Close to the entrance of our new home here in Panama, a Guandu bush simply appeared of its own accord. It is amazing that I didn’t pull up this “weed” and discard it. However, it was allowed to come of the size to begin producing pea pods. I’ve written about Guandu before here, which includes historical and nutrition information.
One of the local favorites here is Guandu con Arroz (Pigeon Peas with Rice). It is a rather simple dish, with an interesting twist; it is made with coconut milk. With our own Guandu factory on hand, it only seemed right to discover the “traditional” way to prepare it. What I found is that there are about as many recipes for its preparation as there are cooks. Some use lots of coconut milk, others just a touch. I even ran across a Guandu con Arroz rendition prepared risotto-style with the addition of white wine.
What I have come to believe is that “authentic” Guandu con Arroz is kept very simple, beginning with a rendering of a pork fat similar to salt pork, ending with a rice boil in coconut milk. There’s not a lot of flavorings added in the middle, but even so, the outcome is fantastic! I’ve Americanized my version a bit so more of you will make it, I hope. It uses ham for the background pork flavor and takes the quantity of coconut milk down the middle of the road. Frankly, I love this dish! I woke up this morning thinking about sharing it with you. While fresh pigeon peas are preferred, canned works fine and are available in most well-stocked groceries.
- ½ to 1 Cup Fresh or Canned Guandu Drained
- 1 Cup Long Grain Rice
- 2 Ounces Thick Sliced Ham or Canadian Bacon, Diced
- 2 Tablespoons Light Olive Oil or Canola (Coconut Oil would be good, too)
- Dash of Salt and 3 Twists of the Black Pepper Grinder
- 1¼ Cup Coconut Milk
- ½ Cup Water
- 1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Yellow Onion
- 1 Teaspoon Finely Chopped Celery Leaf
- Choose a 2 quart pot with a lid. Add the oil to it and place over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, stir in the rice and ham and saute for 3 minutes. Next, add the onion, celery, salt, pepper and fresh guandu (if using canned peas, do not add yet); stir well. Saute for another 3 minutes or until the rice has browned a bit.
- Add the coconut milk and water (plus the canned guandu if you are using that). Stir well and allow to come to a boil for 2 minutes. Cover and turn the heat down to a bare simmer. Cook covered for 15 minutes; turn off heat and let sit 5 minutes. Open cover, fluff with a fork and serve.
- Note: Covered cook time will vary with altitude. For example, I am at 4,500 feet and the rice required 20 minutes to become tender; 15 minutes will produce good results at 500 feet or so. Adjust cooking time to your situation.
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