Should I add more water and cook it longer? That’s awesome! with the recipe above for jamacian corn peas and rice do the quantities of peas or the cooking time change according to whether or not dried or fresh beans are used? Sauté for about a minute. That’s just your preference. Why do you cut down the liquid or is the brand you use different? It’s nice to give the potatoes a break and enjoy arroz con gandules! Then add onions, green onions, bell pepper, garlic, smoked paprika, thyme, scotch bonnet pepper, sauté for about 2 minute. Thank you for sharing. Chris. That recipe worked and me and my mom thought the rice tasted good and i taste like how we usually make it, using remaining brown and long grain rice for mine. Add the cilantro and/or olives, if using. Join me. Find thousands of tested recipes, menus, cooking shortcuts, dinner ideas, family meals, and more at Recipe Are Perfects. Taste: Like substance of the gods. Badia sells a version with no MSG. Indian Dal Recipe. It’s best to pre-cook before adding to the rice. What are you doing wrong? But Great Recipe! Thanks, Muriel. Great website, So simple and delicious!!! Hope it works out. No unfortunately that won’t work in this recipe. Just wanted to know what type of rice to use…regular white rice or jasmine rice. I just want to make sure I am doing it right! Hi Marie, a smoked turkey neck would be delish! Thank you. Heat a saucepan with oil. The normal ratio for regular rice is 2 cups of liquid for 1 cup of rice. I’m currently making this recipe right now and I was a bit confused bc u said put 3.5 cups of water then below it says 3 cups then the chicken bouillon said One teaspoon the one below said one packet hopefully it turns out ok bc I can never make this recipe right but this is my last try but ur directions seem pretty good besides that part. Cuisine American. Thanks it turned out goodfor once Lol I will save ur awesome recipe . Designed and Developed by PenciDesign, Arroz Con Gandules (Puerto Rican Rice with Pigeon Peas), Italian seasoning consists of dried herbs such as basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme, Colombian Ajiaco (Chicken and Potato Soup), The Ultimate Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese. I LOVE Caribbean foods. Browse our collection for gorgeous quail egg recipes, including Geoffrey Smeddle's Feuillete of poached quails' eggs with hollandaise sauce, and Dominic Chapman's Wood pigeon salad. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. It doesn’t affect any of the flavors in my food. If you want to change seasonings or maybe add in something different then try it and make it your own.” I encourage you to do the same! It’s a generic phenomenon! OMG, this looks so mouthwatering and delicious. of rubbed lavendar. It’s the most sacred traditional book and you can adjust it to your modern preferences. Parboiled rice is my favorite for this recipe because it’s almost impossible to end up with mushy rice. How much rice and how much water would I need. Once the mixture is boiling, add the rice. Thanks . Using Recaito or making homemade Sofrito works best. When I tasted the broth as recommended before adding the rice, it seemed perfectly seasoned, but I think the rice masked some of the salty taste while it cooked, so I think it should taste just a touch too salty in order to taste perfect after the rice finishes cooking. My Pleasure!!! I need to make a big batch, enough to feed 40 people. Do you have to soak the gandules first, or can I add it to the mixture. Sazon has MSG. This looks wonderful and I’ve got coconut milk in the cupboard waiting to be used. A Scotch egg recipe can be scaled down to a wonderful bite size canape by replacing the traditional hens egg with a quail egg. Check the water periodically; add more, if necessary, to keep the peas covered. All Right Reserved. Mommabear (Michigan) says: i grew up on this, and keep it in my own home. You would most likely find the Pigeon peas at Latin markets frozen. Whether it's a vegetarian, vegan or fish starter you are after, you are bound to find the perfect recipe to get your meal off to the right start. . And if you don’t want to make these plain Jane spätzle, try my pumpkin spätzle or nettle spätzle , which can also be done with spinach. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. One cup of uncooked rice becomes about 2.5 cups of cooked rice. I just added black olives with green ! I am loving your recipes, first time I’ve actually enjoyed cooking! I love this rice recipe but the wife is allergic to tomatoes. I sm going to try it maybe it will come out as good as when i was in puerto rico when i was young i use to cook dishes like this. Once most of the visible surface liquid is absorbed, stir the rice, and cover again. Hi Jay! How much water do you reocmmend for regular medium grain rice?? Over the Christmas holiday, my family gifted me with a Kitchenaid Pasta Press attachment — the one that makes the cute little noodle shapes like fusilli, rigatoni, elbow macaroni — yeah — that one.. Enthusiastic to try