Name: Pastel de arroz costeño: Colombian Caribbean Rice Tamales
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 720 g long-grain white rice, uncooked (about 4 cups); 180 ml white vinegar; 30 ml neutral oil; 2 g ground annatto (achiote); 6 g fine salt; 6 g fine salt for the parcel cooking water; 2 g black pepper; 900 g pork ribs, chopped into parcel-size pieces; 450 g pork belly, diced; 1.13 kg bone-in chicken pieces; 700 ml homemade hogao or guiso; 500 ml water or unsalted stock, plus more as needed; 680 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm pieces; 300 g ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped; 250 g onion, sliced; 10 g garlic, crushed; 30 g sweet ají, finely chopped; 30 g drained capers, optional; 8–10 large cabbage leaves; 16–24 pliable bijao leaves, enough for double crosses; Kitchen string, as needed

Wide table scene with a tied bijao parcel, an opened rice pastel and ají sauce beside coastal greenery.

Region Caribbean Colombia, with this version documented in the Cesar and Magdalena regional chapter

Category Rice tamal wrapped in bijao or cooking banana leaves

Active preparation About 90 minutes, excluding resting and unattended cooking

Cooking time About 155–200 minutes in total

Total time About 4 hours 45 minutes to 5 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Pastel de arroz costeño: Colombian Caribbean Rice Tamales

A generous leaf-wrapped parcel of seasoned rice, tender meats and vegetables

Pastel de arroz costeño is a substantial rice tamal associated with Colombia’s Caribbean region. Instead of a corn or cassava dough, seasoned rice surrounds pieces of pork ribs, pork belly and chicken, with potatoes, aromatics and a savoury cooking sauce. A cabbage leaf sits inside the parcel, while pliable bijao leaves hold everything together during the long, gentle simmer.

The Ministry of Culture’s regional cookbook documents an eight-person version in its Cesar and Magdalena chapter. Its inventory describes the dish more broadly and notes that some cooks add capers, green beans, eggplant or olives. Families and towns vary the filling and wrapping, so this recipe follows one documented formulation rather than claiming a single definitive version. Bijao leaves are traditional where available; banana leaves sold for cooking are a practical substitute.

The parcels take time because the rice cooks around a substantial filling. Here the rice rests briefly in vinegar and annatto in the refrigerator, and the meats are braised before assembly. Those steps make the layers easier to manage and help ensure that the centre cooks safely. Plan for a large pot, enough tying string and a food thermometer; size and leaf thickness can change the simmering time.

Ingredients

Rice

720 g long-grain white rice, uncooked (about 4 cups)
180 ml white vinegar
30 ml neutral oil
2 g ground annatto (achiote)
6 g fine salt
6 g fine salt for the parcel cooking water
2 g black pepper

Meat guiso

900 g pork ribs, chopped into parcel-size pieces
450 g pork belly, diced
1.13 kg bone-in chicken pieces
700 ml homemade hogao or guiso
500 ml water or unsalted stock, plus more as needed

Filling and wrapping

680 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm pieces
300 g ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
250 g onion, sliced
10 g garlic, crushed
30 g sweet ají, finely chopped
30 g drained capers, optional
8–10 large cabbage leaves
16–24 pliable bijao leaves, enough for double crosses
Kitchen string, as needed

Method

Rinse and drain the rice Rinse the rice in cool water until the runoff is mostly clear, then drain it thoroughly. A well-drained grain absorbs the seasoning more evenly and is easier to portion across the parcels.
Season and chill the rice Stir together the rice, vinegar, oil, annatto, pepper and half of the salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Keep the damp rice chilled; do not follow older sun-soaking directions, and do not leave it at room temperature while the meat cooks.
Braise the meats Put the ribs, pork belly, chicken, hogao and water or unsalted stock in a heavy pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for about 45–60 minutes, turning the pieces once or twice. The chicken must reach 74°C in its thickest part, away from bone; the pork should be tender. Lift the meat out with clean utensils and reserve the cooking sauce. If assembly is delayed, cool and refrigerate the cooked filling promptly.
Prepare the vegetables and leaves Cook the potatoes in lightly salted water until just tender but still holding their shape; drain. Prepare the tomato, onion, garlic, sweet ají and optional capers. Rinse the cabbage leaves. Clean the bijao leaves and soften them with hot water according to their condition; remove any tough ribs that prevent folding. Keep raw-meat equipment separate from ready-to-eat ingredients.
Fill the leaf crosses For each parcel, lay 2 bijao leaves crosswise and place 1 cabbage leaf over the centre. Divide the rice evenly among 8 parcels, reserving some to cover the filling. Add portions of chicken, ribs and pork belly, then potato, tomato, onion, garlic, ají and capers. Spoon on a little reserved guiso, cover with the remaining rice, and fold the leaves into a snug package. Tie securely with kitchen string. Wash and sanitise the thermometer probe and any utensils that touched raw poultry before reuse.
Simmer the parcels Add the remaining salt to the pot. Set a rack or clean leaf-and-stem bed in a large covered pot and arrange the parcels on it. Add boiling water to reach at least halfway up the parcels, cover and bring the pot back to a boil. Cook at a lively boil for 20 minutes, then lower the heat to maintain a steady simmer for 90–120 minutes. Check the water occasionally and top up with boiling water so the pot does not run dry.
Check the centre and serve Lift out the largest parcel and insert a clean thermometer through the leaf into its centre, avoiding bone. The rice-filled centre and any poultry must reach at least 74°C. If the centre is cooler, retie the parcel if needed, return it to the pot and simmer longer before checking again with a clean probe. Rest the parcels for 10 minutes, then open carefully to release steam. Serve hot, with ají at the table.

