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1
Simmer the Peas Until Tender
25 Mins
Medium heat, ~95°C (200°F) — gentle simmer
Put the drained peas in a large heavy pot with 400 ml of the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for about 25 minutes until the peas are tender but still hold their shape. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and set aside, keeping the cooking liquid in the pot.
Do not let the peas go mushy — they will cook a little more with the rice, and they should still be whole on the plate.
Done when: A pea crushes easily between two fingers but does not fall apart.
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2
Boil the Salt Beef to Remove Excess Salt
15 Mins
Medium-high heat, ~100°C (212°F) — rolling boil
While the peas simmer, put the soaked salt beef in a separate saucepan, cover with fresh cold water and boil for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse, and cut into small bite-size pieces. Taste a piece — if it is still very salty, boil once more in fresh water.
Changing the water is the whole point: most of the curing salt leaves with the first boil, which is why the finished dish is seasoned, not harsh.
Done when: The beef is tender enough to bite through and tastes salty but not overwhelming.
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3
Brown the Chicken with the Aromatics
10 Mins
Medium-high heat, ~190°C (375°F)
Heat the oil in the same large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and brown for 6 minutes, turning once, until golden on the outside. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 2 minutes until soft, then stir in the tomato, bell pepper, scallion and thyme and cook 2 minutes more.
Browning the chicken first builds the flavour of the whole pot — pale, steamed chicken makes a flat cook-up.
Done when: The chicken is golden outside and the onion is soft and sweet-smelling.
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4
Add the Meats, Coconut Milk and Seasonings
5 Mins
Medium heat, ~95°C (200°F) — gentle simmer
Return the salt beef to the pot with the chicken. Pour in the coconut milk and the remaining 200 ml water, then add the crumbled bouillon cube, the bay leaf and the whole scotch bonnet pepper. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. Check that the chicken is cooked through — it must reach 74°C (165°F) at its thickest part.
Keep the scotch bonnet whole and do not burst it: it perfumes the pot with a fruity heat, and anyone who wants more fire can break it on their own plate.
Done when: The liquid is creamy and simmering; chicken reads at least 74°C (165°F).
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5
Add the Rice and Peas and Steam
30 Mins
Low heat, ~90°C (195°F) — covered steam
Stir in the drained rice and the cooked peas. Taste the liquid and add the salt only if it needs it, plus the black pepper. Bring back to a boil, then cover tightly, turn the heat to low and steam for 25–30 minutes without lifting the lid. If the rice looks dry before it is tender, sprinkle in a few spoonfuls of hot water and re-cover.
Resist lifting the lid — the trapped steam is what cooks the rice evenly. A tight lid, or a sheet of foil under it, makes all the difference.
Done when: The rice is tender, the liquid is fully absorbed, and the grains stand separate and fluffy.
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6
Rest, Remove the Pepper and Fluff
10 Mins
Residual heat — pot stays above 60°C (140°F) while resting
Take the pot off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes. Lift out the scotch bonnet pepper and the bay leaf, then fluff the rice gently with a fork, folding the peas and meat through it. Taste once more and adjust the salt if needed.
Resting lets the last of the moisture settle evenly through the rice, so the bottom is not wet and the top is not dry.
Done when: The rice is fluffy throughout, with peas and meat spread evenly through the pot.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the cook-up rice hot, straight from the pot, with the whole scotch bonnet pepper on the side for anyone who wants extra heat. It is a complete meal on its own, but fried plantain and a cool cucumber salad turn it into a proper Guyanese Saturday spread.
Guyana
4h 10m
France
Vietnam