as a herb in cooking. It can be used whole, either dried or fresh, in which case it is removed from the dish before consumption, or less commonly used in ground form. The flavour that a bay lea ...

cumin Cumin (, ; ; ''Cuminum cyminum'') is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to the Irano-Turanian Region. Its seeds – each one contained within a fruit, which is dried – are used in the cuisines of many cultures in both whole ...

oregano Oregano (, ; ''Origanum vulgare'') is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It was native to the Mediterranean region, but widely naturalised elsewhere in the temperate climate, temperate Northern Hemisphere. Oregano is a ...

and

. Sometimes,

bacon Bacon is a type of Curing (food preservation), salt-cured pork made from various cuts of meat, cuts, typically the pork belly, belly or less fatty parts of the back. It is eaten as a side dish (particularly in breakfasts), used as a central in ...

pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry, husbandry dating back to 8000–9000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooke ...

is added. Belize Belizean rice and beans is the national dish of

Belize Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...

. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient

Mayans Maya () are an ethnolinguistic group of Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica. The ancient Maya civilization was formed by members of this group, and today's Maya are generally descended from people who lived w ...

, who cultivated beans. Over time, influences from other ethnic groups who arrived in the country helped to develop the dish. The recipe originated from the Creole (''Kriol'') population i.e. British settlers who arrived with African slaves from Jamaica (

Baymen The Baymen were the earliest European settlers with Afro-Jamaicans and Creole-Jamaicans, along the Bay of Honduras in what eventually became the colony of British Honduras (modern-day Belize). Settlement The first Baymen settled in the Beli ...

), to cut logwood, in the late 1700s and 1800s—later intermingling with

mestizos ( , ; fem. , literally 'mixed person') is a term primarily used to denote people of mixed Ethnic groups in Europe, European and Indigenous ancestry in the former Spanish Empire. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to ...

and indigenous peoples. It is typically made with kidney beans, and served as a side dish. Other ingredients include garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, long-grain rice,

paprika Paprika is a spice made from dried and ground red peppers, traditionally ''capsicum annuum''. It can have varying levels of Pungency, heat, but the peppers used for hot paprika tend to be milder and have thinner flesh than those used to produce ...

, onion and coconut milk. Salt beef, pigtail or bacon may be added. The dish is very similar to ''rice and peas'' from the Greater Antilles and Central American variations. The first Sunday in September is celebrated as ''National Rice and Beans Day'' in Belize. Haitian diri ak pwa rouj

Haiti ''Diri ak pwa'' (also known as ''diri kole'') is ''"rice and peas"'' in Haitian Kreyol. It is considered to be part of

Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...

's national dish along with griot. It is typically made with red beans, black beans or pinto beans. The version with pigeon peas is called ''diri kole ak pwa kongo'', and with

lima beans A lima bean (''Phaseolus lunatus''), also commonly known as butter bean, sieva bean, double bean or Madagascar bean, is a legume grown for its edible seeds or beans. Origin and uses ''Phaseolus lunatus'' is found in Meso- and South America. Tw ...

, ''diri kongri''. Haitian variations resemble Jamaican, Cuban and Dominican variations. However, ingredients include epis (green seasoning) and/or

parsley Parsley, or garden parsley (''Petroselinum crispum''), is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae that is native to Greece, Morocco and the former Yugoslavia. It has been introduced and naturalisation (biology), naturalized in Eur ...

, thyme, scallion, onion,

shallot The shallot is a cultivar group of the onion. Until 2010, the (French red) shallot was classified as a separate species, ''Allium ascalonicum''. The taxon was synonymized with '' Allium cepa'' (the common onion) in 2010, as the difference was t ...

cloves Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands, or Moluccas, in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring, or fragrance in consumer products, ...

, garlic, salt, black pepper, bell pepper, long-grain rice, oil / butter and ''piment bouc'' (''Bahamian goat pepper'') which is sometimes substituted with habanero or scotch bonnet. Sometimes, coconut milk is added.

