Haitian Black Rice With Peas And Mushrooms
One of Haiti’s most traditional dishes is this mushroom black rice, also called Djon-Djon. Djon-Djon is a mushroom that grows in the northern region of Haiti, and it is dried and sold in stores.
This Djon-Djon rice dish is made by creating a mushroom broth as the base, then adding onion, garlic, peas, and shrimp. This dish has more of an umami flavor, which comes from the earthiness of the mushrooms.
There’s also spice that’s usually added from a whole pepper, but you can substitute for red pepper flakes, or omit it entirely if you don’t prefer a kick to your food!
This is a popular Haitian street food and a common side dish at the dinner table. This is a great dish to make if you’re looking to branch out and try something different, but you also want it to be simple!
This whole dish comes together in under 30 minutes, making it a great meal for any day of the week.
If you can’t find Djon-Djon mushrooms in your grocery store, you can substitute them for any dried mushroom you can find. It is easy to find them online if you can’t find them locally.
For this recipe, you will need a pot to cook the rice in and a medium-sized pan.
Why Is It Called Black Rice?
It may seem confusing, but the traditional recipe isn’t used with black rice — it’s the Djon-Djon mushrooms that dye the rice a dark color!
Does It Take Longer To Cook Than Regular Rice?
This dish takes 5–10 minutes longer than regular rice because you are steeping the dried mushrooms to make a broth before you start cooking the rice.
What Should I Serve This Dish With?
I am serving it with seared shrimp, but if you aren’t a seafood fan, you can serve it with any protein you prefer.
Can I Make This Recipe In Advance?
Whether you are preparing the mushroom broth the night before or the whole dish, this is a great recipe to make in advance as it is quite easy to reheat.
The only part I recommend cooking to serve would be the shrimp. I don’t typically recommend reheating shrimp.
What Type Of Peas Should I Use?
I like to use canned green peas, but you can use frozen or even fresh Lima beans if you want to.
Do I Have To Leave The Shells On The Shrimp?
I used shell-on shrimp for the presentation of this dish, but you can easily use shrimp with no shells if that’s what you prefer or have on hand!
Haitian Black Rice With Mushrooms
Yield: 4–6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups long-grain white or jasmine rice
- 1 cup dried mushrooms
- 1 cup green peas
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ lb shrimp, shells on if you prefer
Instructions
1. Add 4 cups of water to a pot and bring it to a boil.
2. Add the dried mushrooms to the water, and when it starts to boil, turn the water down to a simmer. Steep the mushrooms for 5–10 minutes — the longer you steep the mushrooms, the darker the rice will be!
3. While the mushrooms are boiling, add 3 tablespoons of oil to a skillet on medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes, then add the peas.
4. Strain the mushrooms out of the water, then pour the brown water into the skillet. Add the rice. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the rice is cooked, around 15–20 minutes.
5. While the rice is cooking, heat another skillet on medium heat to cook the shrimp, adding a tablespoon of oil. Season the shrimp with a teaspoon of paprika, plus salt and pepper, then cook until browned and pink on each side.
6. Serve the rice with the shrimp on top. Enjoy!
Haitian Black Rice With Peas And Mushrooms
This is a popular Haitian street food and a common side dish at the dinner table. This is a great dish to make if you’re looking to branch out and try something different, but you also want it to be simple!
Ingredients
- 2 cups long-grain white or jasmine rice
- 1 cup dried mushrooms
- 1 cup green peas
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ lb shrimp, shells on if you prefer
Instructions
1. Add 4 cups of water to a pot and bring it to a boil.
2. Add the dried mushrooms to the water, and when it starts to boil, turn the water down to a simmer. Steep the mushrooms for 5–10 minutes — the longer you steep the mushrooms, the darker the rice will be!
3. While the mushrooms are boiling, add 3 tablespoons of oil to a skillet on medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes, then add the peas.
4. Strain the mushrooms out of the water, then pour the brown water into the skillet. Add the rice. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the rice is cooked, around 15–20 minutes.
5. While the rice is cooking, heat another skillet on medium heat to cook the shrimp, adding a tablespoon of oil. Season the shrimp with a teaspoon of paprika, plus salt and pepper, then cook until browned and pink on each side.
6. Serve the rice with the shrimp on top. Enjoy!
