Guyanese cook-up rice

Guyanese cook-up rice is Guyana's national one-pot dish consisting of rice, meats, and herbs cooked with coconut milk. Considered to be a poor man's dish, it was originally made with the purpose to be eaten at the end of the week, when all food rations would be depleted. The meat is cooked with rice and beans or peas, heavily seasoned with fresh herbs such as spring onions, basil, and thyme. The rice develops a wet, moist texture, and cooking the dish in coconut milk gives it a richness and depth of flavor that is unique to the Guyanese cuisine. A key dish that is traditionally served on New Year's Eve in Guyana, cook up rice will always last through the night, ensuring that one never enters the New Year without food, according to local folklore.