Arroz con Gandules Recipe

Homemade recipe for rice with pigeon peas. This delicious Puerto Rican-style rice is made with rice, pigeon peas, ham, olives, garlic, onion, achiote, and more. Full recipe

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Tips for preparing Moro rice with pigeon peas
Use good quality rice, preferably long grain because it contains less starch.
Use a non-stick pot with a good lid.
Cook and soften the pigeon peas first; make sure they are soft before you start making the rice. If you use fresh or tender pigeon peas, you can add them directly without cooking them first.
If you want to try a variation, add bacon bits, or smoked pork chop instead of ham.
For a vegetarian or meatless version, omit the ham and use water instead of the chicken broth.

Ingredients:

1 small onion 70 g.
4 cloves of garlic
1 small red pepper. 70 g.
2 sweet peppers 40 g.
¼ cup achiote oil 60 ml
2 cups rice ~400 g. – washed and drained
1 teaspoon marinade seasoning/dressing
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups of cooked pigeon peas or pigeon peas 300 g.
1/4 cup tomato puree or sauce
4 cups water – you can also use chicken broth
½ cup stuffed olives 100 g.
100 g of ham cut into squares
Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish – optional

Preparation: 

1. The first step is to cut the vegetables to prepare the sofrito. First, peel the onion and cut it into small cubes. Peel the garlic and crush it. As for the chili pepper, remove the veins and seeds, and cut them into small cubes.
2. Pour the achiote oil into a heavy-bottomed pot; turn the stove to medium-high heat, and when the oil is hot add the chopped seasonings, first the garlic and onion. Cook for about three to five minutes and when the onion becomes transparent add the chili peppers and the chopped red pepper.
3. Immediately add the rice, seasoning, garlic powder and salt. Stir well until all the rice is coated with achiote.
4. Add the drained cooked pigeon peas; stir a little.
5. Add the tomato puree or sauce and mix well.
6. Fill the pot with four cups of water; cook uncovered over high heat for approximately 10-15 minutes or until the rice begins to dry out.
   Add the olives and the ham pieces. Stir, lower the heat to minimum and cook, covered, for another ten minutes. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary.
7. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro or parsley and a few additional olives.