Dominican Republic or ''moro de guandules con coco'' is a Dominican variation which may include coconut milk. It is eaten as a side dish, and is made with pigeon peas. The dish is similar to Jamaican ''rice and peas'' (with ''gungo peas''), and it is also a traditional Dominican Christmas food. Other versions of the dish resemble Puerto Rican ''arroz con gandules'', and ingredients include garlic, cubanelle,

cilantro Coriander (), whose leaves are known as cilantro () in the U.S. and parts of Canada, and dhania in parts of South Asia and Africa, is an annual herb (''Coriandrum sativum'') in the family Apiaceae. Most people perceive the leaves as ha ...

, long-grain rice,

celery Celery (''Apium graveolens'' Dulce Group or ''Apium graveolens'' var. ''dulce'') is a cultivated plant belonging to the species ''Apium graveolens'' in the family Apiaceae that has been used as a vegetable since ancient times. The original wild ...

, red onion,

lippia micromera ''Lippia micromera'', commonly referred to as stick oregano or false oregano, is a plant species. It is used in regional cuisines including Puerto Rican cuisine and Dominican cuisine. It has white flowers. It is in the ''Verbena ''Verbena ...

, and

tomato paste Tomato paste is a thick paste made from tomatoes, which are cooked for several hours to reduce water content, straining out seeds and skins, and cooking the liquid again to reduce the base to a thick, rich concentrate. It is used to impart an i ...

. ''Moro de habichuelas rojas'' is the version made with kidney beans. Arroz con gandules y pollo

Puerto Rico ''

Arroz con gandules Arroz con gandules is a combination of rice, pigeon peas, and pork, cooked in the same pot with sofrito. This is Puerto Rico's national dish along with roasted pork. Preparation This dish is mainly served during the Christmas season or for s ...

'' is

Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...

national dish A national dish is a culinary Dish (food), dish that is strongly associated with a particular country. A dish can be considered a national dish for a variety of reasons: * It is a staple food, made from a selection of locally available foodstuffs ...

which is typically served with roasted pork. It is similar to the Dominican variation, and is also served during Christmas and special occasions. It is typically made with rice, pigeon peas, ''sazón'' (turmeric, cumin, coriander seeds, black pepper,

annatto Annatto ( or ) is an orange-red condiment and food coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree (''Bixa orellana''), native to tropics, tropical parts of the Americas. It is often used to impart a yellow to red-orange color to foods, but ...

), olive oil, ''

sofrito (), (), (), (), () or () is a basic preparation in Mediterranean cuisine, Mediterranean, Latin American cuisine, Latin American, Spanish cuisine, Spanish, Italian cuisine, Italian and Portuguese cuisine, Portuguese cooking. It typically ...

'' (bell peppers, cubanelle, cilantro, onion, garlic, aji dulce,

culantro ''Eryngium foetidum'' is a tropical perennial herb in the family Apiaceae. Common names include culantro (Costa Rica and Panama) ( or ), cimarrón, recao (Puerto Rico), chardon béni (France), Mexican coriander, samat, bandhaniya, long coriand ...

, and oregano brujo), ''alcaparrado'' ( manzanilla olives, capers, and

pimiento A pimiento or pimento or cherry pepper is a variety of large, red, heart-shaped chili pepper (''Capsicum annuum'') that measures long and wide (medium, elongate). Description and habitat Pimientos can have various colors including yellow ...

), banana leaf,

broth Broth, also known as bouillon (), is a savory liquid made of water in which meat, fish, or vegetables have been simmered for a short period of time. It can be eaten alone, but it is most commonly used to prepare other dishes, such as soups ...

, bay leaf, tomato paste and mashed plantain or green banana.

Salt pork Salt pork is salt-cured pork. It is usually prepared from pork belly, or, less commonly, fatback. Salt pork typically resembles uncut side bacon, but is fattier, being made from the lowest part of the belly, and saltier, as the cure is stronge ...

ham Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking."Bacon: Bacon and Ham Curing" in '' Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 39. As a processed meat, the term '' ...

