Chany's Shenanigans

Passport & Plate - Carmen's Gallo Pinto

Costa Rica | Friday, February 7, 2014 | 4 photos

Ingredients
- 1 can of whole black or red beans (I used red kidney beans)
- 2 cups of cooked white rice
- 1 red capsicum
- ½ white onion
- ¼ cup of coriander
- Salsa Lizano, salt and pepper to taste

 

How to prepare this recipe
1. Dice the capsicum and onion and sauté in a little vegetable oil
2. Add the rice and beans, salt, pepper and Lizano and stir, gently combining the ingredients
3. Pour in a little liquid from the can of beans - just enough to add some colour to the rice
4. Chop up the coriander and stir into the rice and beans for a couple minutes until the Gallo Pinto is evenly warm
5. Plate up, serve and enjoy!

 

The story behind this recipe
Gallo pinto, which funnily enough means ‘spotted chicken’ in Spanish, is the staple meal of both Coast Rica and Nicaragua. In 2013 I was lucky enough to spend one month in San Jose, Costa Rica, where I lived with a local ‘Tico’ family, went to Spanish school and did my very best to immerse myself in Costa Rican life. During my time in Costa Rica my beautiful host Mum, Carmen, cooked the most colourful, flavoursome food that I have ever tasted. It was here, in the humble home of Carmen and her family, that I first tried gallo pinto. This simple dish made of rice and beans is the bread and butter of Costa Rica. Committed to memory by those who live there and loved by all who try it, gallo pinto is the go-to meal of all true Costa Ricans. Sitting at the table eating a warm bowl of gallo pinto every morning for breakfast felt like a warm hug from Mum – A welcome feeling seeing as she was on the other side of the world! Perhaps one of the reasons why gallo pinto is so popular in Central America is that it is so darn easy to make. No need to meticulously measure quantities or incessantly chop ingredients... It’s as simple as heat up the pan, throw in your ingredients and start licking your lips! One thing that I learnt early on in life is that food brings people together. I believe that food speaks a universal language and nowhere was this so true for me than in Carmen’s house in Costa Rica. With my Spanish skills barely above the level of a three year old Spanish-speaking child and Carmen knowing no English at all, it was over food, often gallo pinto, that we managed to communicate and form our very own friendship. This recipe will forever hold a special place in my heart. Everything about gallo pinto - its smell, taste and texture, reminds me of the love and kindness that I experienced in Costa Rica. A meal that is enjoyed for breakfast, lunch and dinner by people young and old is definitely something worth celebrating!