The curious case of the “no sabo” kid

Everyone who is part of an American-Hispanic household has heard the phrase “no sabo kid”, whether it was aimed at themselves or someone else. For those who have not heard of this before it is quite simple– it is a phrase aimed at Hispanic children who do not know Spanish. It is a way of poking fun at the child, often making that person feel less then (whether or not it was a joke). As we gets older this phrase does not hurt as much as it did as a kid and the “no sabo” children are able to poke fun at themselves.

Something that always baffled me is how we can poke fun at the No Sabo Kids as though it is their fault they do not know Spanish. After all, how does a child learn a language if they are not taught it? We do not come out the womb speaking, we have to learn the languages through immersion and teaching. It has always been my opinion that it is more on the parents then the child, and the child should not be the one being made fun of for not knowing a language that was not taught to them.

As you probably guessed by now by my hatred toward the entire “no sabo kid” thing, I am a no sabo kid. Not from a lack of trying on my end– language does not come easy to me and I do not have anyone to practice with. (“Well why don’t you practice with family”– Because when you practice with family all they do is make fun of you and don’t help you in the way you ask to be helped.) I am no a No Sabo Adult– I am in my mid-twenties, with dozens of failed attempts of learning spanish under my belt. People often make me feel as though I am less-than because I cannot speak Spanish. I am always the one blamed, even when I was a child.

And, even worse, I am made to feel as though I am not Puerto Rican.

I am characteristically Hispanic based on how I look– most people that look at me know my race and can guess my ethnicity. Because of this I have experienced both the good and bad of being a POC in America– I have been called words I do not care to repeat, but I have also been told my culture is beautiful.

To which I say: it is.

For a long time, I did not call myself Hispanic or say I was Puerto Rican. When people would as my ethnicity, I would simply say “American”. In my early 20s that changed when I met one of my best friends. She is a fellow “no sabo” kid, but breathed, bled, and slept “Puerto Rican”. She is the one who helped me fall back in love with a culture I did not feel welcome in, and made me realize that my culture does not disown me the way my family made me feel it would.

Finding myself through food: The “no sabo” kid taking hold of their culture, one dish at a time

Any “no sabo” kid knows that it is hard to feel like you are part of a culture/ family that is constantly making fun of you. It is not your fault you do not know the language of your people– you were not taught when you were a child. However, you are still the one made fun of. It is a cultural phenomenon of those who are Puerto Rican. However, you are part of the culture and you are allowed to celebrate it; even if you do not speak the language. Be proud of who you are. Whether you are a quarter, half, or full: you are who you are. For me, it is time to own that. And I am starting with the traditional meals that bring me closer to my ancestors. I may not be able to communicate verbally to some of my family, but food is a love language as old as time.

Special tools

Some dishes in certain cultures require special tools and implements to cook them. Although they are not required, they can sometimes make the difference in the meal. For example, woks are used in many Asian dishes when making Fried Rice. To make fried rice you can use any pot, but using a wok can make a huge difference in texture.

Puerto Rican Dishes are no different.

A Caldero is a special pot that can be found in most Puerto Rican households. If you do not have a thriving Hispanic community near you, you may not be able to find them in person. Luckily, they are easily found online, such as on amazon. They are often made of aluminum, though other types are becoming more popular. If you know how to use it, a caldero will make perfect rice every time. It conducts heat fairly equally. Caldero’s are versatile tools that can be used to make meat, rice, pasta, etc. Most are oven safe, although some have plastic handles– so if you want the most versatile tool, try to buy one that is just fully metal and does not have any plastic.

Special Seasonings

There are quite a few seasonings that are vital to Puerto Rican dishes. The two used for this recipe are Sazon and Sofrito. Both of these seasonings can be found in stores, especially if you have a thriving Hispanic community near you. If not, you can easily make sofrito at home (this is what I personally do). You can, also, buy Sazon online or make it at home. Both of these seasonings are essential to the dish. The Sazon provides a savory- earthy flavor, and the Sofrito provides an indescribable but savory flavor to the dish.

Dirty Rice

Nutrition:

*Note: Nutrition facts are calculated without any of the optional ingredients