Bowl of Green Pigeon Pea Soup
(click to enlarge)

Green Pigeon Pea Vianda Soup


Puerto Rico / California   -   Asopao de Gandules
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 13 cups
***
1-3/4 hrs
Yes		 Vegetarian recipes are an alien concept to Puerto Ricans (except a few snack foods). I have replaced rice in the pattern recipe with Viandas to make it suitable for doing ahead and buffet service.




2 15oz
1
1-1/2
6
2

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

c
T
c
T
t
---
c
Pigeon Peas (1)
Kabocha Squash (2)  
Viandas (3)
Onion, red
Garlic
Bell Pepper, red
Chili, mild (4)
Culantro Leaf (5)
Tomato Sauce (6)
Olive Oil
Broth (7)
Salt
Pepper
-- Finish
Cilantro, chopped
Prep   -   (55 min)
  1. Peel KABOCHA thinly - some light green is fine. Cut into about 1/2 inch dice.
  2. Peel chosen VIANDAS and cut into about 1/2 inch dice. Hold in cold water until needed.
  3. Chop ONIONS medium. Crush GARLIC and chop small. Mix.
  4. 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.
  5. Chop CULANTRO small.
  6. 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, drained Viandas, Culantro, Broth, 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 firmest of the Viandas is tender (about 15 minutes).
  4. Just before serving: adjust liquid with boiling water if needed.
  5. Stir in Cilantro and
  6. 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. Viandas

      These are Puerto Rican vegetables, mostly root vegetables - though the Kabocha Squash and a few other starchy vegetables would also fall under that name. Select from:
    Yuca / Cassava / Manioc
    Name (True Yam)
    Taro
    Malanga
    Sweet Potatoes (white)
    Potatoes potatoes (red, white).
    The photo example used Cassava, Name, Malanga, Sweet Potato.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. Tomato Sauce:

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

  7. Broth:

      The pattern recipe called for Chicken Broth, but to be a 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. Comments:

      This was my successful attempt to make a vegetarian dish for buffet service that could be called Puerto Rican. It is based on a recipe by Yvonne Ortiz, which (even corrected for too much rice) was unsuitable for buffet because the rice keeps absorbing water. For my rendering of that recipe see Green Pigeon Pea Soup.
  9. 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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