Juane de gallina

Simmer the hen.Bring 1800 ml water and the 800 g hen to a gentle simmer with 6 g salt. Skim, cover partly and cook for 75 minutes until the meat is tender and the thickest part reaches at least 74 °C. Lift out the pieces, strain the broth, and reserve 800 ml of it for the rice. The hen loosens from the bone without becoming shredded. Safety: check thickest meat away from the bone; hold the cooked portions safely while preparing rice.

Build the fragrant seasoning.Heat 30 ml oil in a saucepan; soften onion and garlic for 7 minutes, then stir in palillo, oregano and cumin for 1 minute. Use a low enough flame to prevent dry spices scorching. The onion is translucent and the spices smell fragrant rather than burnt.

Cook rice in reserved broth.Add the rinsed rice to the aromatic base and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the 800 ml reserved hen broth, add the remaining 3 g salt and simmer covered for 18 minutes, until liquid is absorbed but the grains still feel a little firm. Spread the rice evenly in a clean shallow tray to begin rapid cooling. The grains are separate with slight resistance at the centre and no free broth remains. Safety: avoid slow cooling of cooked rice; use a shallow layer and refrigerate promptly.

Cool the seasoned rice rapidly.Put the shallow tray of cooked seasoned rice in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before folding in the raw beaten eggs. Spread the rice no deeper than about 2 cm so steam can escape rapidly. The rice should be cool enough not to coagulate the egg as it is mixed. Keep it refrigerated until parcel assembly begins. The rice no longer emits steam and feels cool enough to mix without setting the egg. Safety: chill cooked rice rapidly, ideally within one hour of cooking; do not leave it standing warm for extended periods.

Prepare leaf wrappers and bind rice.Wipe and gently warm all 8 bijao leaves over steam until pliable, about 3 minutes. Once rice has cooled enough not to scramble the eggs, fold in the 2 beaten raw eggs evenly. Keep the mixture refrigerated if assembly is delayed. The leaves bend without tearing and each grain is lightly coated, not swimming in raw egg. Safety: keep raw egg mixture away from the ready-to-eat boiled egg halves and olives.

Pack four juanes.Cross two leaves for each of four parcels. Place a quarter of the rice in each, add one cooked hen piece, half a hard-boiled egg and one pitted olive, then fold the leaves into a tight, secure parcel and tie with kitchen string. Each bundle is well closed without squeezed-out rice and has a clearly centred filling.

Steam to finish.Place all four bundles above 1800 ml actively simmering water in a roomy steamer for 45 minutes. Check the centre of the thickest rice mass with a clean probe: it must reach at least 74 °C so the raw egg binder is fully cooked. Open one test parcel if necessary. The rice holds in a compact mound and the egg binder is completely set. Safety: the centre of each parcel must reach 74 °C; leaves alone do not indicate doneness.

Rest and unwrap for serving.Let parcels stand for 10 minutes after steaming. Cut the ties, peel back the inedible leaves, and serve the rice while pleasantly warm with the hen, half egg and olive visible. The parcel keeps its rounded shape on the plate and the centre is hot and firm. Safety: keep warm for immediate service; promptly refrigerate any leftovers.