The first time I cooked this, I was feeding some West Indian friends. They were very polite and did not comment on my use of ‘peas’ instead of ‘kidney beans’. I live and learn. This aromatic and flavorful rice and peas dish is a staple in Caribbean cuisine and pairs exceptionally well with many West Indian dishes.In many Caribbean recipes, “peas” refers to legumes such as kidney beans rather than actual peas. The classic Caribbean dish “rice and peas” traditionally uses kidney beans.