arroz con gandules

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Arroz con Gandules

• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 vegan ham slices, cubed (check out peta2’s list of vegan ham alternatives)
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1–2 tsp. sazon ( See Recipe Below)
• 7–8 Tbsp. sofrito ( See Recipe below)
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 1 15-oz. can pigeon peas (gandules), drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• Dash balsamic vinegar
  
• Handful fresh culantro or cilantro, chopped
• Handful green olives

1. Heat the canola oil in a medium-sized stockpot.
2. Add the onion, vegan ham, green pepper, and a pinch of the sazon and sauté in 2 tablespoonfuls of the vegetable broth.
3. Stir in the sofrito and the remaining sazon and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add the rice, gandules, water, tomato sauce and the remaining vegetable broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. (You want the gandules and rice to absorb the liquid completely so that you don’t end up with soup.) Stir gently until the rice is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Top with the culantro and green olives and serve.

Makes 2 servings

Sofrito

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large green pepper
• 1 onion
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1/2–1 head garlic
• 1 bunch culantro or cilantro
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

Coarsely chop all the ingredients, then purée in a food processor.

NOTES

This recipe will make more sofrito than you need. You can freeze the extra for the next time you make this dish.

Sazon

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. hot paprika
• Pinch sweet paprika
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix all the ingredients together in a small glass jar.