Rice & Beans, the Belizean Way!

Belize is a huge melting pot; with cultural attributes coming from Creole, Spanish, Mayan, and British influences. This diversity is also seen in their cuisine. But there is one major staple of the Belize diet, and that is rice and beans. I read that it is served as a side with nearly every meal. Belize has an extensive coastline, so seafood is also very popular. So, I made Belizean rice and beans with "fish stew".

The technique that distinguishes Belizean rice and beans is that it cooks in coconut milk. So the dish has a unique sweetness to it. Ted actually enjoyed the red beans! They were notably less starchy than other beans, and were extremely soft from simmering on the stove top while the rice cooked.

The fish "stew" was not a traditional stew, but delicious steamed white fish with a tomato-based sauce. I sauteed red and green bell peppers and onions with ground thyme. Once soft, I seared the cod filets that I had marinated in lemon juice and sprinkled with salt. I then added enough water to fill the bottom of the pan, covered it, lowered the heat, and let everything simmer. Once the fish was cooked and starting to flake I added the tomato paste and let it simmer for ten minutes longer.

Ted and I enjoyed our Belizean dinner, and liked the fact that it was light and healthy. We scored it a 3.5.

I will be taking a short hiatus from cooking international dishes while we travel North for the Thanksgiving holiday. Enjoy your turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie! I'll be back next week!