Rice with pigeon peas

What better way to start a food blog than with Puerto Rico's national dish: Arroz con gandules (Rice with pigeon peas). This dish is considered by many to be the food that better represents Puerto Rican food culture. It is eaten all year round and there's plenty of it during Christmas season.

While this dish is usually seasoned and cooked with pork, and it's also traditionally served with more pork on the side, the truth is I'm a vegetarian. Any honest-to-goodness Puerto Rican will either call me crazy or hate me for it, but they're free to add whatever they want to this recipe. That said, I hope you enjoy my vegetarian version of this great dish.

So, to start, you'll need a few things that can probably only be found in the Latin American food section of your grocery store. Here's the list:

• 2 cups rice (This is especially good with medium or short grain rice)
• 1 can (15oz) pigeon-peas (I use Goya brand)
• 2 tablespoons annatto oil
• 1/4 cup sofrito or
  • 1/2 onion (chopped)
  • 1/2 green bell pepper (chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon pimentos (chopped)

First, start of by heating some of the annatto oil in a big enough saucepan. Add the sofrito, onions, peppers and cook them until tender. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes.

Now add the tomato sauce, the undrained can of pigeon peas, and about three cups of water. At this point, many people add spices like oregano, black pepper, or even some cilantro. Depending on my mood I'll add oregano. This might also be a good time to add the pimentos, or you can add them later. Add salt to taste.

Bring the thing to a boil.

Now, there are two schools of thought regarding whether you should rinse the rice or not. Some say rinsing it takes away some of the important nutrients, some say rinsing it takes away some of the bad contaminants. I say rinsing it takes away some of your precious time, so whatever your choice, it is now the time to add the rice. Add it. Stir well. Good. Make sure it starts boiling again, then turn down the heat to low, cover it, and go do something else for 20 minutes.

[20 minutes later...]

Welcome back! If you followed my instructions correctly, by now you should have read your email, had a cup of coffee and cleaned after your pet. Wash your hands and turn the heat off. Stir the rice. Taste it: mmmm good, right? No, it's undercooked; of course it is. You should turn it off and leave it there until you are ready to eat it. It will cook itself with the remaining heat.

Serve with some tostones on the side, some pork chops, if you're into that, and enjoy!

¡Buen provecho!

Victor recommends: 

Goya, Bean Pea Pigeon Green, 15-Ounce (24 Pack)

Manufacturer: Goya

Part Number:

Price: $42.96

Goya, Sauce Tomato, 8-Ounce (24 Pack)

Manufacturer: Goya

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Price: $14.16

DeLallo Diced Pimentos, 4-Ounce Glass Jar (Pack of 24)

Manufacturer: DeLallo

Part Number:

Price: $36.00