Emberá children wait in line to get their Arroz con Pollo. Photo from "Cooking in Panama"
Want to sample a basic Panamanian dish made in your own kitchen? It’s not hard at all as the every day cuisine is simple, but delicious — real comfort food! The key to its goodness is the availability in Panama of the freshest ingredients imaginable. Here is a version of a national favorite:
ARROZ CON POLLO:
* 1 chicken, cut up
* 3 cloves garlic (less if preferred)
* 1 sweet pepper
* 2 onions
* 1 tomato
* 1 & 1/2 cups of rice
* 3 cups of water
* a pinch of saffron
* salt & pepper to taste
Saute chopped onions, sweet pepper, tomato, and garlic in a little bit of oil. Add water, saffron, chicken and washed rice. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and cook over a low flame until done, stirring once or twice during cooking. Will take approximately 50 minutes — make sure chicken and rice are done.
