Gandules a Puerto Rican Day fave at Plantation Village

Who in Hawaii doesn’t love a good rice dish? At Hawaii’s Plantation Village Saturday, hearty arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), also referred to as gandule rice, will be part of the food lineup on Puerto Rican Day, alongside pasteles and pastele stew.

The celebration, part of a monthly series spotlighting Hawaii’s various ethnic communities, will also include presentations on genealogy and oral history, plus salsa dancing and Puerto Rican music.

At the village, staff and volunteers are often some of the best sources of cultural knowledge. The following recipe for gandule rice comes from the family of Larry Toro, the village’s maintenance worker and “Puerto Rican cook extraordinaire,” according to friends and coworkers.

Toro’s warm remembrance of the dish: “My grandparents lived in the Oahu Sugar Plantation camp … in Waipahu. At Christmas, serenaders would sing Christmas carols outside their door.

“My grandma would invite the serenaders to eat, usually one scoop gandule rice, one pastele, and a drink (beer, water or juice). The serenaders would eat, then move on to the next house and do the same thing. It was a great memory I will never forget.”

This particular recipe was handed down to his wife, Lolita, by her mother, who received it from her own father.

Gandule rice is best fresh, but it can be frozen in small portions for later use.

ARROZ CON GANDULES (GANDULE RICE)

Courtesy the Toro Family

• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 (1.76-ounce) bag annatto (achiote) seeds (available at supermarkets)
• 6 cloves crushed garlic or 1-1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 pound pork, spare ribs or chicken
• 1 cup chopped round onion
• 1 to 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup water
• 1-1/2 tablespoons salt, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon oregano powder
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 6 cups rice (washed and drained)
• 1 (15-ounce) can pigeon peas (gandule beans)
• 1 (6-ounce) can medium or large black olives, plus the liquid

In pot, heat 2 cups oil and annatto seeds. Let seeds simmer in pot, making sure oil turns red and does not burn. When oil bubbles, remove from heat. Let sit 5 minutes. Strain and discard seeds. Set aside.

In large pot over medium, add remaining oil and garlic, and brown meat. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and cilantro. Stir in water, all seasonings and tomato sauce, tomato paste and 1-1/2 to 2 cups annatto-flavored oil, to your preference. Bring to a boil.

Add rice, pigeon peas and olives (including the liquid), and reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 to 40 minutes until rice is cooked. Add more liquid if needed. Check every 15 minutes. Makes 6 cups.

Nutritional information unavailable.