Arroz Tapado Recipe – Peruvian Molded Rice

16 Jan Arroz Tapado Recipe – Peruvian Molded Rice

I don’t know if this translation makes justice to this dish, but I don’t know how to catalogue this dish which is a rice dish that serves in a mould version. So, “Arroz Tapado” will be Peruvian Molded Rice from now on. You will serve it by putting some rice on the top of the bowl (a third of the bowl), then fill another third with the meat mixture (more or less an inch of meat mixture) and finish it with rice. Then you will put it upside-down on a serving plate and release the bowl, so you will have a pretty dome form.

I love this simple Peruvian dish that you will find in any household, is a very distinctive dish of Peru So, every time I cooked for my family, I am transported to my childhood when my mother cooked for us. The good thing is that this filling you can use for Arroz Tapado or Papas Rellenas.

Now my kid is into a rice phase, so I try to make dishes that incorporate veggies and proteins into the rice to eat a more balanced diet. Therefore, if you are struggling with something like that, I highly recommend making the “Arroz Tapado con Carne” dish because it is effortless to do on those busy days. You will need little time to prepare it.

Ingredients:

• minced meat
• red onion
• garlic
• tomatoes
• oil
• tomato paste
• ají panca pepper (optional) – aji chile powder
• salt and pepper
• eggs
• sultanas
• olives
• cooked rice
• salt
• black pepper

Prepare the vegetables first by cutting into small dice the onions and tomatoes. The same with the olives, cut them into small cubes, and Set them aside for further use.

Meanwhile boiled the egg. Put some water to boil and put the raw eggs into the hot water and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Cut the process by putting the boiled eggs into cold water and peeling them while they are warm. Cut them into small cubes and set them aside.

At the same time cook the rice following the package instruction about the ratio between water and rice. For us the Peruvian, we cook the rice with salt and garlic to add more flavour to it but is totally optional. Some people do it also with brown rice, but the original recipe is with white rice. Here in Australia, I will use basmati rice which is the most similar to Peruvian Rice.

In a large saucepan pour the vegetable oil or olive oil and fry the garlic and onions until they are translucent. Add the tomato paste, ají panca powder, and place tomatoes into the mixture; incorporate the meat and let it simmer for a couple of minutes until all the liquids have evaporated. If you are not in tomato season you can use cans of pureed tomatoes or cans of tomato cubes.

In a small glass bowl (or any cup that will allow you molding rice) fill a third with rice, then add a layer of the ground beef filling to 2/3 of the bowl and covered ground beef with rice, pack it well so you would not have any problem when you put the bowl upside-down over a serving plate. If you packed it well you will have a perfect dome with layers of rice and beef on a portion of Arroz Tapado. You will repeat as many portions you are serving to each individual plate. This is the original way of doing it, but some families will put the rice and beef mixture on a serving platter and let people serve the amount they want.

To finish the dish you can use sprinkles of cilantro or coriander and serve with a fried egg.

If you have some leftover beef, you can store the Arroz Tapado in an airtight container to use for empanadas, papas rellenas or cornbread.

Frequently Asked Questions about “Arroz Tapado” Peruvian Molded Rice

What other uses can you have for this dish?

You can use this meat filling just wrapped in pastry and cooked as “empanadas”, as the filling for Papas Rellenaas, or you can fill a cornbread with it. 

Products that I use for this recipe:

• Non-Stick Pot: https://amzn.to/3FA1kma
• Measuring cups and spoons: https://amzn.to/3lXo3B7

*The above link is an affiliate link, meaning Canguro Criollo makes a commission if you purchase via our link. This does not affect the price you pay in any way or our decision to recommend them. We will provide an exact product or something similar if the same product is no longer available. 

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