Quote Originally Posted by jenn_librarian View Post

My one roommate used to make the best rice. Her family was from Puerto Rico. It was cooked in a cast aluminum pot, and she would do something that it got crispy on the bottom. Bagao? That how it sounded what she called it. Not sure how it's spelled.
The purple beans sound like black beans...

I have never heard of bagao!

Many people don't realize that Latin food is as varied as any cultural cooking.

The goofball who does Latin food program-she sometimes doesn't ID where the recipes originate- You may have a name for a dish and the ingredients change from area to area. Same with cuts of meat.

Same with ingredients...Plantains are more Central Am, Northern-South Am staples. Black, pink and red are also specific to those areas.

Quesadillas with anything more than cheese are not typical Mex. Same with "Mango Salsa"...I never heard of that until a few years ago.

Tamales? I have never had a tamale in a banana leaf. When I buy them or on the occasions I have tried to make them, it's done in corn husks. The American tamales, canned or frozen, are wrapped in paper!

Also there are beef, pork, chicken tamales, or sweet tamales......walnuts, raisins or pineapple - I don't care for the sweet ones.

----------

Mex Rice?

IT's like Rice a Roni.

Brown your rice, then add some water and tomato sauce, chop onions and add coriander, chopped.

Cover and cook like regular rice. I have to ask about the ratios, my mom makes the best, but her recipe is for "thousands"..

Some people add peas and carrots....that's a regional thing....Add some fresh coriander as garnish and enjoy.