Jerk King Oyster Mushroom Rice Bowl

Ingredients

For the rice and peas:

• 250g long grain rice, washed and drained
• 1 x 400g can kidney beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
• 1 x 400ml coconut milk
• 400ml cold water
• ½ red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced and washed
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper
• 1 cm ginger, smashed
• 5 allspice berries, crushed
• 1 tsp salt

For the jerk mushrooms:

• 6 large king oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise into ½cm slices
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• ¼ onion, minced
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• ¼ tsp allspice
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½–1 tsp scotch bonnet hot sauce, to taste
• A pinch of salt
• A few twists of freshly ground black pepper

For the coconut lime slaw:

• ¼ white or green cabbage, finely sliced
• 1 carrot. grated
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp coconut yogurt
• 2 tbsp toasted desiccated coconut
• Zest and juice of ½ lime
• salt and black pepper, for seasoning

To serve (optional):

• Slices of corn on the cob
• Mango slices
• Finely chopped coriander

Method

1. Cook the rice and peas: In a medium saucepan, add the kidney beans, onion, garlic, ginger, allspice berries, thyme, scotch bonnet, half the salt and 300ml of water. Cook for 15 minutes, until the beans are soft. When the beans are soft, add the rice, spring onions, coconut milk, and the rest of the water. Cook for 12 minutes until the rice is al dente. Remove from the heat and leave in the lidded pan for 15 minutes to finish steaming.
2. Once the rice is cooked and is steam finishing, make the coconut–lime slaw: In a mixing bowl, combine the cabbage, carrot, and spring onions. Add the mayonnaise, coconut yogurt, coconut, lime zest, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Chill until ready to serve.
3. Heat a large frying pan on a medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and heat for 20 seconds. Add the mushroom slices and cook for 4 minutes each side, until golden brown and crisp at the edges.
4. While the mushrooms are cooking, make the glaze. Add all the remaining mushroom ingredients to a small bowl and mix until combined.
5. Add the glaze to the mushroom pan and stir to coat. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring until the mushrooms are sticky, glossy and deeply coloured.
6. To serve, place rice and peas in the bottom of a deep bowl, top with a generous spoon of slaw and strips of jerk mushrooms. Wedge corn slices in the side and garnish with mango and coriander.