Sundance
07-12-07, 10:56 PM
Gallo Pinto
Category: Main Dishes - Rice
Suitable for a: vegan diet
Ingredients:
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3 cups cooked rice
2 cups cooked beans (black or red)
1 large chopped onion
1 large chopped red or yellow pepper (or 1/2 each)
4-6 cloves chopped garlic
2 tablespoons oil
4 tablespoons Salsa Lizano
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
Black pepper to taste
Seasonings to taste
Instructions:
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Sautee the onions, peppers, garlic and cilantro in the vegetable oil over medium heat, about three minutes or until onions are golden and peppers are soft.
Add the beans, black pepper, Salsa Lizano and any other seasonings and let it cook for several minutes over a medium heat until the liquid boils down some, being careful not to let it dry out (the dish should be moist, but not wet).
Stir in the rice until the dish is hot and well-mixed.
Additional comments:
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Gallo pinto means, literally, "spotted rooster," but I assure you that no roosters will be harmed in the making of this dish (unless you cook the rice in chicken broth, as many people do). It is the national dish of Costa Rica and is eaten for every meal, but is especially popular as a breakfast food! (I think it's just dandy with fresh fruit!)
Making gallo pinto is not an exact science. It's often said that there are as many recipes for gallo pinto as there are cooks who make it, so feel free to experiment. One popular recipe uses cumin and ground ginger. You can also add different veggies (I like to toss in a bit of broccoli sometimes myself). You can also adjust the rice/beans mixture to suit yourself. Most people like a 2-1 or 3-2 mixture, while others like equal amounts of each. In Costa Rica and Nicaragua, cooks will usually just throw in whatever they have.
Until quite recently, Salsa Lizano was very difficult to find in the United States (because of labeling problems, I understand), but the Lizano Company is now owned by Knorr and I'm buying it in my local supermarket (a 23.5 ounce bottle is about $4). You can probably find it in most latino specialty markets or as a last resort it can be ordered by internet. Many Americans substitute Vegan Worcestershire Sauce for the Salsa Lizano, but it just isn't going to taste the same. The ingredients of Salsa Lizano, by the way, are Water, Sugar, Salt, Vegetables, (Onions, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cucumbers), Spices, Acetic Acid, Pepper, Starch, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Tumeric. It's delicious for many uses and in Costa Rica it's used much as ketchup is used in the U.S.
Category: Main Dishes - Rice
Suitable for a: vegan diet
Ingredients:
------------------------------------------------------
3 cups cooked rice
2 cups cooked beans (black or red)
1 large chopped onion
1 large chopped red or yellow pepper (or 1/2 each)
4-6 cloves chopped garlic
2 tablespoons oil
4 tablespoons Salsa Lizano
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
Black pepper to taste
Seasonings to taste
Instructions:
------------------------------------------------------
Sautee the onions, peppers, garlic and cilantro in the vegetable oil over medium heat, about three minutes or until onions are golden and peppers are soft.
Add the beans, black pepper, Salsa Lizano and any other seasonings and let it cook for several minutes over a medium heat until the liquid boils down some, being careful not to let it dry out (the dish should be moist, but not wet).
Stir in the rice until the dish is hot and well-mixed.
Additional comments:
------------------------------------------------------
Gallo pinto means, literally, "spotted rooster," but I assure you that no roosters will be harmed in the making of this dish (unless you cook the rice in chicken broth, as many people do). It is the national dish of Costa Rica and is eaten for every meal, but is especially popular as a breakfast food! (I think it's just dandy with fresh fruit!)
Making gallo pinto is not an exact science. It's often said that there are as many recipes for gallo pinto as there are cooks who make it, so feel free to experiment. One popular recipe uses cumin and ground ginger. You can also add different veggies (I like to toss in a bit of broccoli sometimes myself). You can also adjust the rice/beans mixture to suit yourself. Most people like a 2-1 or 3-2 mixture, while others like equal amounts of each. In Costa Rica and Nicaragua, cooks will usually just throw in whatever they have.
Until quite recently, Salsa Lizano was very difficult to find in the United States (because of labeling problems, I understand), but the Lizano Company is now owned by Knorr and I'm buying it in my local supermarket (a 23.5 ounce bottle is about $4). You can probably find it in most latino specialty markets or as a last resort it can be ordered by internet. Many Americans substitute Vegan Worcestershire Sauce for the Salsa Lizano, but it just isn't going to taste the same. The ingredients of Salsa Lizano, by the way, are Water, Sugar, Salt, Vegetables, (Onions, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cucumbers), Spices, Acetic Acid, Pepper, Starch, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Tumeric. It's delicious for many uses and in Costa Rica it's used much as ketchup is used in the U.S.