Cuban · Side · SAMPLE RECIPE
Moros y cristianos · black beans & rice
Black beans and rice cooked together with onion, green pepper, garlic, and cumin. A deeply savory side with everyday pantry ingredients.
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A NOTE FROM THE KITCHEN
Keep the bean liquid for the rice.
This practical version starts with canned black beans and uses olive oil instead of pork fat. It makes four side portions or two larger bowls. The bean liquid gives the rice its characteristic color; brands vary in how dark the result will be.
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Moros y cristianos · black beans & rice
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BEHIND THE DISH · Cuba
Moros y cristianos · black beans & riceBeyond the plate.
Rice and black beans become a single dish when the grains absorb the beans’ cooking liquid.
ORIGINS & EVOLUTION
Cooking the two together.
Moros y cristianos brings black beans and rice together in one pot. It differs from a plate of plain white rice with a separate serving of black beans, even though both are familiar combinations.
CULTURAL CONTEXT
Names vary between households.
The terms moros and congrí are not used identically by every Cuban family. Some distinguish the dishes by bean variety, while others use congrí for black-bean rice as well.
AT THE TABLE
A pantry-friendly version.
Our meatless adaptation uses canned beans, their reserved liquid, and olive oil. Measuring the liquid before it goes into the pan makes the rice more predictable. The result can accompany another dish or fill a larger bowl on its own.
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