Moro de guandules dominicano (rice and pigeon pea) is one of my favorite rice dishes, and with coconut a lovely example of Samana cookery that we"ve enthusiastically adopted.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Dec 26, 2010
❝ This recipe is so delicious!!! ... ❞
Why we ❤️ it
The first time I tried moro de guandules con coco (rice, pigeon peas, and coconut), I was 12 years old, and I fell in love with it. It was my first trip to Samaná., and all of it was new to me, and I was completely captivated.
This dish is bursting with flavor, and if you make it with coconut, you'll see why the Samaná version has become so popular.
What are guandules?
Guandules (Cajanus cajan), known in English as pigeon peas, and gandules in Puerto Rico, is a type of legume native to the Indian subcontinent and very popular in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean
Guandules and moro de guandules
Serving suggestions
We serve it with our Christmas feast and everyday meals. My favorite dishes to go serve with moro de guandules are Pollo guisado (braised chicken), Res guisada (braised beef), or Cerdo guisado (braised chicken), and, for a meatless option, Berenjenas asadas.
A few slices of avocado are always a must, and Tostones (fried green plantains) or Fritos maduros (fried sweet plantain) complete this amazing meal.
For a simplified lunch, I just serve it with Berenjenas fritas (fried eggplants) and avocado.
Top tips
- Without coconut: To make this without coconut, simply substitute water for coconut milk whenever the recipe calls for it. If you want to add extra flavor, you can use vegetable broth instead of water.
- Choosing pigeon peas: For this recipe, you can use pre-boiled dried pigeon peas, canned pigeon peas, or fresh (green) pigeon peas. The recipe is the same, but the cooking time and flavor will vary slightly.
About our recipe
This Dominican-style moro de guandules is a must-have side dish for any special Dominican-style meal and is also part of our traditional Dominican Christmas dinner.
But in Samaná, they came up with a clever idea: combining it with coconut. This seems natural once you visit the area and notice that it's covered in coconut groves. Coconut, in all its forms, is a staple ingredient in the cuisine of the peninsula.
Moro de guandules is eaten in every Dominican home. However, the coconut version has become so popular that I don't think you can go anywhere in our country where it isn't served.
For this moro recipe, I chose the version of this dish that I like best, but you'll likely find many other ways to make it, even in Samaná.
If you have another way of making Moro de guandules at home, please let me know in the comments.
Video
Recipe
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Moro de Guandules [Video+Recipe] Rice with Pigeon Peas
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro, (or parsley) plus extra for garnishing
- ¼ cup chopped celery, (optional)
- ⅛ cup capers, (optional)
- 1 tablespoon mashed garlic
- 12 pitted green olives, cut into halves (optional)
- ¼ cup chopped cubanelle, (1 pepper, aprox)
- 1 oregano (dry, ground)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 cup pigeon peas, (boiled or canned)
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 2 cup coconut milk, or broth or water
- 4 cup rice, (medium grain, carolina, canilla)
Instructions
1. Cook vegetables and guandules
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 1½ gallon [6 liters] iron pot and add the cilantro, celery, capers, garlic, olives, peppers, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir for a minute. Add the guandules, also while stirring.
2. Cook rice
Once the vegetables are well heated, add 2 cups of water, tomato sauce, and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Stir in rice and simmer over medium heat, stirring regularly, and removing as much as you can of the rice that sticks to the bottom. When all the water has evaporated cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer over very low heat. Wait 15 minutes, uncover, and stir in the remaining oil. Move the rice from the bottom to the top so it cooks uniformly.Cover again and simmer another 5 minutes.
3. Try rice
Uncover and taste. The rice should be firm but tender inside. If necessary, cover and leave another 5 minutes on very low heat.
4. Serve
Remove from the heat.Serve garnished with cilantro or parsley (see serving suggestions above the recipe).
Cook's Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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Moro de guandules con coco
Don't miss our delicious guandules recipes.
You can start with this pigeon pea moro rice, continue with these delicious Guandules con coco, brighten up your day with a tasty Sancocho de guandules pigeon pea stew or this delicious Chambre de guandules stew. And this Christmas, impress your guests with a Dominican turkey stuffed with pigeon pea moro rice.
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