arroz de grelos

day 3 of 10 naturally vegan dishes from around the world.

Welcome to day 3 of 10 naturally vegan dishes series. Yesterday, I shared Scallion Oil Noodles, a Shanghainese noodle dish. Click here to check it out! On day 3 we travel to Portugal for Arroz de Grelos.

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Rice is an integral part of cuisines from around the globe. In Asia, the versatile nature of rice grains has allowed various countries to enhance their culinary uses. In Europe, short-grain rice varieties are considered an integral part of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese cuisine. The history of rice in Portugal is a long one that dates back to the 13th century. It is believed that the Moors introduced rice to the Portuguese in the 13th century. Since then, they have been making fantastic rice dishes with the available local produce.

Winters in Portugal can be pretty harsh. And for many people, the cold wind blowing outside is the only heating inside their homes. It is a Portuguese tradition to come together, huddle around a hot bowl of rice and vegetables, and chat about their day and the news. One of the most famous Portuguese rice dishes is Arroz de Grelos – or rice with turnip tops or rapini. Grelos, meaning turnip greens, is now a blanket term for all leafy greens. This dish is enjoyed by locals, especially in winter when leafy greens are abundant.

In the Moors' original recipe, they added ingredients such as salt ham, shrimp, saffron, and sometimes even octopus. This delicious dish has many adaptations, but the traditional way of making it is prepared very much like risotto but with a few key differences. The broth, made with vegetable stock, is the central flavor of this dish. It is used to “wilt” and mellow the greens, also seasons the rice itself. The broth often finds its way into the rice, soaking up as much flavor as possible.

Arroz de Grelos pairs well with anything. I chose to eat it as is, and it was fantastic. It reminded me of risotto, but what I loved about this dish was the leafy greens' role. I chose to use kale, and the delicate bitterness of the kale is an excellent addition to the soft creaminess of the rice. 

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Recipe from 196 Flavors

What do you think about this dish? Would you eat this?

See you tomorrow for day 4!