, bacon, salchichón (

salami Salami ( ; : ''salame'') is a ''salume'' consisting of fermented and air-dried meat, typically pork. Historically, salami was popular among Southern, Eastern, and Central European peasants because it can be stored at room temperature fo ...

) or

chorizo ''Chorizo'' ( , ; ; see #Names, below) is a type of pork sausage originating from the Iberian Peninsula. It is made in many national and regional varieties in several countries on different continents. Some of these varieties are quite differe ...

may be added. Other Puerto Rican ''rice and peas'' dishes are '' arroz junto'', which consists of similar ingredients, and ''arroz mamposteao'', which is usually made with kidney beans and similar ingredients, but the preparation is similar to Colombian calentao. The Bahamas & Anguilla The dish 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. The main components of this dish are rice, pigeon peas, onion,

sweet pepper The bell pepper (also known as sweet pepper, paprika, pepper, capsicum or, in some parts of the US midwest, mango) is the fruit of plants in the Grossum Group of the species ''Capsicum annuum''. Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in diff ...

, thyme, browning, tomato paste, salt, pepper and celery. Sometimes, bacon is added. The texture of ''peas n' rice'' is different from ''rice and peas'', but more similar to the American

Hoppin' John Hoppin' John, also known as Carolina peas and rice, is a rice and beans dish of legendary origins associated with the cuisine of the Southern United States. Similar dishes are found in regions with a significant African-origin demographic like Lo ...

. ''Peas and rice'' is the national dish of

Anguilla Anguilla is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Sa ...

, which is also made with pigeon peas, but is more similar in texture to Jamaican ''rice and peas'' (with'' gungo''). Lesser Antilles ''Peas and rice'' (also ''peas n' rice''), ''pigeon peas and rice'' or ''rice and beans'' is made in other Caribbean islands like

Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...

St Kitts Saint Kitts, officially Saint Christopher, is an island in the West Indies. The west side of the island borders the Caribbean Sea, and the eastern coast faces the Atlantic Ocean. Saint Kitts and the neighbouring island of Nevis constitute one ...

Grenada Grenada is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea. The southernmost of the Windward Islands, Grenada is directly south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and about north of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and the So ...

St Lucia Saint Lucia is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. Part of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Saint Vincent ...

and

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger, more populous island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is the southernmost island in ...

. Some of these variations have adopted Jamaica's ''rice and peas'' recipes over time, and pigeon peas are typically used. Another Caribbean variation is a traditional Creole dish of the

Lesser Antilles The Lesser Antilles is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea, forming part of the West Indies in Caribbean, Caribbean region of the Americas. They are distinguished from the larger islands of the Greater Antilles to the west. They form an arc w ...

called '' pelau'' — made mostly in

Guadeloupe Guadeloupe is an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre Island, Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Guadeloupe, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galant ...

Dominica Dominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. It is part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of t ...

, St Vincent, St Lucia, Trinidad, Grenada and the

Virgin Islands The Virgin Islands () are an archipelago between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and northeastern Caribbean Sea, geographically forming part of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean, Caribbean islands or West Indie ...

. Pigeon peas or cowpeas are typically used, and meat is included. It is similar to ''cook-up rice'' from

Guyana Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic British West Indies. entry "Guyana" Georgetown, Guyana, Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the co ...

. French Antilles ''Riz et pois d'angole'', ''riz aux pois du bois'' or ''diri pwa di bwa'' (''rice and pigeon peas'' in French and

Antillean Creole Antillean French Creole (also known as Lesser Antillean Creole, Kreyol, or Patois) is a French-based creole languages, French-based creole language that is primarily spoken in the Lesser Antilles caribbean. Its grammar and vocabulary include ele ...

) is made in the French Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and

Martinique Martinique ( ; or ; Kalinago language, Kalinago: or ) is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It was previously known as Iguanacaera which translates to iguana island in Carib language, Kariʼn ...

