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Djon Djon

Djon djon rice with lama beans in a clay pot.
Photo by Beatriz da Costa

This quintessential Haitian rice dish is named for the djon djon mushroom, which is grown in the north of Haiti. The mushroom is considered a delicacy, which is reflected in its exorbitant price! That’s why I use Maggi djon djon cubes for this recipe, which are easier to find than the mushrooms outside of Haiti (check an online marketplace or Haitian market), and a lot more affordable. The djon djon gives the rice a black color and a very distinctive umami flavor. This dish has a bit of kick, but if you don’t want the heat, you can omit the pepper.

Djon Djon rice is the perfect gateway to Haitian cuisine—it’s Haiti’s unique style of rice and beans. I learned to cook this dish from Chef Brianna Riddock, who learned it from the Haitian owner of an Atlanta-based restaurant.

This recipe was excerpted from 'The Simple Art of Rice' by  JJ Johnson with Danica Novgorodoff. Buy the full book on Amazon.

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What you’ll need

Cooks' Note

If you can get your hands on dried djon djon mushrooms, steep 1 cup dried mushrooms in 5 cups hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, until the water turns black. Strain and discard the mushrooms, and use this mushroom broth in place of the bouillon.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

6 Maggi brand djon djon bouillon cubes
5 cups hot water
3 cups long-grain white rice
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup canned green sofrito (recaito)
1 cup frozen lima beans
1 yellow onion, chopped
8 garlic cloves, minced
10 fresh thyme sprigs, tied together with kitchen twine
1 Scotch bonnet pepper
2 tsp. kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal)

Preparation

  1. Add the djon djon cubes and hot water to a rice cooker and stir until the bouillon cubes are completely dissolved. (The water will turn black.) Add all the remaining ingredients and stir until well combined. Set the rice cooker to steam and cook for 30 minutes, or according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Rest 5 minutes, then fluff and serve.

An image of the cookbook cover of "The Simple Art of Rice"
Recipe adapted from The Simple Art of Rice by JJ Johnson (Flatiron Books). Copyright © 2023. Buy it on Amazon or Bookshop.
TagsCookbooksHaitianCaribbeanVegetarianRiceRice & GrainsSideMushroomVegetableDinnerLunch

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