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.

Ingredients

4 ounces achiote seeds
2 cups water
2 cups medium grain rice
2 slices bacon, fried and chopped
1/2 onion, chopped

Preparation

1. Soak the achiote seeds in water for about 30 minutes, until the liquid is a dark rich red. Drain the seeds, reserving the liquid.

2. Put rice, bacon, and onion in a pot and add the achiote liquid.

3. Bring the rice to a boil and then allow it to boil down until the liquid is almost completely gone. Cover and reduce heat to low for 15 minutes. Stir and serve.

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Source: Chamorro.com

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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. To open the coconut, drill some holes in the end where the three indentations are located—a 1/4-inch drill bit works well—and turn the nut over to drain the liquid. You can also use a hammer and a large nail, but Michael enjoyed getting out the drill for this. Then wrap the nut in a towel and pound it a few times with a hammer until it breaks into several large pieces. Pry the meat out of the shell with a small knife.

I have to agree with Santos at The Scent of Green Bananas—grilling the chicken over charcoal renders the best flavor for this dish. But it still tastes great if you use a gas grill or if you broil or bake in the oven.

Equipment

grill
sharp knife
cleaver or meat grinder
juicer or reamer
large bowl

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces, or 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
juice of 4 limes (or more to taste)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 coconut, grated
sea salt, to taste
3 or 4 Thai hot peppers, finely chopped (or other small red hot peppers)
tortillas

Preparation

1. Grill chicken pieces for 10 minutes on one side and then turn and grill 5 more minutes. Remove from grill and allow to cool a few minutes so that you don’t burn yourself. Remove skin and bones and finely chop or grind the meat.

2. In the large bowl, stir together chicken, juice, coconut, salt, onions, and peppers. Let stand 1 hour. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature wrapped in tortillas.

Variations

Broil: Use your oven broiler to cook the meat following the same directions as for grilling.

Bake: Preheat oven to 350° F and bake in foil-lined 9×13 pan for about 30 minutes. Don’t over cook; you want the meat to retain it’s juices.

Other peppers: I like to add finely chopped green and red bell pepper for additional color.

Resources

Wikipedia – Kelaguen

Guam Diner

The Scent of Green Bananas (blog about food on Guam)

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Source: adapted from the Saipan Community School Cookbook, 1986

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