Moro de guandules

Ingredients

Sofrito

• 3 tbspoil
• 1onion, chopped
• 1red pepper, chopped
• 4 clovesgarlic
• 1 bunchcilantro ancho, culantro, chopped
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 2 tbspsazón or achiote

Rice

• 500 glong-grain rice
• 400 gcooked pigeon peas, guandules, with their liquid
• 400 mlcoconut milk
• 400 mlwater or stock
• 1 tspsalt

Optional

• 100 gdiced smoked pork or bacon
• 1 tbspolives and capers

To serve

• fried plantain
• avocado
• roast pork or chicken

Directions

1. Rinse the rice once, briefly, and no more than that. Fry the pork or bacon, if using, until it renders and browns, then add the oil.
2. Cook the onion and pepper over a medium heat for 8 minutes until soft.
3. Add the garlic, culantro, oregano, tomato paste and sazón and fry 2 minutes. Add the pigeon peas with their liquid and cook 5 minutes.
4. Pour in the coconut milk and the water, add the salt, and bring it to a boil. Taste the liquid now and make it slightly saltier than you want the finished rice.
5. Season the liquid, not the cooked rice. Salt sprinkled over finished grains sits on top and never gets in.
6. Add the rice, stir it once, and let it boil uncovered until the liquid drops to the level of the rice. Cook covered for 20 to 25 minutes without lifting the lid. Do not look.
7. Rest it off the heat, still covered, for 10 minutes. Serve with fried plantain, avocado and roast meat.

Technique

• Moro means the rice and beans cooked together; habichuelas served over rice separately is a different dish.
• Tinned guandules are what most households use, and green fresh ones are seasonal.
• It reheats well with a splash of water.

Substitutions

• Black beans or red kidney beans, making moro de habichuelas negras.
• Coriander in place of culantro, using rather more.

Variations

• Made without coconut milk, which is the plainer everyday version.
• With smoked pork or longaniza.
• Moro de habichuelas, with red beans.

History

Rice cooked with pigeon peas and coconut milk, an African-introduced legume that dominates Christmas tables.

Frequently asked questions

What is Moro de guandules?

Moro de guandules is a salad & side from Dominican Republic: rice cooked with pigeon peas and coconut. Rice cooked with pigeon peas and coconut milk, an African-introduced legume that dominates Christmas tables.

How long does Moro de guandules take to make?

Moro de guandules takes 20 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Moro de guandules?

Yes, within limits. Black beans or red kidney beans, making moro de habichuelas negras. Coriander in place of culantro, using rather more.

What is the most important thing to get right in Moro de guandules?

Rinse the rice once, briefly, and no more than that. Fry the pork or bacon, if using, until it renders and browns, then add the oil.