What “Rice an peas” means
Rice an peas is rice cooked in coconut milk with red kidney beans, thyme and a whole scotch bonnet. In Jamaica "peas" means beans, usually red kidney beans, or gungo (pigeon) peas at Christmas.
Examples
Mi cook rice an peas, oxtail, fry plantain, an mi famous rundown.
I cooked rice and peas, oxtail, fried plantain, and my famous rundown.
Mi madda cook di best rice an peas.
My mother cooks the best rice and peas.
How to use it
Everyday word. It's the essential Sunday side, served with curry goat, oxtail or stew chicken.
Cultural context
Rice an peas is so central to Sunday dinner that it's nicknamed the "Jamaican coat of arms". The scotch bonnet goes in whole for flavour and is never burst.
Where it comes from
Likely descended from West African rice-and-bean dishes such as Ghanaian waakye, adapted with Caribbean coconut milk.