Venezuelans are food lovers, and when we talk about parties we are talking about food. When we invite friends to a party we are telling them that we are going to invite them to eat. Well, people expect to find food, specially if we are having a wedding, a birthday or a babyshower. Christman season is a very special ocasion for cooking big meals and specially if the family is coming from other places.

Many years ago people used to prepare meals for funerals because we expected the family to come from many places far away, and they of course need to have a good meal. They were going to stay for at least 2 days sharing and supporting their relatives. Soups (Hervidos) were the favorite, but chicken rice was a favorite too.

Nowdays things have changed a lot. People are changing those big meals for food that won't take long in the preparation. Things like snacks, appetizers, antipasti etc. Drinks like beers are a favorite. In the funerals we offer drinks like coffee and teas of all kinds. With the pandemic times we are not taking time to do this funerals. We bury our people as quick as posible.

One thing that have made as change a lot is our economical situation. Food are too expensive, and we need a lot of money to prepare a meal for many people. Chicken rice is one of the favorite, and barbecues are a special meal too, but when little people is coming to the gathering.

I prepare this rice with pork chops because they are very rich in nutrients and tasteful, in fact the rice doesn't need to have many additive to make it tasteful because the pork will add all the flavour needed it.

We need the following ingredients:

• 4 pork chops cut in small pieces
• 4 cups of long grain rice
• 1 carrot cut in very small pieces
• 4 branches of chives
• 1 red pepper
• 1 big potato
• 5 garlic cloves
• 6 chillies, 1 must be a hot chillie
• olive oil
• oyster sauce or soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of chinese salt
• coriander leaves
• 7 cups of boiling water

Preparation:

I am preparing this meal for 5 people.

• cut the pork chops and remove some fat
• cut the carrots and the potatoes
• cut the chives, chillies and red pepper
• remove the seeds of the hot chilli

• add 6 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan
• fry the pork chops
• add the garlic and the oyster sauce or soy sauce
• salt at taste
• fry well without burning
• add the vegetables
• add 7 cups of boiling water
• add the rice, the carrots and potatoes
• finally adjust the salt and let it cook until the water dries
• cover the pan with the lid and cook for 30 minutes
• serve with the coriander leaves

This rice is easy to prepare, tasteful and help you to serve a delicious meal without spending lot of money. You can prepare seafood rice too, and with vegetables and beans, but this one is my favorite. You can serve it with salad and bread. I served with salad and green plantain as a lunch for the family.