Last Updated on May 19, 2020 by Chef Mireille
Haitian Black Mushroom Rice with Shrimp – Diri Ak Djon Djon ak Kribich is a classic Haitian dish. This one pot dish is a delicious way to bring some global flavors to your dinner!
Haitian cuisine is a delectable explosion of flavors you need to try, if you haven’t had the pleasure yet.
Explore Haitian Cuisine with this collection of Haitian Recipes for every meal!
I am half Haitian and yet, have very few Haitian recipes on this site as my passion lies with exploring cultures around the world via food and travel. I think it’s so important to go outside of your bubble. Especially in today’s political climate, it’s important to learn about other’s way of life to break down biases and remain open minded and tolerant of others who may live a little different than you. As much as I love exploring the cuisines and cultures of the world, there is something about the foods that I grew up with that symbolizes comfort food for me.
I think it’s because these foods bring me back to my care free childhood before worries of money, career and all the responsibilities of adulthood. Whether it is the diverse foods of my mother’s culture like her Curry Chicken and Nasi Goreng or things like Sauce Pois and this Djon Djon from my dad’s culture, it fills me with such a warm and comforting feeling inside, especially when it’s winter and the temperatures start to cool as they are now.
Maybe because we always traveled during the summer, but winter weekend mornings I always remember waking up to the aroma of my mom’s Caribbean style hot cocoa & Cornmeal Porridge or Akasan. Therefore, in my brain I associate comfort food with winter time and cooler temperatures.
What is Djon Djon?
If you live in a community with large Haitian populations like Brooklyn or Queens (in NYC) or Miami, you are probably already familiar with the popular Haitian Black Rice, if you frequent Haitian restaurants. However, many people who love to consume this delicious rice I speak to actually don’t know what it is made with or what gives the rice it’s black hue – All they know is that it is delicious!
Well, I am here to give you the low down on Haitian Black Rice.
It is made from a dried mushroom that is native only to Haiti, as far as I know. It is grown in the northern part of the island.
Where to purchase Djon Djon?
The only place you can purchase it is at Haitian markets or really good international markets. In these communities referenced above, women also sell it with other Haitian products on the sidewalks from shopping carts or street side tables. These women usually sell djon djon, dried shimp, cloves, cinnamon sticks, cocoa cones, cashews and a few other foods commonly used in Haitian cooking.
I have often sometimes seen it in African markets like this one – I sometimes go to in Canarsie.
Although probably not exactly the same mushroom, I have seen some Haitians refer to this dried black trumpet mushroom that makes a good substitute. You can purchase it online here.
Before we get to today’s recipe, let’s check out some more Haitian food.
Haitian Recipes
- Banane Peze (Haitian style Green Plantain fritters)
- Pikliz (Pickled Pepper condiment)
- Pain Patate (Sweet Potato Bread)
- Pate (Salt Cod Baked Pastries)
- Sos Ti Malice – Haitian Devil Sauce
- Jou Mou (Pumpkin Soup)
Djon Djon Variations
As a side dish, it is not always made with shrimp so you can easily omit the shrimp for the Vegetarian version.
It is more commonly made with lima beans, but have hated lima beans since my childhood. You can use lima beans instead of the peas and carrots, for a more traditional version.
Serve with pikliz and fried plantain.
Haitian Black Mushroom Rice with Shrimp – Diri Ak Djon Djon ak Kribich
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups djon djon dried mushroom
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 1 chopped green bell pepper
- ½ Scotch Bonnet pepper habanero
- sprigs of fresh thyme
- 3 cloves
- 2 cups rice
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots or lima beans
- salt to taste
- Shrimp Ingredients:
- 1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- juice of 1 lime
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soak mushrooms in 4 cups of warm water for at least 2 hours.
- Strain, squeezing out all of the liquid. Discard the mushrooms.
- Strain the liquid again through a cheesecloth lined strainer.
- Combine the shrimp with the parsley, thyme, lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Toss well and set aside.
- In a large pot. heat oil.
- Add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Saute for a few minutes until softened.
- Add Scotch Bonnet, thyme and cloves.
