Arroz con gandules
The national dish of Puerto Rico: rice cooked with pigeon peas, sofrito, annatto and often pork. It shows up at every important meal and is the mandatory partner of roast pork at Christmas. When it sticks to the bottom of the pot it leaves the pegao, the crust many people consider the best part.
Example
If someone offers you the pegao from the pot, say yes. It is the toasted rice crust and the most contested part of the table.
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Related terms
Food
Sofrito
A raw aromatic base blended in advance and kept on hand to start almost any stew: sweet aji peppers, onion, garlic,...
Food
Lechón asado
A whole pig marinated and roasted for hours over charcoal on a turning spit until the skin turns to crackling. It is...
Food
Pastel de masa
A dough of green banana, taro and pumpkin wrapped around seasoned pork, tied in a plantain leaf and boiled. It is not...
Food
Sazón con achiote
A spice blend built on annatto that turns rice, stews and fritters that familiar orange. Annatto is the seed that...
Frequently asked questions
What are gandules?
Pigeon peas, a small brownish green legume that is not a garden pea. They are eaten fresh in season and canned the rest of the year.
Does it always contain pork?
No. Many recipes include pork or ham, but a meat free version is common and easy to ask for.