. The dish is eaten during Christmas. The version with kidney beans is called ''riz haricots rouges (red bean rice)'' in Guadeloupe, or ''riz créole aux haricots rouges (Creole rice with red beans)'' in Martinique. In St Martin, the dish is also called ''pois et riz'' (''peas and rice'') or ''les gan-dules moro''. These variations are similar to Greater Antillean ''rice and peas''. Immigration to St Martin brought new recipes with red beans, black beans and black-eyed peas. Netherlands Antilles (Leeward Antilles) ''Antilliaanse arros moro'' (''Antillean rice and beans'') is typically made with kidney beans, and is eaten as a side dish in the

Dutch Caribbean The Dutch Caribbean (historically known as the Dutch West Indies) are the New World territories, colonies, and countries (former and current) of the Dutch Empire and the Kingdom of the Netherlands located in the Caribbean Sea, mainly the norther ...

islands of

Aruba Aruba, officially the Country of Aruba, is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in the southern Caribbean Sea north of the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguaná Peninsula, Paraguaná and northwest of Curaçao. In 19 ...

Bonaire Bonaire is a Caribbean island in the Leeward Antilles, and is a Caribbean Netherlands, special municipality (officially Public body (Netherlands), "public body") of the Netherlands. Its capital is the port of Kralendijk, on the west (Windward an ...

and Curacao. Other ingredients include tomato purée, long-grain rice, garlic,

coriander Coriander (), whose leaves are known as cilantro () in the U.S. and parts of Canada, and dhania in parts of South Asia and Africa, is an annual plant, annual herb (''Coriandrum sativum'') in the family Apiaceae. Most people perceive the ...

, onion, stock, butter / oil and dark

soy sauce Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...

or '' ketjap manis''.

Latin America

Nicaragua & Costa Rica Nicaraguan gallo pinto

Gallo pinto or is a traditional rice and bean dish from Central America. Consisting of rice and beans as a base, gallo pinto is important to both Nicaragua and Costa Rica, both of which consider it a national dish. The beans in gallo pinto are cooked ...

'' which means "spotted rooster" in Spanish, is a

Central American Central America is a Subregion#North America, subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Ce ...

variation made mainly in

Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...

and

Costa Rica Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...

. It is the national dish of both countries, and is typically made with black or red beans in Costa Rica, while in Nicaragua red beans are used. In both countries, the dish may be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The historical origins of ''gallo pinto'' can be traced back to

Afro-Caribbean Afro-Caribbean or African Caribbean people are Caribbean people who trace their full or partial ancestry to Sub-Saharan Africa. The majority of the modern Afro-Caribbean people descend from the Indigenous peoples of Africa, Africans (primarily fr ...

people, specifically

. In the 1800s, Jewish Jamaicans, most notably the Lindo brothers who were merchants and planters, migrated to Costa Rica and established businesses in agriculture (coffee, sugar, rice, banana and other produce). Costa Rican Gallo Pinto

According to the book ''Mamita Yunai'' by Carlos Luis Fallas, Costa Ricans and

Nicaraguans Nicaraguans (; also called ''Nicas'') are people inhabiting in, originating or having significant heritage from Nicaragua. Most Nicaraguans live in Nicaragua, although there is also a significant Nicaraguan diaspora, particularly in Costa Rica a ...

worked together on banana plantations, on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica where ''gallo pinto'' was a staple dish— introduced by emancipated African slaves from Jamaica, who worked on the banana plantations too. As such, Nicaraguans took the Caribbean recipe back to Nicaragua, while Costa Ricans brought the recipe to the Central Valley and made it a traditional meal there. Further, the Jamaican Jews who arrived in the 19th century, integrated with the local population and settled in Cartago, San Jose and Puerto Limon. Many Afro-Jamaicans also went to Costa Rica to work in the construction of the Atlantic Railroad and port— thus, they brought their culture, dialect and culinary practices with them, including ''rice and peas''. It is also believed that Afro-Jamaicans and Creole-Jamaicans who settled in coastal Nicaragua (

Mosquito Coast The Mosquito Coast, also known as Mosquitia, is a historical and Cultural area, geo-cultural region along the western shore of the Caribbean Sea in Central America, traditionally described as extending from Cabo Camarón, Cape Camarón to the C ...

