A northern Peruvian seafood rice, moist and deeply aromatic, where cilantro meets the gentle sweetness of loche squash and the fermented character of chicha de jora. The seafood keeps its bite and briny flavor while a cool salsa criolla brightens every spoonful. Its aroma has a habit of gathering people around the pot before the plates are even ready.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear and leave it to drain. Set aside roughly one third of the red onion and slice it very thin; mix it with the ají limo, lime juice, a small portion of chopped cilantro, and part of the salt to make a salsa criolla. Let it rest while you cook. Blend the remaining cilantro with a small portion of the water into an intensely green purée, reserving a little chopped cilantro for the finish.
Pat the mixed seafood very dry with paper towels and season with the black pepper and another portion of the salt. Heat part of the oil in a wide pan over high heat and sauté the seafood for 60 to 90 seconds, moving quickly, just until it begins to change color. Remove it immediately along with any juices it released; it will finish cooking at the end.
Heat the remaining oil in a large pot and cook the remaining red onion for 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, chopped ají amarillo, and grated loche squash; add another portion of the salt and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring until the loche softens and the seasoning base looks glossy and concentrated.
Pour in the blended cilantro and cook for 3 minutes, until the raw herbal aroma fades and the green color deepens. Add the chicha de jora, scrape the bottom of the pot, and let it boil for another 2 minutes, until its sharpness softens and the base becomes deeply fragrant.
Add the rice, carrot, remaining water, and the last portion of the salt. Stir only once and bring to a boil; then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 14 minutes, until the rice is almost tender, still has some moisture between the grains, and no free liquid remains on the surface.
Scatter the peas and red bell pepper over the rice and return the seafood with all of its juices. Cover and cook over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until the seafood is opaque and just cooked through and the rice remains moist with clearly defined grains. Turn off the heat, rest covered for 5 minutes, and gently loosen the rice from the edges. Finish with the reserved cilantro and serve with the salsa criolla. And that’s it—once that steaming green rice reaches the table, convincing anyone to wait for the others will be difficult.
