Cuban food

Hi,

While I have a very specific question, I am giving a general topic title to allow interesting diversions related to Cuban food.

My sister is making Cuban black beans and rice. She was influenced by the Two Blokes and Bus, a London double-decker food truck in Bloomington-Normal. They serve their Cuban black beans and rice with a white sauce on the side. She asked if I had a recipe for this sauce, which I have no idea what it may be.

What is served with Cuban black beans and rice?

Regards,

A cruet of vinegar (white or red I think) is the only thing I've ever seen served with black beans and rice...I'm speaking only of Tampa-style Cuban prep. May be different elsewhere.

I've never seen moros y cristianos served with a white sauce, either. Maybe that food truck serves it with some crema on the side?

They are on Facebook, Twitter, have a web site, and publish their phone and email. I suggest she contact them and ask.

leek wrote:They are on Facebook, Twitter, have a web site, and publish their phone and email. I suggest she contact them and ask.

Leek,

I messaged them on facebook. Meanwhile she was making it today.

Steve,

I suggested crema to my sister who said it did seem like sour cream. Great idea, sorry I didn't think of it myself!

Regards,

There's no precedent of which I am aware for some kind of white sauce with black beans and rice. A quick Google revealed a blurb about "Cuban" black beans with crema and sweet Thai chili sauce here. The business is a British-themed "globally inspired" food truck (bus) in Bloomington-Normal. I don't think they are trying to be orthodox. The sauce seems to be their own innovation.

Now I want that & maduros with cabbage for dinner. Will sub P.14 from Plenty's Spicy Moroccan Carrot Salad for Maduros ( I'm not going back out) & the rest I have in the house. Yes!

Hi,

Can anyone point to a reliable recipe for Cuban red beans and rice aka Congri. If it happens to use canned kidney beans, all the better, though made from scratch will work.

Thanks!

Regards,
Cathy2

I haven't made this specifically, but I have made other recipes from this site and they turned out well:
https://icuban.com/food/congri.html

I see from leek's link that some folks, apparently, make Congri with red beans but I've never seen it made with anything but black. I'm sure it's good but, to me, that seems more like red beans and rice.

I am hosting a speaker on Cuban cuisine, according to Jose Arrom, "According the authoritative Cuban cookbook by Nitza Villapol, there is Congri (congris) or Congo rice; from eastern Cuba, made with red kidney beans, and cooking with bacon chunks, and even pork shoulder chunks.

"And, Moros y Cristianos (Christians and Moors), from western Cuba, made with Black beans, cooked with pork rind or ham and even white pork pieces."

I didn't know anything beyond black beans until this as well.

Regards,
CAthy2