DOING IT MY WAY

For just about every Jamaican dish, no two cooks prepare it the same way. This year, we will explore some of these favourites and ask cooks, chefs, housewives and even novices, to share their special way of preparing everything from stewed peas to sorrel. We begin with seasonal favourite: gungo peas and rice (some say gungo rice and peas).

Gungo peas and rice

"First, I prefer green gungo. I measure the portion I need, wash it, then I put in cloves of garlic, the number depends on the amount of peas. Then, I put on the pot with a little water, just enough to cover the peas. As soon as the pot begins to boil, I add more water and keep boiling until the peas are almost cooked.

When the peas feel ready, I prepare the coconut milk and pour into the pot, then season the pot with scallion, thyme, a few pimento seeds, a whole green pepper (Scotch bonnet preferably), salt to taste and margarine, depending on the amount of rice.

I let it boil, then measure the rice (it depends on how much I am cooking), wash it, then put it in the pot and stir, so that the rice grains and the peas are spread evenly. Cover the pot and leave to boil. You may cover the rice with a piece of foil (under the pot cover).

As soon as it starts to boil, turn the fire down low and keep checking until the rice is cooked."

- Joan Kelly

"I use only the freshly squeezed milk of the dry coconut to cook my green gungo ... and it has to be green gungo because I do not like the dried variety at all. I add garlic, pimento grains and a little beaten ginger, a few bits of smoked turkey neck, leaving no need for salt, and cook slowly. Green gungo cooks quickly.

When it is cooked, I add the washed rice, a healthy amount of fresh thyme, scallion, a whole, peeled onion and a nice green Scotch bonnet pepper. I also add about two ounces of margarine, a little more garlic and a little black pepper and lower the flame for it to simmer until it is fluffy."

- Barbara Ellington

Tell us how you cook stewed peas by sending an email to lifestyle@gleanerjm.com

"Aside from the natural seasonings of salt, pimento, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, scallion, thyme, coconut milk powder, we add a touch of sugar to give it that 'kreative' flavour," said caterer Terri-Ann Brown of KuKup Kreations.