arroz fermentado (fermented rice) also called arroz amarillo, an unusual food made in the Andes regions of Ecuador. Unpolished rice is moistened, spread on a floor, and covered. Moulds including Aspergillus spp (related to those which ferment soy sauce etc), and bacteria including bacillus subtilis (which ferments natto), soon grow in it. Full fermentation takes a fortnight and generates considerable heat. The rice is turned over with a shovel at the halfway stage. The final product is golden brown with a sharp, pungent flavour.
