14 Days of Divali: Day 5, comfort foods

Despite the abundance of different foods which are eaten across the globe, there are just a small handful of staple crops which are responsible for feeding most of the people of the world.

Amongst this list of life-giving crops we find, of course, the ever-popular rice grain. Rice is an ancient crop with a profound connection to many of the world's oldest cultures, and aside from its ability to provide nourishment, rice also holds deep spiritual significance in many of the world's major religions. In Hinduism, rice plays a vital symbolic role in many religious events and rituals, and is often used in ceremonies which mark a person's passing through a crucial period of their life journey such as a wedding or the first feeding of solid food to a baby. It is a crop that is associated with the goddess Lakshmi, who is especially revered during this auspicious season of Divali, and is associated with both prosperity and fertility.

From nourishing our bodies and providing comfort in times of distress, to its rich and profound symbolic value, rice is a crop which encompasses both the spiritual and the mundane. There is also something about the simple rice grain, when it is cooked to a soft consistency, that gives it soothing properties, and is perhaps why it is found at the core of some of the world's favourite comfort foods.

Whether it is the bland congee rice puddings of the Far East which are often given to those ailing with the flu, or the spicy jambalayas of the American south which are infused with pungent and spicy flavours, or our own delicious coconut milk pelaus, there seems to be something very healing to the human body and spirit to consume a dish of soft, flavoured rice.

Here in the Caribbean, there is one particular rice dish that, although not having quite made it into mainstream Trini cooking, is a standard in Indo-Caribbean cuisine and it is as comforting and satisfying to eat as it is uncomplicated and simple to prepare – this dish is kitchree. Kitchree or kitcharie is a simple dish made from cooking rice and split peas together in water. Though it can be consumed with or without meat, it is often eaten in its vegetarian form and is a popular choice for local Hindus during times of fasting in preparation for special religious occasions. It is especially delicious when eaten with vegetable chokas, chutneys, or even a piece of avocado or two!

Ingredients available at all Dollar Value Supermarket locations.