Bowl of Green Pigeon Pea Soup
(click to enlarge)

Green Pigeon Pea Soup


Puerto Rico   -   Asopao de Gandules
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 12 cups
***
1-1/2 hrs
Note-8		 Vegetarian recipes are an alien concept to Puerto Ricans. This adaption of a Puerto Rican chicken soup was composed by a Puerto Rican cookbook writer for a Vegie friend. See Comments.




2 15oz
1
5
2
5
5
3
1
3/4
2
5
1
1
--------
1/3
cans
#
oz
cl
oz
oz

c
c
T
c
T
t
---
c
Pigeon Peas (1)
Kabocha Squash (2)  
Onion, red
Garlic
Bell Pepper, red
Chili, mild (3)
Culantro Leaf (4)
Tomato Sauce (5)
Rice, long (6)
Olive Oil
Broth (7)
Salt
Pepper
-- Finish
Cilantro, chopped
Prep   -   (45 min)
  1. Peel KABOCHA thinly - some light green is fine. Cut into about 1/2 inch dice.
  2. Chop ONIONS medium. Crush GARLIC and chop small. Mix.
  3. Blast BELL PEPPER and CHILIS black with your Propane Torch. Brush the skins off under running water. Dice both about 1/2 inch. Mix with Onions.
  4. Chop CULANTRO small.
  5. Chop CILANTRO medium.
Run   -   (45 min)
  1. In a heavy bottomed pot sufficient for the recipe (4 quart), heat Oil. Stir in Onion mix and fry, stirring, until Onions are translucent.
  2. Stir in Tomato Sauce, Kabocha, Culantro, Stock, Rice, Salt and Pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir often to prevent sticking.
  3. Stir in Pigeon Peas, bring back to a boil and simmer until the rice is tender (about 12 minutes). Stir often to prevent sticking. Serve as soon as the Rice is done.
  4. Just before serving: adjust liquid with boiling water if needed, stir in Cilantro.
  5. Serve hot.
NOTES:

  1. Pigeon Peas:

      [Gandules]   The pattern recipe calls for a 14 ounce pack of frozen Pigeon Peas. This is pretty much unavailable in Southern California, but Goya brand canned Green Pigeon Peas are widely available. Dried Pigeon Peas are not suitable as they were fully ripened - it's the green state we need.

  2. Kabocha Squash:

      This hard winter squash is now widely available in North America, and the one to use whenever a recipe calls for "Pumpkin", regardless of ethnicity. Regular orange pumpkin is for Haloween, not cooking. For details see our Kabocha Squash page.

  3. Chilis, Mild

      In Puerto Rico, Cubanelles would be used, and probably a couple Aji Dulce, which they use in just about everything. Cubanelles are unavailable in much of North America, but low heat Hungarian or Armenian / Turkish chilis work fine. If those are not available, low heat yellow banana peppers will work. As for Aji Dulce, those are just plain unavailable, except probably in Florida and New York, the two Puerto Rican "homelands away from home". For details see our Caribbean Chilis page.

  4. Culantro:

      [Sawtooth Herb]   This herb is available in many Asian markets, or markets serving a Tropical American community. For details see our Culantro page. If you don't have it, use a couple tablespoons of chopped Cilantro.

  5. Tomato Sauce:

      My favorite is Faraon Spanish Style, but other simple sauces will also work.

  6. Rice:

      While medium grain California rice dominates in the Caribbean, we strongly recommend a high amylose long grain rice, such as Thai Jasmine, for this recipe. Medium grain rice absorbs water endlessly, swelling, turning to a gel, and overwhelming the other ingredients. This recipe was probably composed in North America anyway, where long grain rices predominate.

  7. Broth:

      The pattern recipe called for Chicken Broth, but to be vegetarian this needs to be a vegetable stock. If you have none, you can use water with 1-1/2 T Vegeta® or similar. For details see our recipe Vegetarian Stock.

  8. Do-Ahead:

      This recipe has a major problem - even long grain rice will continue to absorb water and swell - overwhelming the other ingredients. If you need to make ahead, cook the rice in a rice cooker or pan using the correct amount of the Broth for your rice. Cook the rest of the recipe in the remaining broth until the Kabocha is about done. Both can be refrigerated. Reheat the soup to a boil and stir in the rice. bring back to a boil. Serve immediately. Incidentally, the pattern recipe called for 2 cups short grain rice, and that was waaaaaay too much. This recipe is not a candidate for buffet service where it will be kept warm for hours. For that see our adaption Green Pigeon Pea Vianda Soup.

  9. Comments:

      Thie pattern recipe was composed by cookbook writer Yvonne Ortiz for a Vegi friend. Since she grew up on the island, graduated University there, and later formally studied its cuisines, I consider it "authentic", even though Puerto Ricans just don't do vegetarian.
  10. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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