) during the mid-17th, 18th and 19th centuries contributed the dish to coastal Central America. Panama Arroz con guandu

''Gallo pinto'', also called ''arroz con frijoles rojos'' (''rice and red beans'') is also a

Panamanian Panamanians (; feminine ) are people identified with Panama, a country in Central America (which is the central section of the American continent), and with residential, legal, historical, or cultural connections with North America. For most Pan ...

dish. It is typically made with kidney or pinto beans and includes pigtail. Another variation is ''arroz con guandú'' (also called ''arroz navideño'' meaning "Christmas rice"), which is made with pigeon peas, and is similar to Jamaican ''rice and (gungo) peas'' and Puerto Rican ''

arroz con gandules Arroz con gandules is a combination of rice, pigeon peas, and pork, cooked in the same pot with sofrito. This is Puerto Rico's national dish along with roasted pork. Preparation This dish is mainly served during the Christmas season or for s ...

''— typically eaten at family celebrations and on holidays, such as Christmas. Both dishes are especially popular on

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

's Caribbean coast, in the provinces of Colón and Bocas del Toro. The recipes were adopted from Afro- Antillean people, specifically Jamaicans, who migrated to Panama in waves, between the mid-1840s and 1940s, to work on banana plantations in Central America, as well as, to build the

Panama Railway The Panama Canal Railway (PCR, ) is a railway line linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean in Central America. The route stretches across the Isthmus of Panama from Colón (Atlantic) to Balboa (Pacific, near Panama City). Because of ...

and

Panama Canal The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...

. Jews from Jamaica and Curacao, also migrated to Panama during the mid-19th century— most of whom engaged in commerce, owning factories. Many of those who migrated stayed and integrated, thus influenced the country's cuisine, music and dialect. Honduras & El Salvador CRI 07 2018 0119

''Casamiento'' which means "marriage", describes the combination of rice and red beans as one dish. It is a typical dish eaten on the second Friday of

Lent Lent (, 'Fortieth') is the solemn Christianity, Christian religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical year in preparation for Easter. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Christ, t ...

, and generally eaten as a side dish especially along the Caribbean coast and Bay Islands region of

Honduras Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...

. In

El Salvador El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...

, ''casamiento'' is usually eaten as a traditional breakfast. The dish's roots can be traced to the Anglo-Antilleans, who migrated to the area with English settlers, during the 18th and 19th centuries. As was the case with Nicaragua, under British occupation, several contingents of Afro-Antillean and Creole people, mainly from Jamaica, Belize and the

Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory, and the largest by population. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located so ...

arrived on the islands and along La Mosquitia— to work in agriculture (mainly banana production), and later to build railroads and ports.LOS NEGROS INGLESES, O CREOLES DE HONDURAS: ETNOHISTORIA, RACISMO, NACIONALISMO Y CONSTRUCCIÓN DE IMAGINARIOS NACIONALES EXCLUYENTES EN HONDURAS
(in Spanish: BLACKS English, or Creoles OF HONDURAS: ETHNOHISTORY, racism, nationalism and exclusionary national IMAGINARY CONSTRUCTION IN HONDURAS). Posted by Dr. Jorge Alberto Amaya. Retrieved December 13, 2024. Central American English
Central American English, By John A. Holm, Geneviève Escure, Elissa Warantz. Central American English Volume I, 1983. Retrieved December 14, 2024. The origin of ''casamiento'' in El Salvador is unclear, but it is likely that the recipe may have spread from neighbouring Central American countries. Slaves from Belize fled to El Salvador, after slavery was abolished in 1825, eventually integrating with locals.Del olvido a la memoria: africanos y afromestizos en la historia colonial de Centroamérica
(in Spanish: From Oblivion to Memory: Afromestizos in African and Central American colonial history). However, though El Salvador did not experience Afro-Antillean migration like other parts of the region, elements of Afro-Caribbean culture were still adopted. ''Casamiento'' is considered to be a fusion of ingredients (beans and rice) from the indigenous Mesoamericans and Spanish respectively, with African influences in the preparation of the dish. Guatemala Guatemalan ''rice and beans'' is

Guatemala Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...

