Arroz con Gandules

Ingredients

• For the sofrito
• 4 recao (culantro) leaves, fresh
• 10 g cilantro, fresh, roughly chopped
• 4 ají dulce peppers, seeded
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
• 1 medium ripe tomato, roughly chopped
• 60 ml annatto-infused lard or annatto oil (achiote oil), home-prepared or commercial achiote-infused fat
• 1 sachet sazón seasoning
• 45 ml tomato purée, pure, unseasoned
• 400 g cooked pigeon peas (gandules), canned or freshly cooked, drained but liquid reserved
• 400 g long-grain white rice, rinsed
• 750 ml water or light stock, adjusted to account for pea moisture; combined with reserved pea liquid as needed

Method

1. 1
   Combine recao, cilantro, ají dulce peppers, garlic, onion, and tomato in a blender or pilón. Process to a coarse, cohesive paste — the texture should be rough, not liquid. Set aside. This sofrito must be made fresh; the finished paste should smell immediately sharp with raw herb and pepper.
2. 2
   Heat the annatto-infused lard or oil in a heavy-based caldero or wide, deep pot over medium heat. When the fat shimmers and has taken on a deep orange tone, add the full quantity of sofrito and the sazón. Cook, stirring frequently, until the raw onion and pepper smell has entirely disappeared and the sofrito smells sweet, earthy, and fragrant — this takes several minutes and must not be rushed.
3. 3
   Add the tomato purée to the cooked sofrito. Stir and cook for a further minute until the purée is fully incorporated and the mixture deepens in colour — it should appear thick, glossy, and a uniform burnt orange.
4. 4
   Add the drained pigeon peas. Stir to coat them fully in the sofrito base. Pour in the measured liquid — water, stock, and reserved pea liquid combined. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
5. 5
   Add the rinsed rice. Stir once, and once only, to distribute the grains through the liquid. Do not stir again at any point. Allow the liquid to reduce over high heat until the surface of the rice is visible and small steam holes appear — the top should look dry but the bottom is not yet cooked.
6. 6
   Lay a sheet of banana leaf or aluminium foil directly over the surface of the rice, pressing lightly to the edges of the pot. Place the lid firmly on top. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook undisturbed until the rice is fully tender and all liquid is absorbed. Test a grain at the edge: it should be distinct, individually coated in the annatto-sofrito, moist but not wet, with no chalky core.
7. 7
   Remove the lid and banana leaf or foil. Fluff the rice gently with a fork from the edges inward, lifting rather than stirring, to preserve the individual grain structure. Taste for seasoning. The finished arroz con gandules should be a deep, uniform burnt orange, each grain separate.