Home Eats: Guyanese Cook-Up Rice

Growing up in Queens, NY as a child of parents that immigrated from Guyana provided me with a unique life experience – especially where food is concerned. Guyana prides itself on having six races while being one people. Its food is reflective of these races that blend together for a delicious food experience.

One of my favorite dishes prepared by my mother was Cook-Up Rice. Cook-Up Rice is a one pot dish consisting of rice, legumes, and various meats. My mother would cook this dish nearly every Friday. One pot would last throughout the weekend – barring any unannounced visits from extended family that “happened to be in the neighborhood.” Let’s get a better understanding of the origin of this dish before getting into the recipe.

THE ORIGIN OF COOK-UP RICE

Family stories have explained that the modern Cook-Up has its roots in slavery. One of my aunts – our family historian – told me that during slavery in Guyana, slaves had to make do with undesirable ingredients that were left over from preparing meals for their masters during the week. These ingredients included parts of pigs and cows like the tails, feet, faces, and intestines. My aunt also explained that the slaves used rice and whatever vegetables and herbs they could get their hands on to make the dish more substantial. This aspect of the dish is believed to be a variation of jollof rice from Nigeria and Ghana, where most of Guyanese slaves came from.

A bit of research supported the information that my aunt provided. On Things Guyana, the author of an article about Cook-Up Rice describes it as a one pot, peasant dish brought to Guyana by African slaves that “created delicious and nutritious food from [sic] salvaged parts…”

COOK-UP RICE RECIPE

My mother taught me how to cook by sight. Everything is an average and to taste, so I am not much help in explaining how to cook this dish. I would watch her use different ingredients each time: pig tails, chicken, corned beef, dried shrimp, or salted fish as meats; and chick peas, split peas, kidney beans, or black-eyed peas as the legumes. Luckily, I was able to find a recipe by one of my favorite Guyanese food bloggers, Jehan Can Cook, to share with you.

Ingredients

• 1 cup black eyed peas
• 3 lbs chicken, cut up
• 1 lb corned beef brisket or salted pigtail cut into bite sized pieces (you can use regular beef also)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 scallions, finely chopped about
• 10 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 wiri wiri pepper
• 2 chicken bouillon
• 1 13 oz can coconut milk
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 cups rice
• approximately 5 cups water

Instructions

1. Place peas in a bowl with enough water to cover and soak overnight. Strain the peas and place in a pot and cover with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes, the peas will soften, set aside.
2. Season chicken with green seasoning* and let sit for at least an hour. Place beef brisket (or pigtail) in pressure cooker with 3 cups water and pressure for 15 minutes. If you do not have a pressure cooker cook for about 30 minutes.
3. In a separate pot over a medium fire, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Next, add chicken and allow to brown. Then add onion, garlic, thyme and pepper and cook for a minute or two.
4. Add beef or pigtail and coconut milk to chicken and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add about 2 cups of water and bring to a boil then add 2 cups rice, scallion, bay leaf and bouillon and stir pot thoroughly.
5. Lower to a simmer then cover pot. On a low fire, cook for 25 to 30 minutes. The rice should be tender and all of the liquid should be absorbed. If rice is not tender and all of the liquid is gone, add water, a little at a time and continue to cook until rice is tender.

*Green seasoning is usually a mixture of onion, scallion, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper and salt that is finely chopped in the food processor or blender.  This is used to season meat and add flavor to food.  There are no exact measurements, you can use as little or as much of each ingredient according to your taste.

For those of you in need of a video tutorial, like me, see Jehan’s YouTube video.

THE WRAP-UP

After a brief conversation with my mother and recalling memories of watching her cook it for many years, I have only attempted to make Cook-Up Rice once. My Cook-Up had turkey tails, kale, and black-eyed peas (I made it for New Year’s Eve). I am pleased to say that my version was a hit, not on the level of my mom’s, but practice will get me there. I hope you enjoyed this piece of food history that I have shared about my culture and perhaps you’ll try it out. If you are familiar with Cook-Up Rice, please share your memories in the comments and your variations on the dish.