Cookbook:Rice Tamale (Pastel de Arroz)
Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes | Cuisine of Colombia
Rice Tamale (Pastel de Arroz) | |
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Category | Colombian recipes |
Servings | 6 |
Time | Cook 1 hour |
Difficulty |
El Pastel de Arroz (Rice Tamale) is typical dish from Cartagena, Colombia. It is very common to find it on Sundays at the beach or as a Christmas Eve favourite.
IngredientsEdit
- To prepare rice (Oreado rice)
- 1½ cups of rice
- ½ cup of white vinegar
- 6 Tbs of cumin
- 1 Tbs of salt
- 2 Tbs of onoto seeds
- ½ cup of corn oil / sunflower oil
- 1 Tbs of garlic powder
- To fill the "pasteles"
- "Oreado" rice
- 6 chunks of tender pork
- 6 pieces of chicken (I recommend drumsticks or cutlets)
- 6 small Vienna sausages
- 6 small chorizos
- 6 slices of bacon
- Assorted pickles (carrot, green beans, cauliflower, red pepper, celery)
- One 16oz. can of Goya chickpeas
- 3 medium potatoes
- 3 red tomatoes
- 12 large cabbage leaves
- 24 large "lobster claw" leaves (can be replaced with banana plant leaves)
- capers, olives and pickled onions
Procedure:Edit
- To prepare rice
- Mix well all ingredients listed in this subsection into a large Pyrex baking dish.
- Let stand one day long under the sun (this is called "Orear").
- Building the "Pasteles"
- Place one leaf of cabbage on top of a clean working area.
- Spread ⅛ cup of "Oreado Rice" over the cabbage leaf.
- Place one unit of each meat evenly through the pastel.
- Place pickles, chickpeas, capers, pickled onions on top of the meats.
- Place two slices of potato and two slices of tomato. Cover with another 1/8 cup of "Oreado Rice".
- Cover with one leaf of cabbage.
- Place one washed Lobster Claw / Banana leaf in a plain working area. Carefully put the pastel over the leaf and roll firmly. Cover with a second leaf and roll firmly. Tie with thread.
- Cook in a large pan cover with water, vinegar and salt for two hours.
Notes, tips, and variationsEdit
- Onoto substitutes: pinch of paprika (for color not flavor); an equal amount of saffron; yellow food coloring; hot paprika; or equal parts turmeric and paprika.
- You can prepare your own pickles: For "6 "pasteles" boil 1½ cup or water, ½ cup of vinegar, 4 Tbs of brown sugar and 1 large carrot cut into 6 sticks, 2 celery sticks cut in three pieces each, 6 green beans cut in half, one large red bell pepper cut into 12 sticks, and one small cauliflower. Let cool down and keep refrigerated overnight, before using it.