Arroz mamposteao Puertoriqueño

This week we are in Puerto Rico visiting our family and I thought it be perfect to honor this weeks recipe with the recipe my mother in law knows she has to make for me every single time: Arroz mamposteao. The more I learn about the Puertorican culture the more I realize the similarities with the Salvadoran culture.

What is arroz mamposteao?

Arroz mamposteao is similar to el casamiento Salvadoreño, it's was originally made with left over white rice, habichuelas rosadas (pink beans, frijoles rosadas), and freshly made sofrito. According to my mother in law this used to be know as 'arroz mojaito' when her aunts would make it for her as a child. The habichuelas and their juice cover the rice and become one. Now a days it's become such a popular dish that it can be found in every restaurant and the recipes have evolved to include sweet plantain, bacon, ham, longaniza, etc. You can truly add anything you want to your mamposteao but here is my mother in laws recipe.

How to make arroz mamposteao?

Ingredients

• 1/4 red bell pepper

• 1/4 yellow bell pepper

• 1/4 orange bell pepper

• Cilantro

• 1 tbsp garlic paste

• Bacon

• Longaniza

• Thick ham

• 2-3 cups one day old rice

• 1 1/2 cup whole pink beans OR 1 can of Habichuelas Rosadas (Pink beans)

• 1 cup of water

• 2-3 tbsp of preferred oil

Instructions

1. Small-medium dice the peppers and cilantro

2. Medium dice the meats

3. In a sauce pan or wok style pan at low heat add the oil, peppers, cilantro, garlic paste and meats. Cover and let it sauté for ten minutes on low heat.

4. Once everything is cooked well, add in the habichuelas. If you have cooked beans add the whole beans and some if it's juice. If you don't have cooked beans, use a can of pink beans. Drain and rinse the canned beans, and add them to the pan with a cup of water. Cover the pan and let it stew for five minutes.

5. Add in the day old white rice and mix it well until its fully mixed with the stewed beans. Mix it for about five minutes and turn off the heat.

6. Serve and enjoy!

I like to eat arroz mamposteao for breakfast with a fried egg on top and pique del país (spicy sauce from Puerto Rico). But you can truly enjoy it on it's own or with a full meal. For more recipes follow @flourishwithg on Instagram and TikTok.