Costa Ricans cannot live without it... What is so special about Gallo Pinto? There's only one way to know:Try it yourself!!
If beans are dried, cover with water and soak overnight, if they are fresh, just rinse them off. Drain the beans and add fresh water to an inch (2.5-cm) above the top of the beans. Add salt and bring them to a boil. Cover the pan and reduce heat to a very low simmer until beans are soft (approximately 3 hours).
Thinly chop the cilantro, onions, and sweet peppers.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large pan and sauté the dry rice for 2 minutes over medium high flame, then add half of the chopped items and sauté another 2 minutes. Add water or chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer until rice is tender (20-35 minutes).
Once the rice and beans are cooked you can refrigerate or freeze them. Keep a significant amount of the “black water” with the beans (½-1 cup 120-240 ml). This is what gives the rice its color and some of its flavor. Sauté the rice, beans, reserved chopped onion, sweet pepper and cilantro together in vegetable oil for a few minutes.
Once the rice and beans are cooked you can also refrigerate or freeze them. Make up small batches of Gallo Pinto when you want it by simply sautéing them together.
Traditionally served with eggs and/or steak, Gallo Pinto is one breakfast item you cannot miss while visiting Costa Rica.This is a nutritious treat for all your family.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb (450 gr.) Fresh or dried black beans
- 8-10 cilantro fresh sprigs
- 1 small or medium onion
- ½ small red or yellow sweet pepper
- 3 cups (700 ml) chicken broth or water
- 2 cups (350 ml) white rice
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
- 1-3 Tablespoon frying oil
If beans are dried, cover with water and soak overnight, if they are fresh, just rinse them off. Drain the beans and add fresh water to an inch (2.5-cm) above the top of the beans. Add salt and bring them to a boil. Cover the pan and reduce heat to a very low simmer until beans are soft (approximately 3 hours).
Thinly chop the cilantro, onions, and sweet peppers.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large pan and sauté the dry rice for 2 minutes over medium high flame, then add half of the chopped items and sauté another 2 minutes. Add water or chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer until rice is tender (20-35 minutes).
Once the rice and beans are cooked you can refrigerate or freeze them. Keep a significant amount of the “black water” with the beans (½-1 cup 120-240 ml). This is what gives the rice its color and some of its flavor. Sauté the rice, beans, reserved chopped onion, sweet pepper and cilantro together in vegetable oil for a few minutes.
Once the rice and beans are cooked you can also refrigerate or freeze them. Make up small batches of Gallo Pinto when you want it by simply sautéing them together.
You can enhance the flavor of Gallo Pinto with Worcestershire Sauce or Lizano Sauce which is a very popular local condiment.
To be fully in line with your new 'Costa Rican' identity, don't forget to recycle your leftovers and trash, don't use more water than what you really need and after breakfast take some minutes to walk around and enjoy the sunshine. No wonder why Costa Rica was named the happiest country on earth! 25% of Costa Rica is protected in Natural Reserves.
The next step is too book your next stay and live an experience of a lifetime!
Pura Vida!
Submitted by the DoubleTree by Hilton Resort near Puntarenas Costa Rica.
