Medium-grain rice cooked with gandules (pigeon peas), which give the dish a nutty, earthy flavor. The base is the heart of Puerto Rican cooking, sofrito - a fragrant blend of onions, peppers, garlic, cilantro, and culantro sauteed, and a touch of ham and olives. A Puertorican signature dish. Hearty, aromatic and the centerpiece of almost every family gathering.