Puerto Rican Arroz Con Gandules
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup fresh or thawed sofrito
3 cups water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 1/2 tsps. sazón
1/2 tsp. adobo
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 15 oz. can of pigeon peas (gandules)
2 cups parboiled rice
2 dried bay leaves
Directions
Heat a cast-iron or aluminum dutch oven (caldero) to medium heat, then add olive oil and sofrito. Sauté sofrito in oil for 3-4 minutes, or until the sazón is fragrant.
To the sautéed sofrito, add sazón, tomato sauce, and chicken bouillon cube. Stir well, until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Remove any excess liquid within the can of pigeon peas, then add the drained peas to the sofrito mixture. Pour in the water and bay leaves, then bring the mixture to a boil. While it's boiling, taste the rice to adjust salt levels to your taste.
When the mixture is boiling, add the rice to the dutch oven, making sure that all of the raw grains of rice are evenly submerged across the top of the caldero. Let the water and rice boil for a few minutes, until you see the rice start to absorb the liquid in the pot.
Once the top layer of water has been absorbed, stir the rice once with a wooden spoon, then place an aluminum-covered lid on top of the dutch oven, and lower the burner to low.
Once the rice is fully cooked, remove the lid and allow the rice to simmer for 20-25 minutes, uncovered. You will know that the rice is done when all additional liquid within the pot is gone and the rice granules are plump.
Serve and enjoy!
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