A festive Peruvian side of fluffy rice, toasted vermicelli, and a sweet-savory balance. Dark, aromatic, and punctuated by crunchy pecans, it carries the unmistakable Christmas and New Year character that makes it far more than “just rice.”
Rinse the rice 3–4 times, until the water runs almost clear, and let it drain while you break the angel hair pasta into 3–4 cm pieces. Roughly chop the pecans, then toast them in the dry pot over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring often, until nutty-smelling and lightly golden. Remove and reserve.
In the same pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat and add the pasta. Toast for 3–4 minutes, stirring almost constantly, until it reaches an even hazelnut-golden color
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Pour in the dark cola, water, and soy sauce, then add the salt and raisins. Stir once and bring to a gentle boil. When the surface is bubbling evenly, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes, until no free liquid is visible, small steam holes appear, and a grain of rice tastes tender.
Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 5 minutes so the steam can finish setting the grains. Then fluff gently from the edges toward the center and fold in the toasted pecans. Serve hot; if the grains are separate, the toasted pasta is still visible, and the pecans stay crunchy, you nailed it. And that’s it! Bring it to the table while it is still steaming. 😌
