Holiday Comfort Food to Try: Haitian Djon Djon (Mushroom) Rice

The Holiday Season is upon us! Whether you’re planning to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, New Year's Day or Three Kings Day, food and family are a big part of it all.

Haitian Djon Djon (Black Mushroom) Rice with Peas

As a Haitian-American, the Holiday season is just a prolonged time of “extra niceness”. My family always finds an excuse to cook large meals and come together when time permits (at least when I was younger). Now that I’m physically away from my family, food has become an easy way to bring a little piece of lakay “home” to my life. Thanksgiving is not a Haitian holiday. I never really celebrated it even as an American. So to personalize it this year, I’m going to lean on my favorite Haitian foods and drinks. Whether you plan to celebrate Thanksgiving or Indigenous People’s Day with a meal, try adding this Haitian Black Mushroom Rice traditionally called Diri Djon Djon to your table.

Copyright © Tchakayiti, Haiti Cuisine & Gastronomy

What exactly is djondjon?

Djondjon is a dried edible mushroom native to Haiti. After cultivation, it’s dried and used to bring color and flavor to our most famous rice dish, Diri Djon Djon, which is usually cooked for formal dinner occasions. Learn more about Diri Djon Djon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrmsVoUl4KM

Kim’s Haitian Mushroom Rice with Cashews and Peas

(for Black-colored rice, double your djon djon cubes or blend dried mushroom for a more potent steeping liquid)

Ingredients:

1 oz fresh Italian parsley

½ red bell pepper seeded

1 pound frozen peas or lima beans

1 pound of raw unsalted cashews

1 Maggi djon djon or 1-2 packs of dried mushrooms

1 Maggi cube (chicken or vegetable flavor)

1 tsp of Chicken Bouillon seasoning

1 tsp Adobo All Purpose Seasoning

1 tbsp dried parsley

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 stalks of green onion (or scallion), chopped

½ can coconut milk

1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, whole

4 sticks of fresh thyme

4 cups basmati rice

½ vegetable oil

1 tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted)

Sea salt (to taste)

⅓ cup of Haitian epis (spice) or your own special blend of spices

1 tsp of ground cloves

Prep: 15 minutes

Step 1: Clean dried mushrooms: Pour dried mushrooms into a bowl and fill with water. Let sit for 5 minutes and then drain it. Place drained mushrooms in a pot and add 3-4 cups of water and boil on 9 or high-heat for 15-20 min and then drain water into a bowl through a strainer. Place mushroom steeping liquid aside.

Step 2: Soak cashews for 5 minutes in a small bowl of water. Drain cashews and halve cashews with a small knife (optional). Set aside for future use.

Step 3: Wash 2 cups of basmati rice. Pour rice and then water into a large bowl. Massage rice, drain water. Repeat 2x and set rice aside for future use.

Step 4: Wash peppers, thyme, italian parsley, and green onion. Wrap sticks of thyme around parsley. Chop green onions. Set aside for future use.

Step 5: Mince 3 cloves of garlic and set aside.

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Step 1: Heat pot on medium-heat (level 5) for about 5 minutes. Add ½ cup of vegetable oil. Add green onions and garlic. Stir occasionally to not burn garlic for 2-5 minutes. And then add cashews, Haitian epis (spice), frozen peas and stir for 2-3 minutes.

Step 2: Add ground cloves, 1 maggi cube, Adobo all purpose seasoning. Sautee for 3-5 minutes and then add 1 tsp of chicken bouillon seasoning and dried parsley.

Step 3: Add red bell pepper and ½ can of coconut milk. Sautee for 2-3 minutes and add 4 cups of mushroom steeping liquid and throw in tied fresh parsley and habanero pepper. Cover pot and let it simmer on medium-heat (level 7) for about 10-15 minutes.

Step 4: Season as needed with sea salt and more Adobo all purpose seasoning. Once satisfied, pour in cleaned rice and remove habanero pepper. Cover pot and flip rice (bring the bottom to the top) with a serving spoon every 10 minutes. Add extra mushroom steeping liquid until rice is cooked to desired texture.

Step 5: Once cooked add butter and mix in with cooked rice while on low heat (level 2 or warm).

BROUGHT TO YOU BUY:

Kim_All_Naturelle

Naturalista, Blogger, YouTube Content Creator

"With you through your journey to a healthier you!"

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Serve hot and get ready for a kick of flavor. Happy Holidays from the I Am B Woman family!