Indonesian•budget

ARROZ CON GANDULES / RICE WITH PIGEON PEAS

What To Cook Today recipe - Indonesian

Ingredients

Quantities are shown as originally provided.

1 lb canned pigeon peas / gandules ((I used the GOYA brand))
1 1/2 cup rice
1 1/2 cups of water
4 oz of lean cured ham ((diced))
3 Tbsp of Achiote ((annato) coloring (recipe below): 2 cups of vegetable oil + 1 cup of achiote seeds)
2 cloves garlic ((peeled and finely chopped))
1 green bell pepper ((seeded and chopped))
3 sweet chili peppers ((seeded and chopped))
6 fresh culantro leaves ((chopped))
1 tomato ((diced))
6 pimento-stuffed olives
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 Tbsp salt

1
Soak the achiote seeds in warm water for about 10 minutes, then drain off water and pat the seeds dry with absorbent paper towel. In a sauce pan, heat about 2 cup of vegetable oil. add in the achiote seeds and stir-fry for about 5 minutes. The oil will turn into rich orange-red color. Strain the oil into a glass container and let it cool off completely. Cover and store in refrigerator and use whenever needed
2
Drain the pigeon peas off the can, but save the drained liquid. Combine this with water to make up to total of 2 cups. Wash the rice thoroughly, drain, and soak in the liquid for 30 minutes and drain off the liquid
3
In a heavy-bottomed pot, browned the ham for about 1 minute and then add in the achiote coloring, garlic, green pepper, sweet peppers, culantro leaves, and tomato and saute for another 10 minutes
4
Add in olives, tomato sauce, and salt. Add in the pigeon peas and stir to mix everything. Add the rice along with the liquid and then bring to a boil. Lower the heat and then let it simmer for the next 30 minutes or until the rice are fluffy. Serve warm or at room temperature