Djon-djon mushrooms are small, dark, and dried before use. To make the rice, cooks first soak the dried mushrooms in water, then strain the liquid — and it is this dark, earthy, deeply flavoured liquid that is used to cook the rice. The result is rice with a striking dark colour and a rich, savoury, slightly smoky taste that is unlike anything else.
The dish is usually cooked with kidney beans, garlic, onion, thyme, and sometimes shrimp or vegetables. The dark rice is considered a delicacy in Haiti and is often served at special occasions — weddings, festivals, and family celebrations. It is particularly beloved in the northern city of Cap-Haïtien, not far from the Citadelle.
Because djon-djon mushrooms only grow in one part of Haiti, they are valuable and traded carefully. Bags of dried mushrooms are given as gifts, brought home by travellers, and sold in markets. Haitian people living abroad often ask family members to send them djon-djon so they can make the dish even when far from home.
Seeing a plate of diri ak djon-djon for the first time can be surprising — the dark, almost black rice looks completely different from ordinary white rice. But one bite explains everything: the flavour is complex, warm, and deeply satisfying. It is a dish that makes you understand just how creative Haitian cooking is.