CHamoru Red Rice, a must-have at any Guam party or fiesta and a staple in most homes. It’s just not complete without it! The beautiful reddish-orange hue is not only pretty to look at, but it also brings boring white rice to life! The perfect pairing for island-style BBQ, side-dishes like kelaguen, and other delicious dishes.

Now, if you’re from Guam and you probably have your family’s red rice recipe. However, I know there are my fellow Guamies who are living in the states like I do, who probably don’t have their own recipe. So, this recipe is for them and for my followers who are interested in seeing more Guam/CHamoru recipes. Fun fact, it’s a trademark CHamoru dish, that even local restaurants will serve red rice. And I’m talking about big fast-food restaurants (ex. KFC).

How does red rice get its reddish orange color?

The secret to this is annatto or achiote seeds. The seeds are from the achiote tree, and it’s mainly used as a natural food coloring or condiment. The actual color comes from the waxy outer coating of the seeds, so to get that color you need to soak it in warm water. And using that red water to cook the rice in! I mean, that’s pretty much it, but I like to add in a bit of extra ingredients for more flavor

What do you need to make red rice?

• White rice (of course), I used Jasmine rice because that’s what I have in my house, but you can also use short grain.
• Annatto seeds – The main ingredient that will make your rice red. I found a small jar at my local Asian supermarket.
• Water – To cook the rice
• Onions – For flavor. This is what I like in my red rice, but you can totally omit this.
• Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Paste – This adds a ton of flavor to the dish. I prefer this over vegetable broth because it is concentrated in flavor.
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder – To add more flavor!

If you’d tried this recipe out let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @flouredframe and don’t forget to tag me when you create my recipes! Happy Cooking!

If you enjoyed this Guam recipe, check these out:

• Vegan CHamoru Latiya (Custard Cake)
• Bunelos Åga (CHamoru Banana Donuts)
• Vegan Tinaktak

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CHamoru Red Rice

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• Author: Floured Frame
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Side
• Method: Cooking
• Cuisine: CHamoru, Pacific Islander
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

CHamoru Red Rice, a must-have at any Guam party or fiesta and a staple in most homes. It’s just not complete without it! The beautiful reddish orange hue is not only pretty to look at, but it also brings boring white rice to life! Perfect pairing for island-style BBQ, side-dishes like kelaguen, and other delicious dishes. 

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoons – annatto seeds https://amzn.to/3m1ZVd6
• 4 cups – warm water
• 1 tablespoon – vegetable oil
• 3 cups – white rice, I used Jasmine, see notes
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon – Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base https://amzn.to/3maYR73
• 1 1/2 – teaspoon – salt
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon – garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon – onion powder

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Instructions

1. In a medium sized bowl, soak annatto seeds in warm water with a strainer for 1 hour.
2. After soaking, rub seeds against the strainer to release color. Remove seeds and strainer from water. Set aside until ready to use.
3. Heat up vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the diced onions until translucent. 
4. Then add in the dry rice, annatto water, onions, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
5. Continue to stir until most of the liquid evaporates and the rice mixture has become thick. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 10 minutes. Try not to uncover during this time, because the steam will help cook the rice.
6. After 10 minutes, fluff up the rice to make sure that the bottom is not burning. Continue to simmer for another 5 minutes. 
7. After 5 minutes, turn off the heat and fluff up the rice again. Allow it to cool slightly before serving!

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Notes

• I found annatto seeds at my local Asian supermarket. 
• I used Jasmine because that is what we have in our household. You can also use short grain rice.
• If you can’t find Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base, you can replace the 4 cups of warm water with vegetable broth. But if you can, find the vegan friendly bouillon. It tastes way better!
• You can make this in a rice cooker! Just combine all the ingredients into the rice cooker pot and cook! Make sure to fluff it right when it is done, to prevent the bottom rice to burn or harden.

Keywords: vegan, vegan chamoru recipe, chamoru recipe, chamoru red rice, guam, guam recipe, red rice