The Dominican Flag

In Spanish, this dish is called “la bandera,” which means “the flag.” It includes rice, beans and meat — either chicken or beef. Each part represents one color of the flag.

When making this recipe with children, point out that many families living in poverty can’t afford meat very often because it’s more expensive than most vegetables. So this meal would be a special treat for families like your sponsored child’s!

Yield: 4 servings
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 c. white rice
• 2 lbs chicken
• 2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
• 2 pinches oregano
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp. fresh cilantro
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 (16-oz.) cans pinto beans
• 1 or 2 sprigs of cilantro for garnish

Directions

1. Cook the rice according to package directions.
2. Cut the chicken into small pieces. Mix it in a bowl with 1 can of tomato paste and half each of the oregano, bell pepper, onion, garlic and cilantro. Let marinate at least 30 minutes.
3. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pot over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the bowl, but keep the marinade. Add the chicken to the pot and sauté until light brown, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the marinade to the pot and simmer, covered, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large pot over medium heat. Then add the other can of tomato paste and the remaining spices. Cook about 1 minute, stirring. Add the pinto beans to the pot and cook until the beans are warm, about 5 minutes.
6. Arrange rice on a large plate in the shape of a cross. Arrange chicken-and-bean mixture in the four corners of the “flag” (refer to photograph), and add cilantro garnish in center, as shown.