Moros y Cristianos

About This Recipe

Moros y Cristianos — Moors and Christians — takes its evocative name from the Spanish Reconquista: the black beans representing the Moorish forces and the white rice the Christian armies. In Cuba, this dish is so central to the national diet that it is simply called 'moros' and appears at virtually every meal. Unlike arroz con frijoles (where rice and beans are cooked separately and served alongside each other), moros are cooked together in a single pot so the rice becomes stained a beautiful deep purple-black and absorbs all the flavours of the beans, sofrito, cumin and bay leaves.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 400 gdried black beans(soaked overnight, or 2 × 400g cans)
• 400 glong-grain white rice(rinsed)
• 3 tablespoonsolive oil
• 1 largeonion(finely diced)
• 1 largegreen capsicum (pepper)(finely diced)
• 5 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 teaspoonground cumin
• 1 teaspoondried oregano
• 2bay leaves
• 1 tablespoonapple cider vinegar
• 750 mlbean cooking liquid or water
• 1 teaspoonsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the beans

   If using dried beans, drain the soaked beans and cover with fresh cold water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45–60 minutes until tender but not falling apart. Reserve 750 ml of the cooking liquid. If using canned beans, drain and rinse, using 750 ml of fresh water or vegetable stock instead.

2. 2

   Make the sofrito

   Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the onion and capsicum and cook for 8–10 minutes until very soft and golden. Add the garlic, cumin and oregano and cook for 1–2 minutes until wonderfully fragrant.

3. 3

   Add beans and liquid

   Add the cooked black beans to the sofrito and stir to coat in the aromatics. Pour in the reserved cooking liquid (or water). Add the bay leaves, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil and taste the liquid — it should be well-seasoned as the rice will absorb it.

4. 4

   Cook the rice

   Add the rinsed rice to the pot and stir once to distribute evenly. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover tightly and cook for 18–20 minutes without lifting the lid.

   If you have a diffuser mat, use it to ensure even, gentle heat — crucial to prevent the bottom layer of rice from burning.

5. 5

   Rest and fluff

   Remove from heat and allow to steam, still covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and fluff gently with a fork. The rice should be beautifully dark, each grain separate and deeply flavoured.

Variations

• •

  Add a small piece of smoked bacon or a ham hock to the beans during cooking for a rich, smoky depth.

• •

  Some Cuban cooks add a pinch of saffron to the cooking liquid for a subtle golden hue and extra flavour complexity.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of water in a covered pan. Also freezes well for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions