Saipan Red Rice (Eneksa Agaga)
May 9, 2007 by Andrea 
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Filed under Micronesian
Grilling season is approaching, and one of my favorite summer sides is this red rice from Saipan. As I mentioned in my post on Chicken Kelaguen, this is a common island dish that brings back fond memories of the local cookouts and celebrations.
The red coloring comes from soaking achiote seeds in water. The seeds are a source of annatto, a natural pigment used in many types of foods, including cheeses, fish, and oils. In fact when shopping for these seeds, you may find them labeled as either achiote or annatto. The seeds themselves provide almost no flavor, so the flavor in this dish mostly comes from the addition of bacon and onion which gives the rice a richness that goes well with grilled chicken and fish.
Chicken Kelaguen (Kelaguen Mannok)
July 17, 2006 by Andrea Print This Post
Filed under Micronesian, Poultry
This dish is one of my fond memories of four years spent in Saipan. Local celebrations always included chicken kelaguen, red rice, empanadas, pancit, and other delicious island foods.
Traditional kelaguen starts with a whole chicken, cut in half or in pieces, that has been grilled till cooked but still juicy. Then you combine the remaining ingredients and stir with the chicken and let it stand and cool for an hour or so. To enjoy, put some into a tortilla and wrap it up and eat it. The sweet fresh coconut balances the heat of the peppers and the tartness of the limes.
Fresh coconut is key, so don’t buy sweetened flake or frozen coconut, which has added sugar. Read more
