There is more to the history of arroz con fideos (rice and fried noodles) than you think. It’s a story of immigration and travel.
One of the greatest things about running this site for over 9 years is, that due to a strong web presence, our site has become the virtual Dominican gastronomic embassy. In fact, several relevant government sites in our country recommend ours to those seeking to learn more about our cooking and food. It fills us with joy and humbles us.
During these years we have received requests from organizations, embassies, associations, tourist bureaus, etc. to provide them with information regarding our cuisine. We have helped spread the word about our cuisine as far as Russia (at the request of the office that promotes tourism to the DR in the area). I didn’t understand a word of the article written on Stol (Table, in Russian), but the pictures were enough to convey what our cuisine has to offer.
More recently we got a call from Laressa Watlington, a journalist for the Denver Post who wanted to interview me as part of a large piece to be published at the same time our country celebrated its independence. As always I was more than happy to help, I didn’t even know there was a Dominican community in Denver, but it did not matter. Where there are people who love food, there are people who need to hear about the delights of tostones, mangú, and habichuelas con dulce.
Something that took me by surprise is that Ms. Watlington referred to me as “an expert”, something I have most certainly never called myself (and not out of modesty!). But thinking it over I decided that the true experts are the moms and dads that every day cook for our children and pass on to them the love for our cuisine. So, on behalf of the several million experts in our country: Thank you Ms. Watlington.
Rice is the base of Dominican cuisine, and arroz con fideos is one of an endless list of adaptations we have made to exotic dishes from faraway lands. Its origin can be traced to the Middle Eastern immigrants who arrived in our shores in the 19th century, and who brought with them the nearly-identical bil shareyah, an Egyptian dish.
This rice combination is very tasty, with a nice contrast of colors and textures, it is also easy to prepare and makes a great substitute for arroz blanco. It is the perfect side dish to accompany escovitched fish, or your preferred choice of Dominican meat.
Aunt Clara
A delicious dish with an unusual combination of textures and ingredients. A great side dish to serve with stewed meats or fish.
Ingredients
- 4 cups of rice
- 1/2 cup of angel hair noodles
- 5 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
- 5 tablespoons of oil
- Salt
Instructions
- In a deep bottom pot heat 3 tablespoons of oil, over medium heat.
- Add the noodles (uncooked) and cook and stir until they are golden brown being careful not to let them burn.
- Add the rice and stir until all the rice is covered in the oil.
- Try the broth and add salt if it is necessary.
- Add the boiling broth. Stir regularly to avoid excessive sticking.
- When all the liquid has evaporated cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer over very low heat.
- Wait 15 minutes and uncover. Stir, add the remaining oil and cover again. Wait another 5 minutes. Try the rice, it should be firm but tender inside. If necessary, cover and leave another 5 minutes over very low heat.
- Serve with meat (or seafood), a side dish and beans.
Aunt Clara's Kitchen is a collection of traditional Dominican and Dominican-inspired recipes, home ideas, crafts, and the chronicles of Aunt Clara and Aunt Ilana's adventures.
![Blender [US]](http://dominican.lcb.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/2013-04-23_2223-140x159.png)
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Help….I am from USA and my son needs to make a DR dish for Spanish class. He chose this one and I need to know if the angel hair pasta is first cooked before its browned. Please respond….Thank You very much!
No, it is fried before cooking, just as indicated in the recipe.
Question.. Does the angel hair pasta need to be boiled before frying them in the pan? In the picture above it shows the noodles soft before you started to fry them.
Thank you.
Please the comments above yours.
This is one of my favorites to make and one of the firsts i learned from my mother years ago. Eaaaasy!
i always say "i know dominican man cooking 101. si la mujer echa el hombre de la casa uno se defiende con arroz, platanos, salami, huevos y carne frita!"
Is the 4 cups of rice uncooked or cooked? I'm having a hard time imagining the 4 cups of uncooked rice only serving four…..
Thank you!!
It is uncooked. And yes, we Dominicans eat way more than the recommended rice portion. The (healthy) recommended portion is half a cup, and you will get aprox. 8 cups of cooked rice with this recipe.
dont you use onions and garlic for this recipe, if so how do you incorporate it in the mix?
No, I don't. All the ingredients I use are already listed in the recipe. Good luck.
Try browning the noodles with one finely chopped onion and small pieces of bacon, and adding a few drizzles of Soy Sauce to them before adding the water. Yum
Fran, that sounds delicious. I'm gonna have to try it.
This came out really good. I divided everything by half, bc it's only my husband and I. This recipe is a keeper and really easy to make. Thanks for sharing your talent. By the time my unborn children are 5, I should be a pro, LOL.
I love this!!!…I've also added chopped potatoes and it gives a great texture as the potatoes absorb all that flavor..Yum!!
Good Idea to add the potatoes, will try that.
Hello. I am dominican and I live in Homestead, Florida. I love to cook for my husband. He is dominican too! We are from Santiago. I learned to cook after I got married. I used to call my Mom every day to ask for tips! She gave me, a long time ago, the book Mujer 2000 de Silvia de Pou and I still use it!!! 17 years of marriage and still learning!! I am going to try your recipe for the Domincan cake. We have the celebration for La Virgen de la Altagracia on my church, San Martin de Porres Catholic Church and after the mass we sell dominican food as a fundraiser and also to share with our community our heritage through food. We have cubans, puertoricans, mexicans, venezuelan, americans, the united nations!!! Thank you so much! It is a great site!!!
hay k rico, ya encontre la cena de esta noche….gracias!!!!
yummmmmm thanks fran for that good recipie it actually pasted my childrens expectations
This looks incredible! I love rice, it's a staple in my house. But I have never combined noodles and rice. Sounds great, must try it some time!
This is interesting! Certainly going to try it
Do, you will love it.
Hola Tía! This is one of my husband’s favorite recipes, I make it at least once a month! Only thing I change is the rice-noodle ratio, he likes his rice with A LOT of noodles so I make it a 2-to-1 ratio.
Anyway, THANK YOU for this amazing recipe and website, you have saved me from calling my mom so many times!