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Haitian · Caribbean

Diri ak djon djon

Vegetarian

Rice cooked in the inky, earthy broth of dried Haitian black mushrooms, often with lima beans or peas. The mushrooms turn the rice a dramatic grey-black and give it a deep savoury flavour.

Diri ak djon djon is a Haitian rice dish, ready in about 1 hour 15 minutes and made with djon djon mushrooms (dried) and long-grain white rice. It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
10 min
Cook
35 min
Rest
30 min
Total
1 h 15 min
Serves
6
Level
Easy
Calories
325

Ingredients

6 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Cover the dried mushrooms with the hot water and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, keeping the black liquid; discard the mushroom stems or chop the caps and keep them.

    Liquid being strained through a sieve
    How it looks · Photo: Katerina Holmes on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan (opens in a new tab) and soften the onion (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab) and thyme (opens in a new tab) for 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat in the oil.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Pour in 700 ml of the mushroom liquid (top up with water if needed), add the peas (opens in a new tab), salt and whole Scotch bonnet and bring to a boil. Boil uncovered until the liquid drops to the level of the rice.

    • 8 min
    • high heat

  4. Step 4

    Cover tightly, turn the heat right down and cook for 20 minutes until the rice is tender. Remove the chilli, fork in the butter (opens in a new tab) if using and serve.

    • 20 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Cool leftover rice quickly and refrigerate within an hour; do not keep cooked rice warm for long periods.

About this dish

Origin
Haiti · Well documentedDjon djon mushrooms grow in northern Haiti.More food from Haiti
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Rice dishes · Side dishes
Cooking method
Simmered, Steamed
Taste
earthy, savoury, umami
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-fat
Without the optional extras: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Festive & celebration
Cook more with
Long-grain white rice · Onion · Garlic · Thyme (fresh) · Green peas · Fresh red chilli
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Steaming

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom butter

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

325 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 240 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 8%
  • Carbohydrate 77%
  • Fat 15%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy325 kcal135 kcal
Protein6.8 g2.8 g
Carbohydrate62.1 g25.9 g
Net carbohydrate59.3 g24.7 g
Sugars1.9 g0.8 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre2.8 g1.2 g
Fat5.2 g2.1 g
Saturated fat0.5 g0.2 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium617 mg257 mg
Salt equivalent1.5 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
217 mg
Calcium
44 mg
Iron
3.4 mg
Magnesium
34 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
27 µg
Vitamin C
8 mg
Vitamin D
0.2 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
282 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: butter.
  • Djon djon mushrooms (dried): Dried shiitake (FDC 168436) used as a stand-in; djon djon (a small black Haitian mushroom) has no FDC entry.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Don't let the Scotch bonnet burst unless you want real heat.

Serve with

  • A festive side for griot, fried chicken or fish.

Storage

  • Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Reheating

  • Sprinkle with water and reheat covered until steaming hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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