I had my first taste of authentic joloff rice in a West African restaurant many years ago and I’ve been trying to duplicate it ever since. My New Jersey-born mother made what she referred to as “red rice” when I was growing up which was probably an Americanized adaptation, although hers wasn’t quite as flavorful.
I’ve always enjoyed flavored rice dishes but figured it was faster and easier to buy microwaveable rice rather than try to make it on my own. But co-author/daughter Hayley insisted that making my own flavored rice was just as easy and didn’t take long — and it wouldn’t include artificial colors and flavors. Finally, I
Arroz con gandules, or rice with peas is a staple in most Puerto Rican and Caribbean households. It’s one of my favorite dishes to order in Spanish restaurants and I finally decided to try making it on my own. It came out so good I ate it as a main dish instead of a side!
