Zembrocal rice recipe

Preparation

• Bring the beans to the boil in at least half a litre of water. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours Skip the first step If you are using tinned peas.
• Chop the onions finely and crush the salt and garlic together.
• Remove the beans from the heat and leave to one side in the cooking water.
• If you have a piece of boucané, cut it into small pieces and remove the salt by boiling for 10 minutes. Otherwise, fry the bacon pieces until brown.
• In a saucepan, heat the oil, add the onions and garlic and fry until brown, then add the thyme and turmeric. Cook on a low heat, stirring occasionally.
• When the mixture begins to turn a nice golden brown, add the pieces of boucané (or bacon) and the kidney beans. Cook for another 5 minutes.
• Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Add the rice to the saucepan with a large glass of water, stir well and leave to simmer gently for 45 minutes.

Zembrocal rice is a typical dish of Reunion Island. “Boucané” is a piece of pork that has been smoked to give it a very characteristic taste. It isn’t easy to find in mainland France, which is why we propose bacon as a substitute.