Concón

Hello!

Would you eat rice that looked like this?

If my little boy doesn't get some at school, he comes home crying, "Concón, concón!"

At first, I did not like the crusty, almost burned rice at the bottom of the pot that is a delicacy Dominican kids fight over. Now it is growing on me. I still like it more golden than darker brown but have finally, after a few years in the country, achieved making it.

It took me a while to learn how to make rice Dominican-style. In Canada, I was taught to boil salted water then add the rice, put the top on the pot and let it cook, and then let it sit for a few minutes before serving. To make Dominican rice, oil is heated first and then the water and salt are added. When the water boils, the rice is added but it is stirred uncovered until the water is gone. Then the top is put on and it is left to finish cooking. There are also people who fry the rice briefly in the oil and then add the water. Either way, the end product is a wonderful tasting rice with a layer of concón at the bottom.

Of course, it must be served with beans (habichuelas) but how to make those is a post for another day.

Goodnight!

Marcie Cooper