Skill Level: Easy
Cuisine: Traditional
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Portions:4 Portions
Time: 1 hr
This Black Mushroom Rice (Diri ak Djon Djon) recipe uses dried black mushrooms or djon djon which are native to the northern part of Haiti. Considered a delicacy, they are not used in everyday cooking. During the boiling process, they release a brown-black coloring to the broth, giving this recipe and many others a distinctive aroma, flavor and color. This rice is usually served with tasso (fried meet) or a fish dish.
Ingredients
- 2 Cups of Dried Black Mushrooms (djon-djon)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 cups long-grain rice
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tsp Ground cloves
- 1 (12-ounce) can lima beans (or frozen green peas)
- 1 to 2 thyme sprigs
- 1 green Scotch bonnet pepper
- In small pot, soak mushrooms in 4 cups water for 10 minutes.
- Boil mushrooms on low heat for 10 minutes.
- Strain the mushroom water into another container for later use. The mushrooms in the strainer will no longer be needed.
- In a large pot, sauté the garlic and onions on medium heat for 2 minutes. (A little secret, I use half of a chopped red pepper to enhance the flavor and give it some color)
- Add the rice and stir for 3-5 min.
- Next, add the mushroom water, salt, cloves (as desired) and lima beans.
- Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat. When most of the water evaporates (approximately 10-15 min) stir the rice and set the temperature to low.
- Add Scotch bonnet pepper and thyme.
- Cover the pot and steam the rice for 15 min.
- Serve with sauteed shrimps on top.