Bahamian Crab and Rice

Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 land white crabs
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 small sweet pepper, diced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• Fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can pigeon peas
• 2½ cups uncooked jasmine or parboil rice
• 3 cups water

Instructions:

1. Scrub crabs until thoroughly cleaned.
2. Remove claws and set aside.
3. Remove crab backs by prying with a butter knife.
4. Once separated, scrape crab fat from the shell in a bowl and set aside. Be careful to avoid breaking the bitter sac found in the shell.
5. In a hard-bottom pot heat up oil and sauté onion and sweet pepper along with the thyme.
6. Stir in tomato paste, add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Add crab, claws and crab fat and stir.
8. Add pigeon peas and water and continue to stir, bring to a boil.
9. Add the rice until it is about an inch and a half below the water line. Stir well.
10. When the rice has absorbed most of the water, turn the stove to low heat and cover the pot.
11. Leave to steam until fully cooked then turn stove off.

Tip: If rice is still raw, add a small amount of water and cover with foil to “trap” the heat.