Practical guidance

Practical

Nutrition per serving

These are approximate ingredient-based values, not laboratory results for a cooked pastel. They assume the listed weights, 8 servings, moderate-fat hogao, unsalted stock and the measured salt and capers. Bone weight, fat rendered from the pork, how much sauce and salt remain in the pot, and the optional capers can shift the result substantially; use roughly a quarter either way as a practical margin. The estimate is for one parcel and excludes ají or side dishes.

Practical guidance

Choose pliable leaves. Bijao is the customary wrapper in the documented regional preparation. If it is unavailable, use banana leaves sold for cooking. Warm them briefly so they bend without splitting; patch small tears with an extra piece rather than using a leaf that cannot hold the filling. Keep the portion size consistent. Eight large parcels are a useful target for this ingredient list. If the parcels are much larger or tightly packed, the rice-filled centre takes longer to heat. Avoid compressing the rice into a solid block; leave enough room for steam and hot liquid to move through the filling. Use unsalted liquid when possible. Hogao, capers and stock can all contribute salt. Start with the measured amount in the rice, taste the braising liquid before assembly and add more only if needed. If the sauce is already salty, choose unsalted stock and omit or rinse the capers. Keep raw poultry cold. Refrigerate the chicken and pork until they go into the pot, and return cooked meat to the refrigerator if assembly will not begin promptly. Use separate boards or wash and sanitise surfaces between raw meat and vegetables. Do not rely on the clock alone. The long simmer is a guide, not proof that the centre is safe. Check the thickest parcel with a clean food thermometer. The required 74°C applies to the poultry and the rice-filled centre; leaf colour and tenderness describe cooking progress but do not replace a temperature reading. Prevent the pot from drying out. Use a stable rack or clean leaf bed to keep parcels off the base. Keep the lid on and add boiling water if the level drops. Pouring cold water into the pot interrupts the simmer and lengthens the cooking time. Plan the work in stages. The meats and sauce can be braised ahead, cooled quickly and refrigerated. Keep the rice covered and chilled until assembly. Once cooked, serve promptly or refrigerate the parcels within 2 hours; do not leave a large pot of warm parcels on the counter. Reheat leftovers thoroughly. Store parcels in shallow covered containers and use within 3–4 days, or freeze for longer storage. Reheat until the centre reaches 74°C. Thaw frozen parcels in the refrigerator before reheating so the outside does not overcook while the centre remains cold. Adapt the optional garnish, not the structure. Capers are optional. The cultural inventory also records green beans, eggplant and olives as variations. Choose one or two, cut them into small pieces and keep the filling modest so the parcel can close securely. Offer accompaniments separately. A pastel is already a full meal. A little ají or a crisp, lightly dressed salad adds contrast without competing with the seasoned rice and rich meats. Let diners open the parcel just before eating so its aroma and moisture are retained.

Allergen and dietary note

This dish contains pork and is not suitable for people who avoid pork. Check labels on prepared hogao, stock and other packaged ingredients for declared allergens and cross-contact; formulations vary.

Final notes

For a dependable result: Keep the damp rice and raw meats chilled, wrap the parcels firmly and confirm 74°C at the centre before serving. For a regional table: Use food-grade bijao or cooking banana leaves and serve the parcels hot with ají on the side.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 of 8 large parcels, without side dishes
Calories: About 1,140 kcal
Carbohydrate: About 96 g
Protein: About 42 g
Fat: About 63 g
Fibre: About 5 g
Sodium: About 890 mg

Pastel de arroz costeño: Colombian Caribbean Rice Tamales

Ingredients

Rice

Meat guiso

Filling and wrapping

Method

Practical

Nutrition per serving

Practical guidance

Allergen and dietary note

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

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