- Add shrimp and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Add frozen vegetables, salt and mushroom liquid. Bring to a boil.
- Add rice, cover and simmer on medium heat for 15-20 minutes until rice is tender and has absorbed all of the liquid.
Notes
It is important to strain the liquid through the cheesecloth as these mushrooms are very sandy.
Heard about those black mushroom through a friend from Haiti,but never had a chance to cook with. Rice with shrimps looks absolutely ultimate and deliciously tempting.
oh so I’m not your only Haitian friend 🙂 – well you should see if you can get some from her to try our this dish I am sure you will love!
Very interesting write up Mir. I really appreciate your open minded thinking. That is the only way to cut across barriers on so many levels.
I agree – who can argue with sharing a meal with someone – it’s a way to open up conversation with different peoples!
Never heard of these mushrooms as we don’t get international ingredients here. But very interesting to know about it. The rice with mushrooms and shrimp looks so inviting..
thank you – yes it’s a delicious one pot meal
Mir, the thing I like most about your posts is the history lessons you do, I love to read them. As you said when we explore different cuisines, we get to know the people too, I feel the same when I read your posts. This is a lovely post about this dish. I also feel the same that when our childhood days come to mind, we feel so happy and its natural that the food associated with it brings us Joy!
thank you – yes I’m on the same page with you there!
You are right, foods we grew up eating end up being our comfort meals later in life.
Seems like this comfort dish of yours is a great one pot meal for shrimp – mushroom lovers.
yes it is delicious!
Thanks for sharing the info and a very good recipe. Agree with you that we need to explore out of our bubble.
as you know I am always searching out cultures and cuisines other than my own. I find it so interesting to find that there are so many similarities across cultures even in food!
There are just a couple of mushrooms varieties available here and the only black ones I have seen is in China but never used them though! This is such a nice post Mir where we get to read about the cultures and the cuisine.I always love your posts for this reason! And yes, food brings us all together and breaks all the barriers!As for cooking outside the comfort zone, I am yet to explore so many cuisines !
thanks – glad you appreciate the information!
Looks great, I always feel happy to grab knowledge from other cuisine from your write up. surely a treat for shrimp lovers
thank you – Glad you appreciate the info!
Like valli said, when i read your posts, i love the way to describe the history of that particular food/cuisine, yes we should be proud of our origins, we are whatever we are bcoz of our roots!!! Good food brings great memories, we are lucky to have such delicious memories!!! That mushroom rice looks very interesting Mir, though i dont cook much with mushrooms, i m always curious to know about them!!!
thank you – yes I agree must always be proud of we are while at the same time learning from others
Initially I thought it is the black rice you are using to make this rice dish. But it is interesting to know that a variety of mushroom changes the color of rice to black.
yes it is very unique to Haitian cuisine
This recipe is quite new for me… i never work with mushroom except in curries and starter. Thanks for sharing such a creative recipe with mushroom.
sure – I am glad you found it interesting
This recipe looks like most I’ve seen. I don’t know if it’s me or what, but the djon djon rice recipes I’ve tried don’t taste like the ones in the restaurant. And I don’t use regular salt, I use the Maggie chicken cube. But thank you for this recipe and you’re right, those mushrooms are very hard to find. Interestingly enough, the black maggie cubes are not. But I don’t know how to use them.
I’ve only seen the maggi cubes 1x at an African market so I have never used them myself since I can easily get the mushrooms here in NYC.
I greatly anticipate that Chicago is having a TASTE OF HAITI in September! I know I will get full and be lovin’ it. As soon as I get back and can sample this djon djon dish, I will use your recipe to make it. Can’t wait to go…it’s going to be good I know!
that sounds like fun. Wish I was in Chicago!
Mir as usual I love your posts they are so informative. Yes you are right childhood foods are comfort food and it does symbolise the carefree, happy time we have had.
As for this haitian mushroom rice it is definitely new to me but you know me I love it.
they actually also sell the djon djon in maggi block form – you may be able to order it online 🙂
I want to learn how to make Haitian black rice with the shrimps. Everyone cooks different but will try this weekend.
I’m sure you will like it!