A festive Alto Mayo juane, compact, aromatic and deeply satisfying. Rice is mixed with ground pork, beaten egg and mishkina-style seasoning, wrapped around a piece of hen, then cooked inside bijao leaves. An Amazonian parcel built to be opened hungry.
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Place the hen pieces in a large pot with about 1.2 liters of the water, part of the salt, and a small amount of the turmeric. Simmer for 20 minutes, until the hen is nearly cooked and the liquid is flavorful. Remove the pieces and keep the broth hot.
Clean the bijao leaves and briefly pass them over a burner or hot skillet, one at a time, until flexible, glossy and easy to fold. Do not dry or scorch them; they should close without splitting.
Melt the pork lard in a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground garlic, remaining turmeric, sacha cilantro, cumin, oregano, pepper, and another portion of the salt; cook for 2 minutes until yellow and deeply aromatic. Add the ground pork and cook for 5 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon, until no longer raw but still juicy.
Place the white rice in a pot and add about 900 ml of the reserved hen broth. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed but the rice remains slightly firm in the center. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
Beat the eggs until the whites and yolks are fully combined. Mix the warm rice with the seasoned pork, add the beaten eggs and remaining salt, and stir until you have a moist, compact, well-bound mixture with ground meat throughout. The rice should be warm, not piping hot, so the egg does not set before wrapping.
Cross two bijao leaves for each portion. Add a generous layer of the rice mixture, place one piece of hen in the center, and cover it with more rice. Fold the leaves into a compact round parcel and tie firmly with the twine, without tearing the leaf or leaving openings where water can enter.
Bring the remaining water to a boil in a large pot and lower the juanes into it, keeping them covered with water. Boil steadily for 50 minutes. Remove with tongs, let them drain briefly, and serve hot or warm. When the bijao is opened, the mixture should be firm, juicy and marked by small spaces between rice and meat, with tender hen at the center. And that's it—proper Avispa Juane: no olives, no hard-boiled egg, and the full Alto Mayo treatment. 🌿🍚
