5 popular dishes with rice and beans from Latin America

Rice and beans are two grains that have accompanied us for a long time and are known worldwide.Rice alone is the third most produced cereal in the world, while beans are native to Mexico (also to Guatemala and El Salvador) and cultivated globally.It is not uncommon to eat each as a side dish to various stews, but eating them together is also a popular way not only in Mexico but in several parts of Latin America.From Cuba, we have the Moros y Cristianos, a globally famous dish based on rice with beans, which also has another version called Congri, although they are not the same.From there, we can jump to Mexico, specifically to Michoacán, where cooked rice is eaten with soupy refried beans, accompanied by a sauce made with tomato, garlic, and green chili, called Morisqueta.If we go a bit further down, in Central America, we have Gallo Pinto, characteristic of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, although different in its preparation in each country, as in the first, the dish does not include the broth from the beans and its consistency is similar to that of picadillo.On the other hand, rice with habichuelas is characteristic of the Caribbean, particularly Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. This consists of white rice with brown beans, or habichuelas rosadas, as they are known there.In Peru, there is Tacu Tacu, a dish that traditionally takes advantage of leftover food and results in a delicious combination of cereals with ají, and is usually served with egg, meat, or chicken.And like these dishes, there are many more throughout Latin America, prepared, named, and accompanied in diverse ways in each place, but all with the same base: rice and beans.If you love rice, you can enjoy it in all these versions:Creamy Rice PuddingRice with Broccoli and CheeseRed Rice with VegetablesIf beans are your thing, try them like this:Black Bean PattiesNopal Salad with BeansCharro Beans with Chorizo