chamorro red rice

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Desiree Taimanglo-Ventura
Yigo, GU

You can't have a party on Guam without it! A crucial recipe for every Chamorro girl. My uncles used to tease me and say that you couldn't get married unless you learned to make it. Red rice made over the stove and not in an electric cooker always seems to work better for me. I hate the way the electric cooker sometimes burns the bottom or keeps popping up as "done" because of the achote. It takes practice to get your red rice the way you like it.

(1 rating)
yield serving(s)
prep time 10 Min
cook time 50 Min

Ingredients For chamorro red rice

  • 2 Tbsp
    achote seeds
  • 1/2 c
    chopped onions
  • 1/2 tsp
    salt
  • 4 c
    water
  • 2 Tbsp
    cooking oil
  • 2 c
    rinsed calrose rice

How To Make chamorro red rice

  • 1
    Soak achote in 2 cups of warm water for about 30 minutes.
  • 2
    Add salt to the achote and water, rubbing the achote seeds against each other until the water becomes a dark orangey red (the darker the better). Strain the liquid out into a little bowl. This stuff will stain your hands, clothes, and possibly your cooking materials.
  • 3
    In a small pot, boil the achote water and add in the rinsed calrose rice with two cups of water.
  • 4
    Add salt, oil, and onions.
  • 5
    Reduce the heat to medium-high for about five minutes (or until the liquid has evaporated). Pay attention! Don't let the achote burn on the bottom of the pan. People often burn their red rice because they aren't watching the heat. Be patient. :)
  • 6
    Cover and reduce the heat to low for about 15 to 20 minutes (or until the rice is fully cooked).

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