out some recipes. Thanks again. Sofrito in a jar is made with pork. Thank you Gladys! Coconut milk lends rice both fat and sweetness, making it a richer, more mellow side than plain rice To make it, simply replace half of the cooking water with coconut milk It becomes a meal if you serve it with a fried egg, finely sliced pickled chiles with a little of their pickling liquid and some crushed peanuts From now on, I will only use parboiled rice. Glad you like it, Nell! Check your local Wal-Mart. You want the grains of rice to be loose and not sticky. It was very interesting so thought of giving it a try. I notice your do 2 cups rice and 3 cups of liquid, however, the Iberia Long Grain Parboiled Rice that I use other wise the ration for 2 cups rice is 4 1/4 cups water. Hello, I want make this recipe for a party of 30. […] Arroz con gandules y lechon—Puerto Rico’s National Dish […]. My sister shared the recipe for these tricolor treats several years ago. The classic flavour combination in this sous vide recipe works beautifully for a summer time party. You add it together with the onions.In the pictures ,I did not add any.. but after trying it several times with the bell peppers thought it paired well with the dish. Check her arroz con gandules recipe and you will see that it does have pork. Unfortunately this was a bit bland for me, but I did leave out some of the paprika, as we also had a little one eating it (so that may have been it)- I added some brown sugar and lime at the end, which helped. Drain water. She never measured the rice just poured into the liquid and knew when it was enough and cooked to perfection. I especially love the colors of the rice. A simple combination of egg whites, ground almonds and sugar is flavoured with vanilla and Amaretto, resulting in a gluten-free biscuit with a delightfully chewy texture. Not traditional in any way. You can also add raw egg to the meat mixture before cooking. Add the oregano, cumin, pigeon peas, tomatoes, chicken stock and 1 cup water. I have to ask because I’m not familiar, but what is creole salt? You could try an Indian market. Sofrito has pork in it, therefore I used Recaito. I’ve watched the mamitas of my Puerto Rican friends in New York City make arroz con gandules and they never used cilantro in anything they cooked, not in the arroz con pollo nor guisos nor anything but in America now on tv they always promote it in Cuban and Puerto Rican dishes but I’ve never seen it used. Btw I used your sofrito and it’s super easy/flavorful. Wishing you all the best! I made This And It Was Amazing! Thanks for the recipe! Another question, your recipe says either country ham or bacon. Amazing!!!!!!! oil; tocino (salted pork or bacon, finely chopped), optional; chopped onions; chopped garlic; chopped peppers So glad you and your boyfriend enjoyed the recipe! Prep Time 20 mins. Beautiful . Thank you for this recipe! Everyone has a little twist on how they prepare this dish, but here’s my version. Stir to combine. September 12, 2015 at 11:08 pm. can I use smoked turkey neck instead of the ham? Prepared the rice exactly per your instructions and it’s perfect every time. I haven’t made this yet. Thank you for sharing. It requires a little work, but the results are well worth the effort. Arroz con gandules freezes very well, so make a big batch and portion it into storage bags for a quick weeknight side dish. I’ve made it twice now and it hasn’t quite tasted like the real thing and it’s significantly redder than what I’ve had before. However, I seemed to have misplaced the recipe, so thank you. *drools* So, the only “traditional” custom we follow are to get together, and to […]. The first was in 1832, when the Austrian State Chancellor, Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, tasked his kitchen staff with concocting an extraordinary dessert to impress his special guests. I was married to a Puerto Rican man for 20 years.. His mother made the best food ever! Short grain is very sticky and creamy and is better for risotto or rice pudding. They are their own special abilities such as flying, carrying items, attacking, & … I used basmati rice and I came out perfect. Thank you so much! If I might make a suggestion, just note dried or canned after so those trying something new won’t be confused. Course Dessert. Hi Cook the breasts in boiling water for about five minutes. My sofrito doesn’t have any protein, it’s just veggies. It's done with all the liquid is absorbed and the grains are fluffy and fully cooked. I am very happy to find your site and for sure I will be here often. I have never tasted it or heard about it before. Next week is my neighbors 70th birthday party. Aussie singles get hitched to spouses who they see for the first time on their wedding day […] and I to get together, and have an International feast. I haven’t seen it Dorothy but if you find it let me know where! I use parboiled rice (that’s the type of rice) because it’s had a bit of the starch removed, so it prevents the rice from sticking. Jamaican Pigeon Peas and