Marinate. The night before, soak the red beans in plenty of cool water. Season the chicken with 2 tablespoons curry powder, salt, allspice, black pepper, thyme, scallion whites, garlic, ginger, half of the chopped habanero, and the juice of half the lime. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.

Rice and peas. Drain the beans after their overnight soak (at least 5 hours). Cover with fresh water by about 2 inches and boil for at least 30 minutes, then continue cooking until tender but intact; the source allows 45 to 75 minutes overall. Reserve the cooked beans and cooking liquid. This boiling step is an FDA-based safety clarification for dried kidney beans; a gentle simmer alone is not a substitute.

Curry chicken. Heat the oil in a wide Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon curry powder and cook for 30 to 45 seconds, stirring constantly, until deeply fragrant. This Jamaican technique is often called burning the curry; bloom it, but do not scorch it.

Curry chicken. Working in two batches so the 6-quart Dutch oven is not crowded, add the seasoned chicken to the bloomed curry oil and cook each batch uncovered until its released juices reduce and the chicken begins taking on color. Transfer the first batch to a bowl while cooking the second. Return all chicken and accumulated juices to the pot, add the sliced onion and bell pepper, and cook for another 3 minutes.

Curry chicken. Stir in the potatoes and bouillon powder, then add 2 cups hot water. Bring to a lively simmer, lower the heat, and cook partially covered for 18 to 25 minutes, until the chicken and potatoes are tender. Add the remaining ½ cup water only as needed to maintain a generous amount of gravy without overfilling the 6-quart pot.

Curry chicken. Uncover and simmer until the gravy coats a spoon but still pools readily around the chicken. Mash two or three potato pieces into the sauce if it needs more body. Add the remaining habanero to taste, finish with the juice of the remaining lime half, and correct the salt. Do not reduce this into a sticky glaze—the gravy is part of the meal.

Rice and peas. Measure ¾ cup of reserved bean cooking liquid into a saucepan and add the coconut milk. Add the cooked beans, scallions, thyme, garlic, allspice, salt, and the whole uncut habanero. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Rice and peas. Stir in the rinsed rice. The liquid should sit about ½ inch above the rice; add water if needed. Cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from the heat and rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the thyme stems, scallions, garlic, and whole pepper, then fluff gently. Do not burst the pepper unless you want the entire pot extremely hot.

Steamed cabbage. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, scallions, garlic, thyme, and optional habanero and cook for 1 minute. Add the cabbage and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and toss well.

Steamed cabbage. Add the water or stock, cover, and steam for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, tossing, until the vegetables are tender but retain some bite.

Serve. Serve the curry chicken with plenty of gravy, a modest scoop of rice and peas, and a generous portion of steamed cabbage. For lower-carb plates, reduce the rice portion rather than altering the rice-and-peas recipe.