Wash and sort the beans. Let soak overnight covered in water.

You can speed up this process by quickly boiling for 10 minutes the beans in a pot, remove the pot from heat and let soak in warm water for at least one hour. If you are using ready to use canned kidney beans, there is no need for soaking. Simply discard the water and cut cooking time accordingly.

Wash and chop the onion in small pieces. Heat the onion in a sauce pan greased with the oil. Add the beans and stir fry for few minutes.

Add enough water to cover completely the beans. Adjust of salt and boil at low heat, stir from time to time and simmer until tender (about 20-30 mins).

At this point add the coconut milk, season with black pepper and thyme and stir well.

Briefly rinse the rice and add it to the coconut milk and beans. Cook stirring frequently at low heat until the rice is ready and the liquid is absorbed (15 - 20 mins). Add more water if necessary.

Serve the Belizean rice and beans warm with plantains, chicken, fish or as it is.

Belizean rice and beans leftovers can easily be reheated by adding some more water and just warming them up on low heat for a few minutes.

To reduce cooking time for this dish, cook the rice in coconut milk while boiling the beans with the onions and then mix them together. Quickly stir fry before serving.

In many versions of this recipe the onion is stir fried in cubed bacon or pig tail.