Rice- Coconut rice is cooked with plump pigeon peas, sweet corn and traditional Jamaican spices in creamy coconut milk. For original fresh authentic Puerto Rican recipes refer to “Puerto Rican Cookery” by Valdelluly. I’ve used the brown rice and it is just a delicious and healthier. No chance anybody put it in and served it to me to fool me, because that strong soapy taste is really harsh if you’re not used to it. Hubby found a bag of pigeon peas discounted at the store and got them. It was nice and soft as soon as I made it however, it became dry after leaving it in the pot the next day. This is the basic recipe for Puerto Rican rice! More vegan recipes please!!! You would most likely find the pigeon peas at Latin markets frozen, canned or dried. Brush the pastry with the remaining egg mixture and place the pie dish on a baking tray. Sauté it with the sofrito and spices and then go from there. I also replaced the cilantro with recao because I did not have Sazon, and I used seasoned garlic broth to replace its flavor. The thought of coconut and paprika together has me swooning! It came out great! If you want heat you can use cayenne pepper or any hot sauce of your liking. Check your local Wal-Mart. Had to use minute rice (just cut final time down a little) because that’s all I had on hand and I added one full 8 ounce can of tomato sauce and this turned out absolutely amazing!!!!!!!! Regular rice is 2:1 liquid to rice ration, parboiled rice is about 1.5:1. Thanks, Noreen. Bless, So happy to have you here! You will see unique birds with amazing models all around your world. Thanks for taking the time to share this with us Carrie. It comes out great every time! I never could get it right and then I tried your recipe. can u pls let me know which rice u have used here? Very authentic tasting. Been craving it latelyTasewas great, but mushy. Use whatever game you can get for this tasty terrine recipe. Yes parboiled rice is very forgiving, that’s why I love it! This makes me so happy! Was I suppose to drain and rinse them first. I’m hooked … going to search my grocery for pigeon peas today! I love it so much , I passed the recipe on to my daughter who is away at college; she made it ,loved it and so did her roommates. There is nothing wrong with using adobo, Sazon, chicken broth, or cubitos. It sure does . How much rice I need to cook it just for 2 people and how much water then?? When do you add the bell pepper and green onions? If you want to change seasonings or maybe add in something different then try it and make it your own.” I encourage you to do the same! We have a few trees with the peas starting to ripen, do I need to boil them or do anything else before putting them into the rice? Stir in rice, to the pan, followed by pigeon peas and corn. This recipe turned out sooooo good everyone was complimenting my rice. Thanks for taking the time to share this with us. Stir the rice to get it submerged and distribute the pigeon peas throughout. I hope this clarifies the different opinions on the arroz con gandules with or without pork, So delicious! Cover and cook the beans until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Can Uncle Ben’s rice be used? I am so happy to read your blog, while better understanding caribbean/afro cooking styles. What if i want to double my servings? This recipe is closest to how my Bahamian friend prepares his. Does it really not make much of a difference? Thanks so much for sharing Ellie! Then chopped up some fresh Culantro (not Cilantro) because it tastes much better than Cilantro for me. I actually didnt have any parboiled rice on hand so i just rinsed the carolina long grain rice i had really really well; came out perfect . Also, how many cups. Oh, and I forgot to say that I don’t like olives, so I replaced them with capers, and they were lovely! What makes this this dish have it’s rich brown –reddish color? This makes the rice less sticky, which is this case, is exactly what we want. My Basket 0 × You have no items in your shopping basket. This amaretti biscuit recipe means you can create these beloved little treats at home. Hey just wanted to ask if I could use Goya sofrito instead of homemade? I’d only be worried about having sofrito sit in the fridge for days with meat in it. With this recipe can I add chicken to the pot?? Hello. I’m also doubling the recipe. I did the recipe the right way but I think there was too much water it came out to mushy. Search: Menu Search. Check it out here! You can add them at the same time that you would frozen or canned Gandules. Thanks Michelle! I made one change and I don’t know how much it altered the taste, I left out the oil and just put all ingredients in the pan at once, brought it to a boil and then simmered til done…superb! The Indian dal has as many recipes as there are families in India. This fantastic collection of starter recipes is full of ideas, ranging from easy starters to more impressive dinner party starters. It came out sticky :/ any idea?? Awesome! Your recipe looks great! Thanks again for another