Juane de Gallina

Ingredients

• 4 chicken legs
• 500 g long-grain rice
• 6 eggs
• 1.2 litres chicken stock
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp ají amarillo paste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 30 g sacha culantro or coriander, chopped
• 8 black olives
• 4 large bijao or banana leaves
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• kitchen string
• salt and black pepper

Before you cook

• Season the chicken legs with salt, pepper, half the minced garlic and the cumin.
• Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and drain it well.
• Dice the red onion finely and chop the herbs.
• Wipe the leaves clean with a damp cloth and cut out the thickest part of the central rib.
• Cut four lengths of kitchen string, each about a metre long.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat and brown the chicken legs for 5 minutes a side.
2. Lift the chicken onto a plate and lower the heat to medium.
3. Fry the onion and the remaining garlic in the pot for 6 minutes until soft.
4. Stir in the ají amarillo paste and turmeric and cook for 2 minutes until the oil turns gold.
5. Add the drained rice and stir for 2 minutes so every grain is coated.
6. Pour in the stock, return the chicken legs and bring the pot to the boil.
7. Cover and cook over low heat for 18 minutes, until the rice is tender and dry.
8. Lift out the chicken legs and spread the rice on a tray to cool for 15 minutes.
9. Boil two of the eggs for 9 minutes, cool them under cold water, peel and halve them.
10. Beat the remaining four eggs in a bowl.
11. Fold the beaten egg and the chopped herbs through the cooled rice until it is sticky and holds its shape.
12. Soften the leaves by passing them briefly over a gas flame or dipping them in boiling water.
13. Lay two leaves in a cross on the worktop and mound a quarter of the rice in the centre.
14. Push a chicken leg, half a boiled egg and two olives into the rice, then close the rice around them.
15. Gather the leaf edges up over the top and tie the parcel tightly with string.
16. Build three more parcels the same way with the rest of the leaves and filling.
17. Lower the parcels into a large pan of boiling water and simmer them for 45 minutes.
18. Lift the juanes out with tongs, drain them and serve each one still wrapped, to be opened at the table.