Rice Tamale (Pastel de Arroz)

El Pastel de Arroz (rice tamale) is typical dish from Cartagena, Colombia. It is very common to find it on Sundays at the beach or as a Christmas Eve favourite.

Ingredients

Rice

  • 1½ cups rice
  • ½ cup white vinegar
  • 6 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 2 tbsp onoto seeds
  • ½ cup corn oil or sunflower oil
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder

Filling

  • 6 chunks of tender pork
  • 6 pieces of chicken (drumsticks or cutlets recommended)
  • 6 small Vienna sausages
  • 6 small chorizos
  • 6 slices of bacon
  • Assorted pickles (carrot, green beans, cauliflower, red pepper, celery)
  • 1 can (16 oz) Goya chickpeas
  • 3 medium potatoes
  • 3 red tomatoes
  • 12 large cabbage leaves
  • 24 large “lobster claw” leaves (can be replaced with banana plant leaves)
  • Capers, olives, and pickled onions
Rice Tamale (Pastel de Arroz)

Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

Procedure

Rice

  1. Mix all the ingredients well in a large Pyrex baking dish.
  2. Let stand one day under the sun (this is called orear).

Assembly

  1. Place 1 leaf of cabbage on top of a clean working area.
  2. Spread ⅛ cup of the rice mixture over the cabbage leaf.
  3. Place one unit of each meat evenly through the pastel.
  4. Place pickles, chickpeas, capers, pickled onions on top of the meats.
  5. Place 2 slices of potato and 2 slices of tomato on top. Cover with another ⅛ cup of rice mixture.
  6. Cover with one leaf of cabbage.
  7. Place one washed lobster claw / banana leaf in a plain working area. Carefully put the pastel over the leaf and roll firmly. Cover with a second leaf and roll firmly. Tie with thread.
  8. Cook in a large pan, covered with water, vinegar and salt, for 2 hours.

Notes, tips, and variations

  • Onoto substitutes: pinch of paprika (for color not flavor); an equal amount of saffron; yellow food coloring; hot paprika; or equal parts turmeric and paprika.
  • You can prepare your own pickles: For 6 pastels boil 1½ cup water, ½ cup vinegar, 4 tbsp brown sugar and 1 large carrot cut into 6 sticks, 2 celery sticks cut in three pieces each, 6 green beans cut in half, 1 large red bell pepper cut into 12 sticks, and 1 small cauliflower. Let cool down and keep refrigerated overnight, before using it.