great recipe! It’s really to taste depending on the saltiness of your other ingredients, I would treat it like salt and adjust your recipe accordingly. Will update as soon as it’s resolved. I'm Jannese, a Puerto Rican girl living in paradise (Florida), and the creative mind behind Delish D'Lites. I’m not sure what creole salt is but I had creole/cajun seasoning on hand and used that . I Doubled Everything So I Had Twice The Amount of the recipe..I Did Have To Add About a Cup And A Half of Water, But it was Great! My favorite dish has to be the mofongo or pasteles or arroz con guandules… too many options… oh just give them all to […], […] What is it: A combination of rice, pigeon peas, and pork, cooked in the same pot with sofrito. Sofrito has pork in it, who said that, i never made sofrito with pork in it, You don’t use ham in Sofrito, someone taught you wrong, only made with vegetables. Cooking up Exquisite African, Caribbean & Southern flavors with a flavorful twist You can too! The crisp cookies are fun to eat one section at a time or with all three in one bite. Instead of chunks of meat can I add a packet of the jamon seasoning for the flavor? I was a bit skeptical about the smoked paprika at first, but it took this dish up a notch! You are going to nail it! Best ever…, I made this today for my office potluck and it went so fast I didn’t even get any for myself. Looks tasty, but in Jamaica, we never use corn! For holidays, birthdays, baby showers, and more, if there’s a party, this dish will be there. If you use regular long grain white rice you’ll want to use a 2-1 ratio for the liquid to rice. Is a 7 quart pot recommended for this? So the first time I made this, it came out perfect. That isn’t my issue though. Mine was mushy. My boyfriend Is puertorican and has been dying for me to cook him some authentic food. Today, there are many variations of the recipe, now including this one. You can make a little research on using egg yolks and milk. I looovve this recipe too :)! It brought me flashbacks of my childhood days in NY and my kind, sweet, P.R. Creole salt or seasoning is not traditional . Hi! Similar in flavor, it looks like broad wide leaves, almost like dandelion leaves. […] When I was being taught how to cook new things, my grandma would always say, “This is how I do it but you can do it however you want. You can do whatever, but I really like the way the stroganoff matches with the little spätzle dumplings. Let me clarify something, I am a native born puertorrican. Thank you so much for the tip about the rice! I’m going to be making this dish for approx 80 people so I want to cook 20lbs of rice 10lbs at a time. "Pigs in a blanket" is a made up American name, so having pork in the ingredients is completely unrelated. The actual name in Polish (golompki or golapki) literally means "little pigeons" (even though there's no pigeon in the dish. Always make your own sofrito (super easy)! If you can’t find them, you can substitute with canned pinto, pink or red beans and it’ll still be delish! You can use one packet of Sazon instead of 2. My recipe feeds 6-8 people so you can multiple everything by 2.5. Different types of rice need different amounts of water. Beef Chops February 26, 2020 - 4:33 pm. Absolutely the best freakin recipe for this! I did try it and it was awesome! Thank you for this recipe..I used 2 packets of Sazon con (Achiote), 1 packet of Goya Sabor A Jamon, 1 packet of Goya Powdered Chicken Bouillon and also a capful of oil, that I make from Annatto seeds. Reheating in the microwave softens it right back up. Learn how your comment data is processed. Greatly appreciated , I Angela I’ve never used a pressure cooker to make a list so I’m not exactly sure how the recipe would be converted properly, […] your favorite dish from where you are from? Hello! And glad you are here. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! The video shows to cook it COVERED until the liquid is absorbed, then stir and cover again. Done right, these dumplings are (like all good dumplings) light and fluffy. My other question is when or how do I add fresh gandules? If you end up needing more liquid, you can add it in after the rice has absorbed most of the initial liquid. The first Hoppin’ John recipe appeared inThe Carolina Housewife in 1857 and called for one pint of rice, one pint of peas, and one pound of bacon. I use plain tomato sauce not pasta sauce, you can find it in the canned tomato aisle by the tomato paste. Lovely dish with well developed flavors. I have always used dried. What size calderon is used for this recipe? And used Jasmine Rice instead. babysitter who use to cook for me this delicious rice plate (which was my FAVORITE). One of my favorites! Check out this Curry shrimp here, I love hearing from you! Cook the pasta until al dente. Pigeon peas—cute and round, also known as gungo peas or gandules. By the way, I cooked a double portion of basmati rice with saffron ahead and cooked the pigeon peas etc. 4.87 from 37 votes. I always try to cook Spanish rice but never came