My Latina friends- please help me with my Arroz Con Gandules

Here is a recipe I received from a friend please tell me if all is right with it:

for the arroz con gandules:
you need:
a little olive oil for the bottom of the pot (for no sticking)
sofrito (they sell this in a jar in the supermarket) Goya - a few table spoons to taste
tomato sauce - 2 tablespoons if paste, a smidge less than 1/2 a small can if sauce
olives - a qtr of the jar - depends on how much you love olives
a little adobo - sprinkle to taste
1 can of gandules
let simmer all together for a bit so that the beans can absorb the flavors
while it is simmering - take approx 2-3 cups of rice and wash it well - drain
water from rice and pour into the simmering ingredients.
stir - you may need a little extra water to make sure that the rice is submerged in
water - not too much - just enough to cover - because your rice can come out
too mushy or flavorless if you add too much water.
make sure the flame is on medium until rice dries up (make sure it doesn't burn)
then lower the flame - very low and cook covered for a little bit - let it get nice
and steamy - avoid opening the lid too much - if you do that, then it won't cook
properly.
and stir it about two times - and your rice should be good - maybe 20 minutes or
so - depends how much rich you cook.
enjoy.

Arroz Con Gandules


It's easy - give it a try.

2 cups short grain rice (rinsed) - long grain will work too
3 cups of hot water - appx.
½ cup ready made sofrito
16 ounce can of gandules (cooked green pigeon peas)
2 tablespoons of alcaparrado (cappers and olives mixed together - if not available improvise)
1 packet of Sazon with achiote - optional
1 can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons of oil
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste - only use if your sofrito does not have pepper.




In a medium size caldero add the oil, tomato sauce, alcaparrado, sofrito and sazon. Cook over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add all other ingredients, and enough water so the rice is submerge one inch below the liquid. Start with 1 teaspoon of salt stir and keep adding and mixing well until you are satisfied with the taste. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat until most of the water is absorbed. Once the water has been absorbed, stir gently from bottom to top - once or twice only, cover and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Stirring the rice after it has begun cooking may cause it go get sticky or 'amogollao.'

Kathy- I love you!!!!

As I said I am still trying to get the hang of this cooking all the time- now that I am a wife.

Rice is something I really need to master especially this type of rice- MY DH LOVES RICE, he can eat it everyday.

Do I end up using all 3 cups of water or as the recipe says gage how it is with the rice?

Thanks again.

Yes...because sometimes it is better it to be a little softer than hard. If we put the same amount of water as the rice than it could end up a little hard.

Usually rice also only takes exactly 20 minutes. What I do is when the water boils I add the rice and let it boil in Medium High heat for 5 minutes then I turn. After I turn the rice I lower the heat down to low and for the next 15 minute turn the rice every 5 minutes. At the end the rice should be nicely done and ready to eat.

ETA: Don't put exactly 3 cups of water maybe like 2 and 3/4 I would say.

I also fry bacon up to add flavor (since 'tocino' or pork back is hard to find).

Anyone have a recipe for home-made sofrito??

I love bacon, but DH does not eat pork

You know my aunt puts in smoked turkey sometimes for flavor instead of bacon. You can try that.

I wish I had a recipe for sofrito. Its that some of the ingrediets like 'recao' is hard to find. My aunt from PR usually makes it for me which she gets the ingredients from her garden and sends it to me. I am going to ask her though how to make my own and I will let you know.