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Gallo pinto

Costa Rica's breakfast of choice: day-old rice tossed with black beans, onion, sweet pepper and tangy Lizano sauce.

Vegan#rice#black beans#breakfast#leftovers#quick
Gallo pinto

Photo : Unknown · CC BY-SA 3.0

Prep
10 min
Cook
15 min
Total
25 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy

Method

  1. Take the rice from the fridge and crumble it between your fingers to separate the grains. Cold, dry rice is essential or the dish turns sticky.
  2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Soften the onion and pepper over medium heat for 5 minutes, until glossy and tender.
  3. Add the garlic and let it perfume the oil for 30 seconds without colouring.
  4. Tip in the drained beans with their cooking liquid and the Lizano sauce. Let it bubble for 2 to 3 minutes until the liquid reduces to a syrupy coating.
  5. Fold in the rice and stir constantly for 5 minutes, until every grain takes on an even purplish tint.
  6. Season with salt and pepper, kill the heat and stir through the coriander. Serve straight away, traditionally with eggs, fresh cheese and fried plantain.

The name means “spotted rooster”, after the speckled look of the bean-stained rice. Never throw away the bean liquid: it does all the colouring and most of the seasoning.

Nutrition · per serving

Calories
451 kcal
Protein
14.1 g
Fat
11.5 g
Carbohydrate
73.2 g
Fibre
11 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use freshly cooked rice?

Better not. Hot, moist rice clumps the moment it meets the bean liquid and the dish goes sticky. If today's rice is all you have, spread it on a tray and dry it in the fridge for at least an hour.

What can I use instead of Lizano sauce?

A vegan Worcestershire-style sauce, already listed as the alternative, is the closest thing. Without it you lose the colour and the sweet-spiced note, and it becomes plain rice and beans.

Why keep the bean cooking liquid?

It supplies the purple tint and much of the flavour. Reducing it until syrupy before the rice goes in concentrates the colour instead of soaking the grains.

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