Gallo pinto, a vegetarian recipe from Costa Rica

Name: Gallo pinto
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Costa Rica
Ingredients: 600 g cooked white rice, chilled overnight; 400 g cooked black beans, plus 100 ml of their cooking liquid; 1 yellow onion, finely chopped; 1 red pepper, finely diced; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; 3 tbsp neutral oil; 3 tbsp Salsa Lizano (or a vegan Worcestershire-style sauce); 1 small bunch coriander, chopped; Salt and black pepper

Method

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.
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.
Add the garlic and let it perfume the oil for 30 seconds without colouring.
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.
Fold in the rice and stir constantly for 5 minutes, until every grain takes on an even purplish tint.
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.

The techniques this recipe uses

Drain and rinse
Canning liquid clouds a sauce and salts it blind: rinse until the water runs clear.
Sweat the aromatics
Medium heat, no browning: the onion should turn translucent and sweet, not toasted.
Reduce
Uncovered, water leaves and flavour concentrates. It is done when the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

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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Gallo pinto

Method

The techniques this recipe uses

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Nutrition per serving

Frequently asked questions

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