ARROZ CON GANDULES
FULL RECIPE VIDEO HERE
INGREDIENTS:
Vegan
YIELD:
4-6
MEASUREMENTS:
1 1/2 cups white long-grain rice
2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
1 can Pigeon Peas
1/3 cup Sofrito
1/3 cup Salsa de Tomate
2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 packet Sazon con Achiote y Culantro
Adobo seasoning to taste
Instructions:
1. In a medium-sized caldero (or pot) heat your oil of choice over medium heat. Following up with your base ingredients: Sazon, sofrito, and salsa. Quickly stir to prevent from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot.
2. Add in your canned Pigeon Peas and include the liquid as well. Mix well with base ingredients. Allow to fry up for a few minutes and come to a light simmer over medium-high heat.
3. Stir-in your rice of choice and allow to fry for 1-2 minutes, quickly following up with water or vegetable broth, and bring to a boil.
4. Allow some of the liquid to evaporate before lowering the heat and covering the pot.
5. Once all liquid has evaporated, fluff your rice with a fork and it is now ready to be served.
**View Recipe Notes Down Below**
RECIPE NOTES:
When adding water be sure to only add enough to cover rice and peas, about 1/2 an inch, if more than that the recipe may not cook properly.
If you are planning to make more or less of this rice please be wary of the amount of water that you add. Adding too much may cause a sticky rice and adding too little will prevent your rice from cooking to a soft, tender state.
For every 1 cup of rice add in 1 3/4 cup of liquid (always enough to have about 1/2 an inch of liquid covering rice and peas).
This is best cooked in a caldero, which is a traditional cooking pot used in many countries and in the Caribbean.
DO NOT stir the rice too much or it will come out VERY sticky.
Adding a banana leaf over the top of the rice as it is steaming on low-heat is a great option to provide a nice flavor to the rice, but totally optional. Banana leaves can be purchased at your local International or Asian markets or grocery stores.
Fun fact: I enjoy eating Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas) with sliced yellow bananas. That's right! It adds a great addition to your plate. Don't knock it until you try it! ;)