's version of ''rice and peas'', which is also made with kidney beans and coconut milk cooked with rice. This one-pot dish which is popular along the country's Caribbean coast, originated from the Creole population that arrived in contingents. In the 18th century, Creole slaves who came from Jamaica, Cuba and Puerto Rico went to Guatemala. Also, after the abolition of slavery in El Salvador, slaves from Belize fled across the borders into Guatemala and Honduras. Further, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Afro-Antilleans from nearby Caribbean islands, such as Jamaica, were brought in to work on banana plantations and farms, primarily for the

United Fruit Company The United Fruit Company (later the United Brands Company) was an American multinational corporation that traded in tropical fruit (primarily bananas) grown on Latin American plantations and sold in the United States and Europe. The company was ...

, as well as, in the construction of railroads, and the whaling industry. Another contingent of Antilleans were the Garifunas from St Vincent, who were exiled in Roatan by British settlers. They spread to Guatemala, along with other settlers, and have since lived along the Bay of Amatique, particularly in Livingston. Consequently, coastal Guatemala has retained attributes of Caribbean culture, including dishes such as ''rice and beans'' (in English). San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, Colombia ''Rice and beans'' is also a dish in San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina,

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

. The dish is identical to Jamaican ''rice and peas'', made with kidney beans, and is one of several Jamaican dishes adopted— along with the dialect and other cultural attributes. In the 1600s, this Colombian department was a British territory, where plantations were established and English settlers engaged in

privateering A privateer is a private person or vessel which engages in commerce raiding under a commission of war. Since Piracy, robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sover ...

. After occupation by the Spanish and Portuguese, English buccaneers led by

Henry Morgan Sir Henry Morgan (; – 25 August 1688) was a Welsh privateer, plantation owner, and, later, the lieutenant governor of Jamaica. From his base in Port Royal, Jamaica, he and those under his command raided settlements and shipping ports o ...

, took over the islands, which were used as a base to attack Panama. The islands were occupied by mostly English

Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

, who first arrived from Barbados, in the 17th century, and slaves mainly from Jamaica who worked in lumbering, cotton and tobacco cultivation. By the 20th century, Anglo/Afro-Caribbean people had migrated to the islands, as well as, coastal Latin America for employment— thus, majority of the population (the

Raizal The Raizal are a Black Colombian ethnic group from the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, off Colombia's Caribbean coast. They are not defined by race but are labeled by the Colombian authorities as one of the Afro-Co ...

) has a strong Caribbean heritage, hence the dish's roots. Colombia

In Colombia, '' calenta'o'' which means "heated" or "warmed up" (in Criolla), or ''calentado'' (in Spanish), is a rice and beans dish traditionally eaten for breakfast. It differs from ''rice and peas'', as the dish is made from leftover beans and rice, but similar in that they are combined. The dish which is from Antioquia and the Coffee Zone, is believed to be a colonial era dish—created by African slaves repurposing leftovers of their Spanish masters’ food. ''Calenta'o'' is a versatile dish, which may be served with other accompaniments such as eggs and arepas. '' Arroz de fríjol cabecita negra'' (''black head bean rice'') is a dish made with rice and black-eyed peas, from Colombia's Caribbean coast. The dish is popular in Cartagena, and is eaten in other coastal states. It resembles the American ''Hoppin' John'', Brazilian ''baião de dois'' and Haitian ''diri ak pwa'' with black-eyed peas. Sometimes, coconut milk is added. It is believed to be a colonial era dish. Other variations which are similar to ''rice and peas'', called ''arroz con frijoles'' (''rojos, negros and morados'') are also made in coastal Colombia. Venezuela ''Palo a pique llanero'' is a one-pot dish which includes rice, beans and meat. It dates back to the 19th century, and originated in the Venezuelan Los Llanos

plain In geography, a plain, commonly known as flatland, is a flat expanse of land that generally does not change much in elevation, and is primarily treeless. Plains occur as lowlands along valleys or at the base of mountains, as coastal plains, and ...