out good I’m so happy now. It’s similar to a Dutch oven, but instead of being made from cast iron, it’s usually fabricated from aluminum. Glad you hear it worked out well for you. Every self-respecting Puerto Rican household has one. It’s listed in the ingredients list. Hi Roxana, jasmine rice requires 2 cups of liquid per cup of rice, so I would go with that ratio. Ive made this countless of times, so it always comes out perfect! One of the best compliments ever. I’M USING FRESHLY SHELLED PIGEON PEAS ; DOES THE SAME RECIPE APPLY OR DO I NEED TO PRECOOK THE PEAS. I’m going to be using dried grandules. Should I keep the amount of water equal to the rice (2 cups rice needs 3.5 cups water)? BUT I’ve been going through your replies to find out which type of peas you used. Was delicious! I'm Imma! The unique flavor comes from searing the meat in caramelized sugar then simmering with rice, coconut milk, and pigeon peas. This has turned out to be the best of my cooking experiences so far. Thank you I’m advance. Thanks for taking the time to let me know . Maybe she was talking about the ham in the recipe. Can this recipe only be done with parboiled rice. I was so excited to get it because I have been wanting it for years. I assumed maybe the wetness of the sofrito would possibly be enough. I was looking for a great recipe for Thanksgiving dinner. And what brand/type of gandules do you recommend!? (It would be great if that was noted in the recipe!). Hi Kayla, yes Jasmine rice would work nicely but you should definitely rinse it before using it. It's much more fun together. Microwave for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until the rice is hot & fluffy. I love this dish! Hoppin’ John is traditionally served with collard greens, whose green color symbolizes wealth. It makes a difference. Jamaican Pigeon Peas and Rice – Coconut rice is cooked with plump pigeon peas, sweet corn and traditional Jamaican spices in creamy coconut milk. Check the water periodically; add more, if necessary, to keep the peas covered. Next add in the Sazon, tomato sauce or paste and chicken bouillon. You want this liquid to be highly seasoned, as it will determine the final seasoning of the rice. I’m very inexperienced in cooking, learning at the ripe age of 29….I wanted to cook the foods my Grandma used to make for my husband. You should always store cooked rice in a reusable container or zip top bag. I did not rate the recipe since I have not tried it yet. Can Cilantro or something else be substituted for the sofrito? Thank you so much!! The preference is 2 packets. Thank you! Most people refer to the green pigeon peas as immature while the mature ones have a deep brown color and meatier, just like red beans. I learned this exact recipe from some lovely Puerto Rican ladies that I had worked with, and made it for years. Home; Fried Rice; 01 Easiest Way to Make Eggplant rolls filled with ham & cheese Perfect. I notice you say in the recipe to keep the pot uncovered for the first part of the cooking (after the rice is added) and then cover it for the last part, but in the video you cover the pot for the entire cooking time after adding the rice. Love your recipes have you any idea what pigeon peas would be in England or what I should use instead? Hi. https://amzn.to/2Shb5OY. My favorite things include collecting passport stamps, twerking to Latin music, and kissing puppies. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This was my first time ever making anything remotely like this and it is phenomenal! Ive tried others and ive always get mushy or undercooked rice! Leave it out if that’s not your thing. Worldwide Shipping Let us come to you. perhaps I overbaked it. Made it today for Thanksgiving y me gustó muchísimo. Thanks so much for posting this recipe, […] When I was being taught how to cook new things, my grandma would always say, “This is how I do it but you can do it however you want. I updated the recipe, thanks for letting me know about the discrepancies! Hi Phyllis, you are correct, cilantro is not the most traditional ingredient in this recipe, as culantro is the preferred herb of the island. Since I’m not Puertorican, I didn’t know how to do this plate, but now thanks to you and your delicious recipe, all thatt has changed, thanks! Which do you recommend? To make arroz con gandules properly, I believe you can only use one kind of pot, a caldero. Wonderful use of pigeon peas..quite popular in India too. So I went with Austrian spätzle, which are a lot like egg noodles. I just wanted to comment to thank you for this recipe. They’re a staple in African, Latin and Caribbean cooking. Hi Imma! I never heard anyone using ham in the puerto rican sofrito .I come from a really huge puerto rican family and we all make our own sofrito not one of us uses ham or any protein but ppl have different ways of making it . You know when you buy GOYA Recaito, it is the same ingredients as making homemade sofrito. Thanks so much. The first batch was very very dry. Hi, I dont have sofrito on hand so is it ok to