[Inez] Gallo Pinto

This is gallo pinto as I learned to make it in Ticolandia (more commonly known as Costa Rica). I know that they make gallo pinto up in Nicaragua, too, but they don't put in all the goodies you find in gallo pinto a la Tico.

There are 4 ingredients which are key to many tico dishes, but especially gallo pinto: onions, garlic, cilantro, and salt. Especially salt. Always add more salt than you think you should.

Gallo pinto is essentially rice and beans. It is the absolute staple of Costa Rican diet, and because I'm in DC now and don't have extra money, I anticipate it becoming a staple of my diet as well.

The beans.

• Dried beans, soaked overnight
• onions
• garlic
• salt
• cilantro
• patience

How many onions you use depends on how much beans your working with. I used 1 1/2 cups dry beans and 1 medium onion. It's a matter of preference.

* Tip on chopping onions: Cut the ends off, then cut them in half from end to end. Then, using a sharp choppy knife, cut them from end to ALMOST end. Don't cut quite all the way. (See below)

This will make your life a lot easier. I cut both my garlic and my onions pretty coarsely for the beans. More garlic is better -- I think I added somewhere around 3-5 cloves.

Sautee the onions and garlic in a little vegetable oil with salt. More salt than you think you need. Then add the beans and a whole bunch of water. If you want, add some cilantro. I do whenever I have it, and while I'm not sure if it makes a huge difference, it makes me feel better to put it in.

Now, cook the beans. Bring them to a boil on high, then reduce the heat to pretty much as low as it goes and simmer covered for a long, long time. Upwards of an hour. Stir them from time to time and be sure to taste them to make sure there's enough salt. You should probably add more.

Ultimately, the beans should be soft and flavorful, and look like this:

Notice how some of them are cracked open? That's a good sign.

The rice.

• rice
• water
• onion
• cilantro
• salt
• (garlic)

There is always the question of whether or not to rinse the rice. I do when I remember to -- about half the time.

Let me explain to you about Costa Rican rice. First of all, use a medium grain rice. Basmati is too long, but will do in a pinch. Please, however, do not use short grain or sticky rice! This rice should end up on the dry side -- that's not to say it should be undercooked, but it also shouldn't have any excess moisture and certainly no stickiness.

Chop onion finely, and if you prefer, garlic as well (also finely chopped). Sautee them briefly in vegetable oil and salt. Add the dry rice and sautee it with the onions for a little while.

Meanwhile, deal with your cilantro. Some people fuss over cilantro, but I do not. I hold each end of a small bunch in one hand and twist, so that the roots and stalk can be discarded. Rinse thoroughly. Then chop it up.

Add water and cilantro to the rice. For white rice, it should be 1:1 or only very slightly more water. I used 2 cups dry rice and 2 1/3 cups water, and that was too much -- my rice was a bit sticky in the end.

Bring it to a boil on medium-high, stirring occasionally. Once it has begun to boil (watch it! don't forget about it!), put the lid on, turn the heat down as far as it goes, and set a timer for 20 minutes. (Note that this time is for white rice only.)

The gallo pinto.

• onion
• garlic
• beans
• rice
• cilantro
• Salsa Lizano
• optional: scrambled egg, red pepper

Chop your onion and garlic and sautee it on a medium heat. When the onion has started to become translucent and smells really, really good, add the beans. You should drain most of the bean juice when you add them, but not all of it. (If you find you have too much juice, cook it a bit longer to let some of it evaporate.) Cook the beans uncovered on medium heat.

When the bean juice is bubbling, add the rice. I go somewhere between 2:1 and 3:2 rice:beans, but again, a matter of preference. Stir thoroughly so that the rice becomes coated in bean juice and turns sort of brown. While this cooks -- stir it occasionally, or the rice will stick to the pan -- rinse and chop more cilantro.

When the rice and beans are hot, turn off the heat and add the cilantro.

You also need to add Salsa Lizano for it to be true Tico gallo pinto. Salsa Lizano is a mild, salty sauce made in Costa Rica. If you don't have Salsa Lizano, add even more salt to the rice and the beans. Salsa Lizano really brings all the flavors together and turns a good, hearty, filling dish into a delicious, mouthwatering, hearty, filling dish.