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Tungos
Tungos: soft rice packed into banana leaves and steamed, the Llanos side for roast meat
At fairs and family gatherings in Villavicencio and across the Meta, tungos sit in a big pile next to the slow-roasted meat: soft white rice pressed into banana-leaf parcels and steamed until it holds together in a firm, faintly smoky log. The leaf gives the rice a tea-like aroma and keeps it warm for hours, which is why they travel to river trips and roadside parrillas so well. Unwrap one and eat it with roast meat, beans, a sweet plantain or a bowl of vegetable stew; the tungo itself is vegan. Fluffy, separate grains are the wrong goal here: rice cooked dry and loose falls apart in the leaf, so cook it with extra water until soft and sticky. Frozen banana leaves are sold in Asian and Latin shops. Chef's tip: pass each leaf quickly over a gas flame or through hot water first; it turns glossy and supple and will not split as you fold.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Put 14 oz long-grain white rice, 3 ½ cups water, 1 ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a pot and bring to the boil over a high heat.
Step 2: Cover, lower the heat and simmer for 18–20 minutes, until all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft and slightly sticky.
19 minStep 3: Leave the rice covered off the heat for 5 minutes, then stir with a spoon to make it a little sticky, so it clings together when pressed.
5 minStep 4: Soften 6 banana leaves by passing them over a flame or dipping in very hot water for a few seconds, until shiny and pliable.
Step 5: Spoon about 1 cup of rice onto the centre of each leaf, pack it into a log with the back of the spoon, then roll the leaf tightly around it and fold in the ends.
Step 6: Tie each parcel around the middle with 2 m kitchen string.
Step 7: Steam over boiling water, or simmer half-submerged in a covered pot, for 15 minutes, until the parcels feel firm and the leaves have darkened.
15 minStep 8: Serve warm in the leaves and unwrap at the table.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 56 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tungos take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of long-grain white rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
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