make PR rice without it? I’M MAKING THIS TOMORROW FOR LUNCH…CAN’T WAIT TO TASTE IT… MY PREPARATION WILL BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SINCE I’LL BE PRE COOKING EVERYTHING TONIGHT…ALREADY STARTED. Most Latino recipes use long grain or extra long grain. Not so traditional. Am in Canada and love the long grain boiled rice but don’t know which brand to buy other than uncle bens???!!! In your kitchen. Then I doubled the recipe and I didn’t have the same result. I have tried different hard-boiled rices but the rice that you used in the recipe came out very nice and firm, just how I like it. . What would be the water to rice ratio if I use Jasmine rice? There’s nothing more quintessentially Puerto Rican than arroz con gandules. Homemade sofrito is only veggies but people do put ham in the dish to add a meat flavor but it is good by itself. She liked using small grain rice.. which I love too.. Bake the pie in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden-brown and crisp. Nice! Since that is rather difficult to find unless you have a Latin market in your area, I substitute cilantro most of the time for ease. But there are two popular ones - an exotic and rich restaurant style known as tadka dal and then a basic simple dal recipe the way its prepared at home.. Tadka is an Indian word used to denote the process of seasoning a dish by gently tempering spices in hot oil and then adding it to the preparation. If so how manh packets and when do I add it? Keep em coming! Have you made this dish by adding canned octopus or hard pepperoni chunks?? Do you know if there is a reason why? the recipe states to add sofrito. And they can be used interchangeably here. Delicious! I’m not that accustomed to its strong flavor. Having some tech issues with updates. This looks fantastic. Hi there,.. Hi Zheeem! I didn’t have any of the peppers or any bouillon, so I omitted the peppers and used a packet of pork seasoning from a ramen noodle packet. Thanks for the recipe! I substituted cow peas for pigeon peas, and it worked well. Needless to say, if you do not want to add pork that is your prerogative. However, corn adds some sweetness to it – leave out if desired . Funny how some things become a pantry staple, isn’t it?! […], This is on point. In this recipe, you can use any variety or just sub with red beans if getting them is a hassle. Thank you in advance. I use organic Sazón from a company called Loisa. The coconut milk and smoked paprika make this dish great. I’ll be using brown basmati rice instead of white basmati. I am going to recommend this web site! Serve accompanied by slices of tomato, avocadoes, or cucumber. This recipe is spot on (and I’m not the best cook). Crack the fifth egg and add it to the yolks. These pots are also great for braising meats, stews and soups, and are oven safe (with a metal knob). Or should I go with a different size? I used Long grain rice and measure by eye. Loved the ingredients of your recipe, I will definitely try it and let you know my impression. If using dried or fresh pigeon peas, you have to cook them until tender before you add them with the rice for best results. You can easily double the recipe. Yes you can, just adjust the amount of salt/chicken bouillon you use in the recipe. Hello I want to make this badly. However if you want to make an authentic arroz con gandules, the first thing you put in that caldero after you heat the oil is either diced ham or some diced pork rib. I made this without it and it was delicious but I’m sure using the creole salt would give it extra amazing flavor. So giving this a try soon. They’re passed on, generation to generation, much like cast iron pans are. Awesome! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Another of my pantry staple. Done poorly, they are gut bombs. I wanted to make something rather authentic to take and found your site. And make sure you have fresh sofrito on hand, it’s the most essential ingredient in Puerto Rican cooking. I used Carolina parboiled rice. Thank you so much! Hi, you can leave the cilantro out. Pigeon peas, popular throughout the Caribbean West Indies, are small, oval beans with a nutty flavor. I’ve already made your recipe 3 times in 2 weeks! It’s homemade and tastes the best. I recommend this recipe adapted from Delish Dlites https://delishdlites.com/holiday-recipes/arroz-con-gandules-puerto-rican-rice-with-pigeon-peas-recipe… […], Can pre cook rice then add /combine all other ingredients. Delicious. After the onions were cooked about one or two minutes he stirred in a can of tomato paste no tomatoes. I’ve had the dried peas for over a year and was cleaning my pantry when I found the bag. I have been looking for a good recipe for this and I have finally found it! To reheat, transfer into a microwave safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. I think parboiled rice is the best for people who are afraid of cooking rice. Heat your caldero or Dutch oven to medium heat, and add your olive oil, bacon/ham (if using) and sofrito. Let me know how it goes.