. The dish is also made in

. It can be made with kidney beans or ''frijoles bayos'' (''bay beans''), and is similar to ''pelau'' made in Trinidad and other Lesser Antillean islands, and Guyanese ''cook-up rice'' with black-eyed peas (typically eaten on

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve refers to the evening, or commonly the entire day, of the last day of the year, 31 December, also known as Old Year's Day. In many countries, New Year's Eve is celebrated with dancing, eating, drinkin ...

/ Old Year's Night). In

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

, ''arroz con caraotas'' (''rice with beans'') is another dish made with rice and beans combined. It resembles Cuban ''moros y cristianos'' and ''arroz congri'', as well as, other Greater Antillean and Central American variations of ''rice and peas / beans''. The dish is typical of coastal Venezuela. Like the other Latin countries mentioned, Venezuela also experienced waves of Antillean migration, which could explain the similarities. Brazil '' Baião de dois'' is a Brazilian one-pot dish made from black-eyed peas / pigeon peas or green beans (''feijão verde''), and rice. It is similar to ''moro de guandules'' from the Dominican Republic, and ''arroz con gandules'' from, Puerto Rico. The dish originated in the state of

Ceará Ceará (, ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. It is the List of Brazilian states by population, eighth-largest Brazilian State by ...

, and is typical of

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

's Northeast Region. The name is related to baião, a northeastern style of music and dance (for two), which is a fusion of indigenous Amerindian, African and European influences— like the dish. ''Dois'' ("2" in Portuguese) refers to the combination of the two main ingredients i.e. rice and peas. In the mid-20th century, the name became popular with the song ''Baião de Dois'', by composer and Ceará native,

Humberto Teixeira Humberto Cavalcanti de Albuquerque Teixeira (5 January 1915 – 3 October 1979) was a Brazilian lawyer, politician, musician, and composer, mostly known for his partnership with musician Luiz Gonzaga. Together, they wrote one of the most impor ...

, and the ''"Rei do Baião"'' (King of Baião),

Luiz Gonzaga Luiz Gonzaga do Nascimento (standard orthography 'Luís'; ; December 13, 1912 – August 2, 1989) was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, musician and poet and one of the most influential figures of Brazilian popular music in the twentieth century. ...

Gallery

File:Ropa viecha 2.jpg, Cuba's national dish—

ropa vieja Ropa vieja (, ; ) is a dish with regional variations in Spain, Latin America and the Philippines. It normally includes some form of stewed beef and tomatoes with a sofrito base.

served with ''moros y cristianos''. File:Dominican moro de habicuelas rojas.jpg, ''Moro de habichuelas rojas''— Dominican ''rice and (kidney) beans''. File: Pinto con huevo.jpg, Costa Rican breakfast— ''gallo pinto'' served with plantain, egg and bread. File:Rice and Beans.jpg, Costa Rican dinner from Puerto Limón (an area with Jamaican descendants)—''gallo pinto'' served with various meats and accompaniments. File:Pastele and yellow rice - Flickr - stu spivack.jpg, Puerto Rican ''arroz con gandules'' and

pastel A pastel () is an art medium that consists of powdered pigment and a binder (material), binder. It can exist in a variety of forms, including a stick, a square, a pebble, and a pan of color, among other forms. The pigments used in pastels are ...

. File:GrandBahama_ConchPeasRice.JPG, Bahamian ''peas n' rice'' served with cracked

conch Conch ( , , ) is a common name of a number of different medium-to-large-sized sea snails. Conch shells typically have a high Spire (mollusc), spire and a noticeable siphonal canal (in other words, the shell comes to a noticeable point on both ...

and

coleslaw Coleslaw or cole slaw (from the Dutch term , meaning 'cabbage salad'), also widely known within North America simply as slaw, is a side dish consisting primarily of finely shredded raw cabbage with a salad dressing or condiment, commonly eithe ...

History

Variations and similar dishes

Caribbean

Latin America

Gallery

See also