Recipe

Arroz congrí

Name: Arroz congrí
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: ½ pound red beans; 5 cups water; ½ pound fried pork chunks cut into cubes (optional); 4 tablespoons lard; 1 onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 2 ají cachucha peppers or ½ bell pepper, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon cilantro, very finely chopped; Salt, cumin and oregano, to taste; Pepper, to taste; 1 cup rice; Fried pork chunks, fried bacon or chicharrones, for serving (optional)

Cuban arroz congrí with red beans, fried pork chunks and criollo sofrito with cumin, oregano and cilantro. Fluffy and full of flavor.

CiberCubaOctober 29, 2014

CiberCuba

Preparation15 min
Cooking45 min
Total time1 h
Servings4 servings
DifficultyMedium

Arroz congrí is a typical dish in our cuisine. It is made with red beans, which distinguishes it from moros y cristianos, the variant with black beans, although Cubans often call both dishes congrí.

Its origin is lost in time, but researchers agree that it comes from the eastern region of Cuba and has a strong influence from Haitian immigration to the island. It is said that the word 'congrí' combines two words: congó, of African origin, meaning bean, and riz, which in French means rice.

Here is our recipe for this Cuban classic. Enjoy!

Method

Wash the beans and soak them in water from the night before or, at least, a couple of hours before cooking.
Cook them in a pressure cooker with enough water. Be careful that the grain does not become too soft, or the congrí will not turn out properly fluffy later.
CiberCuba
Reserve 1 cup of cooked beans and 2 cups of the broth. Keep the rest of the beans to eat as a stew.
CiberCuba
If you are going to use meat, season the fried pork chunks with salt and pepper and sauté them in a pot until they release their fat. If necessary, add 2 tablespoons of lard.
In the hot lard, add the finely chopped onion, garlic, cilantro and ají cachucha, along with the cumin, oregano and salt. Stir well.
Add the reserved beans and sauté them with the rest of the ingredients for a few minutes so they become well fragrant.
CiberCuba
Incorporate the rice and mix it with everything so the grains begin to absorb the flavors.
Cover everything with the reserved bean broth, cover and cook over medium heat until the rice softens and absorbs all the liquid.
Uncover and stir with a fork so it does not compact as it cools.
Let it rest partially covered; this way, when ready to serve, it will be properly fluffy.
CiberCuba
Serve the congrí hot. When plating, if you wish, add fried pork chunks, fried bacon or chicharrones. Enjoy!
CiberCuba