Arroz de Djagancida

About This Recipe

Arroz de Djagancida is Guinea-Bissau's everyday comfort dish — a one-pot meal of long-grain rice stewed with earthy pigeon peas, tomato, and flakes of smoked fish. The Portuguese word djagancida refers to the pigeon pea, a legume cultivated across the country. Minimal spices let the smokiness of the fish and the nuttiness of the peas carry the flavour.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 glong-grain white rice, rinsed
• 400 gcooked pigeon peas (or canned, drained)
• 150 gsmoked fish (tilapia or mackerel), flaked
• 1 largeonion, finely chopped
• 2 mediumtomatoes, diced
• 2 tbspvegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Sauté the base

   Heat oil in a wide pot. Fry onion until golden, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until they break down, 4 minutes.

2. 2

   Add peas and fish

   Stir in pigeon peas and smoked fish. Season with salt and cook for 2 minutes.

3. 3

   Cook the rice

   Add rice and 800 ml water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 20 minutes until water is absorbed.

4. 4

   Rest and fluff

   Remove from heat, leave covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

5. 5

   Serve

   Dish up with a side of fresh chilli sauce.

Variations

• •

  Use black-eyed peas instead of pigeon peas.

• •

  Add diced green pepper for sweetness.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Keeps in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat with a splash of water.

Frequently Asked Questions