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Chamoru Red Rice

Keisha
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. 
3.34 from 9 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine CHamoru, Pacific Islander

Equipment

  • Medium-sized bowl
  • Mesh strainer
  • Large pot with cover
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Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons annatto seeds
  • 4 cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 cups white rice (I used Jasmine, see notes)
  • ½ large yellow onion (diced)
  • 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base
  • 1 ½ - teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • Pinch of black pepper

Instructions
 

  • In a medium sized bowl, soak annatto seeds in warm water with a strainer for 1 hour.
  • After soaking, rub seeds against the strainer to release color. Remove seeds and strainer from water. Set aside until ready to use.
  • Heat up vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the diced onions until translucent. 
  • Then add in the dry rice, annatto water, onions, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
  • 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.
  • After 10 minutes, fluff up the rice to make sure that the bottom is not burning. Continue to simmer for another 5 minutes. 
  • After 5 minutes, turn off the heat and fluff up the rice again. Allow it to cool slightly before serving!

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.

The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.

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