Arroz Con Gandules is the national dish of Puerto Rico. It is a rice-and-pigeon-pea dish which is seasoned with sofrito and smoked ham. Puerto Rican cuisine has been influenced by the foods of many cultures, including Spanish, African, Central and South American, and even North American cuisines. There are also many roots and beans used in Puerto Rican cooking that were a part of the diet of the TaÃno Indians, the island’s original inhabitants.
In this series of free instructional cooking videos, you’ll learn how to cook Puerto Rico’s national dish, Arroz Con Gandules. Chef Kenny Marrero takes you through the recipe step-by-step, showing you all the ingredients you’ll need to make this classic dish. You’ll learn how to prepare the meat and vegetables, how to make Sofrito, and how to combine these ingredients together with rice and sauce for a delicious meal you’ll never forget
Arroz con Gandules
Equipment
- 1 Large Caldero
Ingredients
- ¾ pounds raw green pigeon peas
- 3 cups water used to precook the green pigeon peas
- 2 cups white rice
- 2 ounces diced smoked ham
- 2 tablespoons corn oil
- ½ cup sofrito
- ¼ cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
For soaking the green pigeon peas
- 1 quart water
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Rinse the rice well and set aside.
- Soak the raw green pigeon peas in 1 quart of water and 2 teaspoons of salt for about 15 minutes.
- Rinse them and cook in 4 cups of water until they have softened. (TIP)
- In a 4 quart cooking pan, add the oil and smoked ham and simmer over moderate heat for about 3 minutes while stirring.
- Add the sofrito and tomato sauce and simmer for another 3 minutes while continuing to stir.
- Turn up the heat to moderate high and add 2 tablespoons of the water that was set aside and the green pigeon peas. Simmer for 3 minutes while continuing to stir.
- Raise the heat to high and add the water that was set aside. Once the water boils, add the rice.
- Mix all the items well. Once the water starts to boil again, reduce the heat to moderate high and cook uncovered until most of the water has evaporated.
- Reduce the heat to low, stir the rice again, then cover the pot with aluminum foil and put the lid on.
- Cook for 15 minutes. Stir the rice and continue to cook until done. Sample the rice to see if it is done. It should be soft to chew. Makes approximately 6 servings.
Video
Notes
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