Can I replace the pigeon peas with anything else?

You can actually make this rice with a variety of different beans just like my mother does. It will change the taste of this rice slightly as the flavor of the beans does impact the flavor of the rice. But it still comes out delicious! For certain beans with thicker canned liquid (black beans, red beans or white beans), I recommend rinsing well and adding an extra 1/2 cup water to the pot to replace it.

Why is my rice still hard after cooking?

You may have cooked off too much liquid before covering the rice or your heat was too high as it was simmering. It should still be fixable. What you will need to do is add a small amount of water, start with 1/4 cup, cover the pot again with your lid and cook for an extra 6-8 minutes on low heat. Remove from heat and allow rice to sit for 5 minutes before removing lid.

How long will the rice last?

Allow the rice to cool completely. Once cooled, place in an air tight container and place in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the rice for up to 3 months, just make sure to thaw before reheating. To reheat, just take out the amount of rice you wish to enjoy and reheat in the microwave with 1-2 tsp of water, then cover and place in the microwave for about 1 minute.

Is this dish healthy?

I have had many people criticize Dominican food as being "unhealthy", but many of the ingredients used in Dominican meals and even within this dish call for ingredients that can provide nourishment both physically and mentally. Pigeon Peas are nutrient-rich and provide protein, fiber, as well as B vitamins, Vitamin C and K, potassium, iron, folate and zinc. Cooking this rice with our fresh "sofrito" of vegetables, spices and cilantro also provides additional fiber and antioxidants.

Arroz con Gandules Dominicano (Moro de Guandules)

Name: Arroz con Gandules Dominicano (Moro de Guandules)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Dominican
Ingredients: 2 tbsp neutral oil; 1/2 medium white onion; 1/2 large bell pepper, diced; 3 cloves of garlic, mashed; 8 oz of tomato sauce; 2 tsp Adobo seasoning; 1/2 tsp Sazón; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/4 cup Spanish olives; 1/4 cup cilantro with stems, roughly chopped; 1, 15 oz can of gandules (pigeon peas) with liquid; 3 cups white Jasmine rice; 1 vegetable bouillon cube; 2 1/2 cups water; 1/4 tsp salt or to taste

Description

Arroz con Gandules Dominicano, flavorful rice that my Dominican family shares and enjoys at every special occasion. It’s seasoned with Latin spices and tossed together with pigeon peas and cooked to fluffy perfection.

Ingredients

Scale

2 tbsp neutral oil
1/2 medium white onion
1/2 large bell pepper, diced
3 cloves of garlic, mashed
8 oz of tomato sauce
2 tsp Adobo seasoning
1/2 tsp Sazón
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup Spanish olives
1/4 cup cilantro with stems, roughly chopped
1, 15 oz can of gandules (pigeon peas) with liquid
3 cups white Jasmine rice
1 vegetable bouillon cube
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp salt or to taste

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Instructions

Heat up a large heavy bottomed pot on the stove over medium heat and add in your oil. Now add in your onions and bell pepper along with a pinch of salt and sauté until the onion has become translucent.
Stir in your garlic and continue to cook until golden and fragrant. At this point, pour in your tomato sauce and simmer it for 2 minutes before adding your adobo, sazon, and pepper.
Continue to stir your tomato mixture for another 2 minutes then crumble in your bouillon cube, and add in your olives and cilantro stems.
Add in your can of gandules along with the liquid, stirring well into the tomato mix. Now pour in your water and bring everything to a boil.
Pour in your rice and stir it well to combine. Allow the rice to cook, stirring on occasion, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. At this point, stir in your remaining cilantro leaves, lower your heat to the lowest setting and cover your pot with a lid and cook for 25-30 minutes.
Once the cooking time elapses, remove the rice from the heat. Remove the cover and give the rice a nice stir. Cover the pot back up and allow to sit for 5 minutes to fluff up before serving.

Notes

Rinse your rice. Make sure to wash your rice well under running water before using in this recipe. I recommend rinsing at least 4 or 5 times or until the water runs clear.

Normally for this recipe, Dominicans will cook their rice in a caldero. It’s an aluminum pot that many Dominicans own and I think it really makes a big difference with the outcome of the rice. Obviously, I know not everyone can get their hands on it, so if anything, just make sure you are using a heavy bottomed pot when making this rice.

When your rice has fully absorbed it’s liquid after cooking, remove the pot from the heat and allow it to sit covered for an additional 5 minutes. This will help continue to steam it, but also help fluff it up a little more before serving.

Choose your favorite mix ins. My favorite combo for this rice combines ingredients that my Tia uses (olives) and what my mom likes to use (cilantro). You can also use capers too. My mom sometimes would do just a very basic Moro with the seasonings and no add ins, so feel free to experiment with your favorite combo.