Facts About Moros y Cristianos
Moros y Cristianos is a Cuban dish served at virtually every Cuban restaurant. It is the Cuban version of rice and beans, a dish found throughout the Caribbean, the Southern United States, and in Brazil.
Name
Moros y Cristianos means 'Moors and Christians'. Moros refers to the black beans, and Cristianos to the white rice. The name of the dish is a reference to the African Muslim governance (early 8th century) of the Iberian Peninsula and subsequent Reconquista (15th century) in which Spanish Christians led by wealthy families in the north of Spain forced the Moors from the south of Spain into Africa.
Preparation
Onions, garlic, and bell pepper are commonly used as a sofrito. To this sofrito are added the white rice and pre-boiled black beans, as well as the water that the beans were boiled in. Other seasonings such as oregano and bay leaf are often added to the dish to give additional flavor.
Moros y Cristianos are different from simple arroz con frijoles in that the beans and rice are cooked in the same pot instead of separately. Congrí is another term for the dish, but is used more commonly to refer to the similar dish with red beans that is traditionally eaten on the eastern part of the island.