Diri Djon Djon Recipe: Plant Based Haitian Black Mushroom Rice

Learn to make a fully plant based diri djon djon, the Haitian black mushroom rice, with homemade epis, a dark strained broth, and simple tips for buying and storing it safely.

Imagine opening a small bag of dried black mushrooms for the first time. They look like a handful of dark, crinkled leaves, and they smell deep and earthy, almost like a forest after rain. You may have eaten diri djon djon at a wedding or a family gathering and wondered how that pot of rice turned so dark and tasted so rich. This diri djon djon recipe will show you exactly how it happens in your own kitchen.

Some of us grew up watching a mother or aunt pour inky mushroom water into the rice without ever writing anything down. Others are new to Haitian cooking and keep hearing friends talk about black rice. Either way, you are welcome here, and this version is fully plant based, with oil in place of butter and vegetable broth in place of meat stock.

Below you will learn what djon djon is and how to steep and strain it for a dark broth. You will also blend a fresh homemade epis. Then we cover where people look for djon djon around Dallas Fort Worth, how flavored bouillon cubes differ from the real mushrooms, and how to keep leftovers safe.

The short answer

Diri djon djon is Haitian black rice made by steeping dried djon djon mushrooms in hot water, straining the dark liquid, and cooking long grain rice in it with garlic, onion, herbs, and peas. The mushrooms give the rice its deep gray to black color and an earthy, savory flavor. Our plant based version uses oil, homemade epis, and vegetable broth, so it suits Seventh-day Adventist and vegan tables alike.

The prep time above includes a thirty minute steep for the mushrooms, which is the part that needs patience more than effort. If you prefer, you can steep them in the refrigerator overnight and make the rice the next day. The cook time includes the ten minute rest at the end, and the cooking itself is mostly hands off once the lid goes on.

What is diri djon djon?

Diri djon djon is a Haitian rice dish cooked in the strained, dark liquid of dried djon djon mushrooms, which gives it its famous color and earthy taste. The word diri means rice in Kreyòl, so the name simply tells you it is rice with djon djon. Writing for Epicurious, Nadege Fleurimond describes it as a welcome sight at Haitian weddings, First Communions, and other celebrations, and as something families also enjoy at ordinary Sunday dinners. It is a dish that says a meal is special without needing any meat at all.

What is a djon djon mushroom?

A djon djon mushroom is a small, dark mushroom that Haitian cooks dry and later soak to release a black, flavorful liquid. The Epicurious article identifies the prized variety as Psathyrella cf. hymenocephala, the "cf." meaning scientists compare it to that species rather than naming it with full certainty. The same article explains that djon djon is often called a staple of northern Haiti, yet it also grows in other damp, shady places, and the writer's father recalls it growing among weeds and damp trees in their hometown of Torbeck in southern Haiti. It is gathered in the rainy season and there are no formal djon djon farms, which helps explain why it can be hard to find and costly.

The Shekinah style plant based diri djon djon

This is our own family style version, easy to follow on a busy Friday afternoon. Many versions build flavor with butter, meat, or seafood, but the mushroom broth is savory enough on its own. We season the pot with homemade epis, add a whole scotch bonnet for fragrance rather than heat, and finish with green peas for color.

Making the homemade epis

Epis is a blended green seasoning of herbs, garlic, and peppers, and making it fresh takes only a few minutes in a blender. Our version leans on green onion and parsley for brightness and lime juice for a gentle tang. This batch makes more than the quarter cup you need for the rice, so you will have some left for beans or vegetables. Keep the extra in a covered jar in the refrigerator and use it up soon, because fresh garlic and herbs blended with oil are best kept cold rather than left on the counter.

Method

Place the dried djon djon in a heatproof bowl, pour the boiling water over it, and press the mushrooms under with a spoon. Let them steep for about thirty minutes while you rinse the rice and blend the epis. When the water is very dark, squeeze the mushrooms firmly over the bowl, then pour the liquid through a fine sieve lined with a clean cloth or paper towel to catch any grit.

Measure the dark broth and add enough vegetable broth to make exactly 3 cups. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and cook the onion for about four minutes until soft. Stir in the epis for a minute or two, then add the rinsed rice and stir until every grain is coated. Keeping the liquid at exactly 3 cups for 2 cups of rice is what keeps the grains separate instead of mushy.

Pour in the 3 cups of djon djon liquid, then add the thyme sprigs, cloves, salt, and the whole scotch bonnet if you are using it. Bring everything to a boil, stir once, then lower the heat as far as it will go and cover the pot tightly. Cook for about eighteen to twenty minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Scatter the frozen peas over the top, cover again, and let the pot rest off the heat for ten minutes before removing the pepper, thyme stems, and cloves and fluffing the rice with a fork.

Where to buy djon djon and what to look for

Where can you buy djon djon in the Dallas Fort Worth area?

You can usually find dried djon djon at Latin or Caribbean grocery stores, through small independent sellers in the Haitian community, or from online retailers. The Epicurious article describes people buying it at local Latin stores, from individual sellers, through relatives who bring it back from Haiti, and online. We are not naming specific stores here because stock changes often, so call ahead before you drive across the Metroplex. Asking friends in the Haitian community is often a good way to learn who has a fresh bag.

