Gallo Pinto 2

One of the most common dishes in Costa Rica is Gallo Pinto, which is very often eaten for breakfast. It is served with either Salsa Lizano or with Pico de Gallo. Serve it on a plate or rolled up in a fresh corn tortilla.

Servings: 4

¼ cup vegetable broth or water
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans black beans, drained (liquid reserved) and rinsed
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper

Place the water in a large non-stick frying pan and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until onion softens and begins to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add a bit more water or broth and repeat until onion begins to stick again. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Add a bit of the reserved liquid from the beans to make the rice look “dirty”, if desired. Cook until heated through. Serve hot with salsa on top.

Hint: To be more authentic, you can cook dry black beans in water to cover until tender (about 3-4 hours). You will need about 3 cups of cooked black beans. Save some of the cooking liquid to mix with the beans and rice.