Rice and beans

Rice and beans, orbeans and rice, is a category of dishes from many cultures around the world, whereby thestaple foodsofriceandbeansare combined in some manner. The grain and legume combination provides several importantnutrientsand manycalories, and both foods are widely available. The beans are usually seasoned, while the rice may be plain or seasoned. The two components may be mixed together, separated on the plate, or served separately.
The dish usually consists ofwhiteorbrown riceaccompanied by cookedbrown,redorblackdrybeans(typicallyPhaseolus vulgarisorVigna unguiculata) andseasonedin various ways. This dish is also commonly served with sides of stewed chicken,pork,beef,potato salad,boiled potatoes, and many other sides from many different cultures. In many areas, beans and rice are often served side by side rather than combined.  Either way, they may be considered a meal, frequently with a topping ofmeatorchicken.  Meat or other ingredients are sometimes placed atop beans and rice or, less frequently, mixed into it.
Different regions have different preferences. InNicaragua, for example, red beans are more popular while cookingGallo pinto, while inCosta Ricablack beans are. Also, inBrazil, black beans are more popular inParaná,Rio de Janeiro,Rio Grande do SulandSanta Catarina, while in most other parts of the country these are mostly only used infeijoadas.  TheNew Orleansspecialty known as "red beans and rice" is often accompanied by a side of smokedsausageor a friedpork chop.
Genetic analyses of the common beanPhaseolusshows  that it originated in Mesoamerica, and subsequently spread southward, along withmaizeandsquash, traditional companion crops.Asian ricewas introduced to Latin America during the colonial era by the Spanish and the Portuguese.  However, it has recently been discovered that the indigenous peoples of the Amazon had already cultivated a distant relative of Asian rice of the same genusOryzasome 4,000 years ago,and were growing it alongside maize and squash, traditional companion crops of beans, which were also by that time present in South America.  Some recent scholarship suggests thatenslaved Africansmay also have played an active role in the establishment of rice in theNew World.It is also one of the most common foods in some Spanish-speaking countries.
Beans and rice are both nutritious ingredients. Rice is rich instarch, making it a good source of energy. Rice also hasironand someprotein. Beans also containironand a greater amount of protein in comparison to rice. Together they make up acomplete protein, which provides large quantities of each of theamino acidsthe body cannot produce by itself.
In someLatin Americanstates and countries, beans and rice are commonly eaten as everyday lunch, along with a different variety of meats and vegetables. It is also common to prepare dinner using the lunch leftovers.  Beans and rice are especially popular in Brazil, which is the world's third largest producer of dry beansand the largest consumer of rice in theAmericas.
Worldwide, there are many dishes with a base of beans and rice, which vary in their cooking and additional ingredients. Variations exist regionally, as cultures shape the dishes to their own preferences. In countries near or in the Caribbean, these dishes are simply known asrice and beans, in which the dish is cooked in coconut milk, the following is a list of variations:
Riceandbeansis referred to asarroz y habas,arroz con habichuelas,arroz con frijoles,gallo pinto,recalentaoor similar inSpanish;arroz e feijão,arroz com feijãoorfeijão com arrozinPortuguese;sos pwainHaitian Creole; andavas kon arrozoravikas kon arrozinJudaeo-Spanish.