National Dish

Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas) is Puerto Rico’s national dish. It’s a rice-and-pigeon-pea dish seasoned with sofrito and Pernil (Pork shoulder) diced smoked ham.

Another favorite dish of Puerto Rico is Arroz con Pollo-yellow rice with chicken Arroz y Habichuelas-rice and
beans.

Puerto Rico roast suckling pig, which is a national dish, has traditionally been served on festive occasions plus
holidays, and is really a very delicious meal. Steak with onions is an everyday meal on this beautiful tropical
Island.

Recipe

Arroz Con Gandules

Ingredients:

4-5 cups of hot water – appx.
½ cup ready made sofrito
1 can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons of oil
Salt & pepper to taste
1 packet of Sazon with achiote
16 ounce can of gandules (cooked green pigeon peas)
2 cups short grain rice (rinsed) – long grain will work too
2 tablespoons of alcaparrado (cappers and olives mixed together)

Directions:

In a med size caldero add the oil, tomato sauce, alcaparrado, sofrito and sazon. Cook over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add all other ingredients, and enough water to cover the rice 1″ above the rice line.

Start with 1 teaspoon of salt stir and keep adding and mixing well until you are satisfied with the taste. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat until most of the water is absorbed.

Once the water has been absorbed, stir gently from bottom to top – once or twice only, cover and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stirring the rice after it has begun cooking may cause it go get sticky or “amogollao.”

Any rice that sticks to the bottom of the pot is called “pegao” and is crispy and tasty and a favorite of all true Puerto Ricans. However, not everyone is skilled is making pegao – it is an art. To make great pegao make sure to use plenty of oil.

Cook for about 10 minutes longer so the pegao gets crispy and keep your eye on it. Each time you cook rice – check to see how long it takes to make pegao just the way your family likes it.

Finally – if you want a lot of pegao – use a bigger caldero which, of course, will have a larger bottom surface.