What makes Belizean rice and beans special is the coconut milk stirred in while the rice cooks. The coconut milk makes the rice creamy and slightly sweet, with a wonderful aroma that fills the whole kitchen. The kidney beans soak up the coconut flavour too, and together they make the dish rich and filling.
Stewed chicken, the usual partner to rice and beans, is made by marinating chicken pieces in garlic, onion, recado spice (a red paste made from annatto seeds), and other flavours, then slowly stewing it until it falls off the bone. The dark, fragrant stew sauce is scooped over the rice and beans on the plate.
Rice and beans is so beloved in Belize that it is eaten for lunch and dinner throughout the week, and at nearly every family gathering, celebration and school event. If you visit a Belizean family, being offered a plate of rice and beans is a sign of warm hospitality.
Do not confuse Belizean 'rice and beans' (cooked together) with 'beans and rice' (kept separate) — Belizeans will laugh and explain that they are two very different things! The cooked-together version is the classic, and the separately served version is a quicker everyday variation.