Marianas Red Rice (Fina'denne' Achote Rice)
Long-grain rice cooked with achote (annatto) seed water and rendered pork or bacon fat until it turns a deep terracotta color. It is the standard starch served at nearly every CHamoru and Carolinian gathering in the CNMI.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 260 kcal
Equipment
- •Rice cooker or heavy pot
- •Fine strainer
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- fat
- 6
- carbs
- 46
- protein
- 5
- calories
- 260
Instructions
- 1
Soak achote seeds in 1 cup warm water for 15-20 minutes. Strain and throw away seeds, saving the red-orange water.
- 2
Cook bacon in a heavy pot over medium heat until crisp. Add onion and garlic, then cook until soft.
- 3
Rinse rice and add it to the pot. Stir to coat the grains in the fat.
- 4
Add the achote water plus remaining water to reach the rice cooker's normal ratio. Stir in salt.
- 5
Cook rice in a rice cooker or covered on the stovetop. Cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
- 6
Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
Chef's tips
Soak the achote seeds in warm water for at least 15 minutes and strain well. Whole seeds left in the rice turn gritty.
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Reheating
Reheat covered in a microwave with a splash of water, or steam briefly.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding too much achote water, which makes the rice taste bitter
- •Skipping the fat, which leaves the rice dry and pale
Serving suggestions
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