Expect to pay more than for most dried mushrooms. Epicurious quoted a chef who said a mamit, a three quart container used as a common measure in Haiti, can cost $35 to $50 from a South Florida vendor, and the writer once paid $60 for one in Brooklyn. Look for dark, dry caps with little dust or debris. Store the bag tightly sealed in a cool, dry cupboard.

Are djon djon bouillon cubes the same as real mushrooms?

No, djon djon flavored bouillon cubes are a seasoning product, not dried djon djon mushrooms, and they cook differently. The Epicurious article notes that some Haitian cooks consider the cubes a decent substitute when the real mushroom is unavailable, while others prefer to avoid them. If you use one, read the label carefully, since some bouillon products contain animal ingredients, and taste before adding salt.

Food safety for djon djon and rice

Is it safe to pick wild mushrooms to make djon djon?

No, you should never eat wild mushrooms you picked yourself unless an expert has identified them. Poison Control warns that many edible mushrooms have poisonous look alikes, that symptoms can be delayed for many hours, and that some mushrooms can seriously damage the liver. Buy dried djon djon from a trusted source and leave foraging to people with real expertise. If you think someone has eaten a wild mushroom, call Poison Control right away at 1 800 222 1222.

Treat the soaking liquid as a perishable ingredient. Use it the same day, or refrigerate it covered if you steep overnight. Freeze any extra broth rather than leaving it on the counter.

Cooked rice deserves the same care. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says to refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F, and to keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below. FSIS also recommends cooling leftovers quickly in shallow containers, using most cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days, and reheating them to 165°F. On a hot Texas afternoon, that one hour rule matters for any rice that travels to a church fellowship meal.

Is diri djon djon healthy?

Diri djon djon can be part of a healthy plate, especially when you cook it with little salt, plenty of vegetables, and some whole grain rice. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's Nutrition Source explains that whole grains keep the bran, germ, and endosperm, while milling strips away the bran and germ that carry fiber, B vitamins, and minerals. The same source reports that people who ate two or more servings of brown rice a week had an 11% lower risk of diabetes than those who rarely ate it.

Every good grain is a gift

The food on our tables does not begin in the grocery store. It begins with the Creator who sends rain and brings food out of the ground. The psalmist praises Him for it.

"He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;" Psalm 104:14, KJV

As Seventh-day Adventists, we see caring for our bodies as part of honoring God. Paul closes a discussion about food and conscience in Corinth with words that lift even a plain meal into worship. When we cook with gratitude and share generously, a pot of black rice becomes a small act of praise.

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31, KJV

Questions people ask

Why is my diri djon djon not black enough?

Diri djon djon usually turns out pale when the mushroom liquid is too weak, either from too few mushrooms, too much water, or too short a steep. Squeeze the soaked mushrooms firmly and use the darkest broth possible, topping up with vegetable broth only at the end. Some cooks also blend the soaked mushrooms with their liquid and strain again for a more concentrated broth, a method the Epicurious article describes. Next time, try a longer or overnight steep in the refrigerator.

Is diri djon djon vegan?

Diri djon djon is not always vegan, because many traditional recipes add butter, meat, or seafood, and some bouillon products contain animal ingredients. The mushrooms, rice, herbs, and peas themselves are all plant foods. Our recipe is fully vegan and Adventist friendly, using oil instead of butter and vegetable broth instead of meat stock. If you are buying it from a restaurant or caterer, ask how it was made.

Do you eat the djon djon mushrooms?

Most cooks do not eat the djon djon mushrooms, because the treasured part is the dark liquid they release. The Epicurious article explains that the mushrooms are usually discarded after straining, although a cook will occasionally use both the liquid and the mushrooms. Once squeezed well, they have given nearly all their color and flavor to the broth, so compost them if you can.

Reflection questions

When you prepare a special dish like this one, how might you make room to thank God for the people who first taught you to cook? Who in your life would feel honored if you shared a plate of something made with care and time? And what ordinary task in your week could become worship if you did it, as Paul says, to the glory of God?

A word of encouragement

You do not need to be an expert cook to make a meal that blesses others. If your first pot comes out lighter or softer than you hoped, it will still taste of love and effort. God sees the patience it takes to steep, strain, and stir, and nothing done in love is wasted.

A prayer

Lord, thank You for rain and soil, for rice and herbs, and for the simple gifts that fill our tables. Thank You for the hands that taught us to cook and for the people we get to feed. Help us care for the bodies You have given us and to share our food with open hearts. May everything we eat and do bring glory to You, in the name of Jesus, amen.

Your next step

If you would love to taste Haitian cooking with a church family, we warmly invite you to plan a visit and stay for the meal. Shekinah Haitian Seventh-day Adventist Church meets at 205 E Carver St in Alvarado, Texas, with Sabbath School on Saturday at 10:00 AM and Divine Service at 11:00 AM, in Kreyòl and English. After the service our church family shares a meal together, and there is always room for one more at the table. Visit our Plan Your Visit page to see what to expect before you come.

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31, KJV